Today’s quick review: Animal World. Zheng Kai-Si (Li Yifeng) is a smart but troubled young man trapped in a dead-end job. To pay his mother’s medical bills, he mortgages their apartment to his friend Li Jun (Cao Bingkun) as part of a get-rich-quick scheme. But when the scheme backfires, Zheng is left with an unpayable debt to Anderson (Michael Douglas), who offers to clear it if Zheng wins an exotic, underground tournament of rock-paper-scissors.
Animal World is a Chinese movie that’s one part action fantasy and one part crime thriller. The core of the movie is the game that Zheng must win to pay off his debts: an elaborate version of rock-paper-scissors that depends on strategy, betrayal, and trust, as well as pure luck. Animal World spices up this cerebral premise with dynamic cinematography and a series of surreal action sequences pulled from Zheng’s violent daydreams.
These action sequences give Animal World a distinct visual style. Zheng dips into fantasy whenever he is stressed, imagining high-octane fights between his clownish alter ego and legions of strange creatures. Fluid camerawork, unbridled physics, and vivid visual design make the action stylish and engaging. The one drawback is that the fights are pure fantasy, illustrations of Zheng’s psychological state with only minimal connection to the story.
The concrete half of the story concerns an underground rock-paper-scissors tournament where anything goes. Animal World goes to great lengths to turn the simple game into a high-stakes battle of wits, and to a certain extent, it succeeds. Seeing Zheng reason his way out of seemingly impossible situations holds an intellectual appeal, and his strategies are presented with just as much drama and visual flair as the action proper.
How much you get out of Animal World will depend heavily on your taste in the bizarre. For the wrong viewer, Animal World will be an unhinged medley of artificial action and low-stakes gambling blown absurdly out of proportion. For the right one, it will be a rare combination of hardcore strategy and raw spectacle, fueled by unfettered imagination and packed with interesting characters, visuals, and situations. Skip it if you are afraid of clowns.
For an animated action adventure dripping with the same insanity, try MFKZ. For a more grounded test of intellect in an unusual setting, try Exam. For another stylized movie with over-the-top fantasy action, try Sucker Punch or Wanted. For a stylized action film that’s more accessible, try Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.
6.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for a daring blend of gambling and action with strong niche appeal.