Film Name: 雄狮少年2 / I Am What I Am 2
Very happy! Very happy! Even with my expectations raised, “I Am What I Am 2” did not disappoint, and I can safely and boldly say that it’s a great, strong Chinese animated film that should not be missed.
There are a lot of things to talk about in this movie, and I’ll try to mention all of them in the main body, but the one thing that touched me the most about the movie has to be that it recaptures the traditional grassroots narrative that’s been on the wane (or has long since been tarnished), and it uses “old-fashioned” moves to hit the real power.
When I first watched “I Am What I Am 2”, I was excited and happy, but in hindsight, I realized that it was a bit old-fashioned and old-fashioned, and now, I feel more admiration and admiration….
It’s not hard to stick to it, it’s not hard to innovate, but it’s even harder to get a fresh aroma out of the principle of “old wine in new bottles”, and the movie did it.
[Friendly reminder: there will be spoilers below].
Whether you like or hate “I Am What I Am 2”, as long as you have seen the movie, it is difficult to deny the high level of the movie in terms of graphics, action, rendering and other hard indicators.
In fact, the first film’s graphic standard is already very outstanding, this sequel thanks to a large number of smooth action scenes, as well as a combination of static and dynamic excellent editing, so that the advantages of more people to see and accept, “the production standard of the breakthrough leading” praise, is not too outrageous boasting.
“I Am What I Am 2” continues the “overall realistic, moderately exaggerated” style of painting, and in the details of a more natural/perverted presentation, Ajuan practiced to the tanned skin, the appearance of random but real texture of the weeds, the combination of reality and close-up strikes, and so on, are very worthy of appreciation.
Honestly, the movie doesn’t have much going for it in terms of subject matter – there are a lot of movies and anime about boxing/fighting – but “I Am What I Am 2” has two great plus points:
One is the clever incorporation of traditional martial arts, with a “not to overpower the main” posture quietly sat in the main seat, so that the action scenes greatly enhanced the watchability; the other is in the non-action scenes on the borrowed power to Ajuan versus Brazilian war dance and Muay Thai masters in two scenes, for example, the first one is biased towards the comedy of the chicken flying dog, the latter focused on the unfairness of the field of trickery, have enriched the level of the fight. The latter focuses on the injustice of off-court trickery, all of which enrich the boxing match’s layered nature.
It must be mentioned that the rhythm of the action scenes in “I Am What I Am 2” is really first-rate (even at the expense of some of the text to do with the suspicion), and when the momentum is up, it is one ring after another, one wave after another.
Here to praise the film at the end of the climax of the Ajuan and others to fight back, from the public provocation to get the opportunity to go on stage, to the tactical targeting of the fake fight, and so on, until the dust settles, and then come to a real fight without any constraints, the tension and relaxation, in and out of a well-documented, all in one fell swoop, together with the funds to burn the effect of the rain, it is simply very enjoyable ah!
No matter what the story, anime is first and foremost a visual work, and for that reason alone, “I Am What I Am 2” is a must-see.
Next, let’s talk about the plot and theme, which is more important to people.
The movie tells the story of Ah Juan and others who come to Shanghai to work, but before they can earn any money, they are living on the streets. In order to earn money, Ah Juan agrees to the request of Xiao Yu, the heir to the fallen Seeking Truth Boxing Gym, to take part in the “Shanghai Fight Night” martial arts competition, and to fight against the “Impossible”, which is the only way to make money. The “impossible” is challenged.
Compared to the first film, which still has a leisurely and happy countryside, “I Am What I Am 2” is undoubtedly more realistic and gray, as illustrated by a very insignificant detail: the three youngsters, Ah Juan, Ah Cat, and Ah Dog, show their big names, Liu Jia Juan, Liu Fu Jun, and Liu Zhi Xiong, when they arrive in Shanghai.
The small names and nicknames of the past lose their circulation value in the crowded big city, and the teenagers who fantasize about making a name for themselves must submit to more mundane, effective rules.
This is probably why many viewers preferred the first film “I Am What I Am 2”, where the plight of Juan and the others was more internalized, the “evil” of the environment was mainly indifference, and the final lion dance competition was relatively fair – whereas in this sequel, the environment also inflicts stigmatization and persecution. In this sequel, the environment also inflicts stigmatization and persecution, and the unfairness extends far beyond the boxing match.
For the film’s villain, Kim Ki-Yang, his goal is not to win at all, but to attract more people to become members through less restrictive and more entertaining fights, so that the Jin Xin Club, which is already at the head of the pack, can monopolize the business and make money on the side.
Perhaps only the hard-working, honest and kind-hearted Ajuan would be so foolish as to think that “boxing is probably the fairest opportunity for me”, right?
But we all know that boxing can’t be fair under the pressure of those who are in the top position of “competition and victory are only a means to an end”.
When Xiaoyu and Ajuan do not follow their own script, Jin Muyang gently shot to destroy them …… Later that windless net violence scene, no doubt also cue the “I Am What I Am” series in the reality of the situation, I glimpsed the sentence “in Guangdong by lion dance can buy a suite! I laughed out loud when I read the line “I can buy a suite in Guangdong with my lion dance, how can I come out to work”.
In the face of rumors and slander, the only time the rootless Ajuan and the Seeking Truth Kung Fu Club resisted was when they were interviewed by reporter Xu, who was beaten up throughout the entire film – the film uses a tone of sympathy here to illustrate the fate of the traditional media and traditional kung fu, which is also declining. However, in a short and quick public opinion war (especially when the truth is secondary), the online media is simply no match for the renovation rate and dissemination rate.
“Ajuan was disqualified before she could even stand in the ring for the final four, and Jin Muyang didn’t even have to pay the $100,000 prize money that he had originally agreed to. …… He simply couldn’t win this invisible match.
After falling back to the bottom, Ajuan and the others had to continue to go to work for a living, but then they encountered shady villains who used the Internet trial to continue to slander and vilify – the other side would easily use the most vicious swords just to snatch a few opportunities for daily-paid porters.
“I Am What I Am 2” also shows once again its realistic and cold side: people at the bottom of the ladder don’t necessarily help each other, but on the contrary, others may seize the opportunity to step on you, regardless of whether or not they have a grudge against you.
These are the essential low points in a grassroots story, but if it ends with such an anti-climactic plot, it is likely that everyone will be cursing …… The other side of the grassroots narrative that corresponds to the hardships and tribulations is the self-improvement that is first suppressed and then raised.
In the most difficult times for Ajuan and the others, their own report of good news and notoriety would not damage the care of their distant family members in the slightest; and in moments of despair, there were always unexpected peaks and troughs, and a return of the past to the present.
Of course the ring is not fair, but when both fighters are standing on it, to some extent, the ring is the fairest of them all.
Jin Muyang relied on his ability to pinpoint the weaknesses of martial artists, perform tricks, and stomp on traditional martial arts schools to get to the top, and the biggest reason he relied on it was that Xiao Zhang Yang was able to beat the masters in the ring, and even if Juan and Zhang Watt found out that the other party was cheating with gypsum powder, they could not have overturned the situation, but as long as they forced the other party to stand on the ring, then they would have a chance to fight.
To borrow a line from “The Grandmaster”, “Kung Fu, two words, one horizontal, one vertical, the right one stands, the wrong one falls.”
I would like to praise the climax of “I Am What I Am 2” once again. In addition to the previously mentioned characteristics of rhythm, action, and the meaning of winning and losing, the poetic combination of movement and energy should also be praised.
When Ajuan and Xiao Zhang Yang fight to the key moment, he saw the sky floating petals, as if he was in his hometown under the beautiful cottonwood tree, but also as if in the unfathomable grass in the middle of …… the ring to get rid of the inexhaustible weeds, grew dazzling trees, buds open, endless life.
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such wonderful imagery on the screen, in addition to the imaginary scene, there is also the motto left by Ajuan on Li Bai’s poetry book “As long as the drumbeat is still sounding in the heart, we are the lion!” And he never forgot “Laughing up at the sky and going out the door, I am not a man of artemisia in my generation.” These fantasies, cries, symbols and perseverance together constitute the inspirational spirit of the small grassroots people who are tenacious and hardworking.
When I saw the lion’s head in the ring in the end credits, in the construction site, in the mall, in the wilderness, in the cubicle, and in many other scenes, I knew that the grassroots narrative of “I Am What I Am 2” had come true.
What could be behind the weeds? Chances are, there’s a lion hiding.
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