the new legends of monkey review
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The original Japanese show, known as Monkey or Monkey Magic in its dubbed-in-English form, was a cult hit for kids overseas in the late '70s and early '80s, and this remake is timed just right for nostalgia-watching, since these kids now have kids of their own. ‘The New Legends of Monkey’ Review: Beyond Whitewashing, Campy Update Erases Classic Tale’s Chinese Roots Netflix’s family-friendly adventure embraces the hammy humor seen in … Synopsis: A new take on the story of the Monkey King, Pigsy, Sandy, and Tripitaka the monk, on their journey to restore the world. In fact, the whole enterprise has the vibe of vintage sword-and-sorcery shows like Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, but aimed at younger viewers. How Technology Is Reshaping Democracy and Our Lives, National Reading Month: Get free read-alouds, stories, poems, and more on Wide Open School, Online Playdates, Game Nights, and Other Ways to Socialize at a Distance, Keeping Kids Motivated for Online Learning, Classic Cartoons Parents Love to Share with Kids. Most episodes have messages that seem tailor-made for tweens: Follow your heart but use your head, stay true to yourself, hope must never die, etc. The original setting had been China, the Silk Road, and India, but “The New Legends of Monkey” has instead created an entirely separate fantasy realm. By now, Shakespeare can be updated anywhere and in any number of ways without mentioning its British roots. The New Legends of Monkey is an Australian-New Zealand television series inspired by Monkey, a Japanese production from the 1970s and 1980s which garnered a cult following in New Zealand, Australia, the U.K. and South Africa. Join the Community. But not to worry; these occasionally earnest interludes are quickly followed by jokes. “The New Legends of Monkey” is currently streaming on Netflix. Asian mysticism meets epic fiction in top-notch 'toon. Become a member to write your own review. Thus, the cast hasn’t been precisely whitewashed so much as the tale avoids any need for Chinese people altogether by co-opting its roots. Mythology and action-adventure for teens and up. Based on a 1970s Japanese show that was popular with kids in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, THE NEW LEGENDS OF MONKEY follows the adventures of noble Tripitaka (Luciane Buchanan), a young warrior/scholar who awakens the legendary Monkey King (Chai Hansen) from a centuries-long imprisonment. Protecting innocent people from unearthly threats is central focus, but it can be hard to tell the good guys from the bad: Though we're told that one group is good and one is bad, both use force to fight battles. All rights reserved. It has demons, but not scary, There is "Action" in this series, and is just great. Why are those important character strengths? We're updating our reviews to better highlight authentic stories and accurate, diverse representations. Quickly gaining popularity, it became a cult hit, with every teenage schoolboy – as that is what I was when it aired – rushing home to see it. In order to fulfill the mission of gathering some sacred scrolls, Tripitaka is aided by three magical disciples: Monkey (Chai Hansen), Pigsy (Josh Thomson), and Sandy (Emilie Cocquerel), who is also gender-flipped from the novel. Implicit messages are found on each show: be true to yourself, friends are loyal to one another, etc. The New Legends of Monkey By Heff Corp. Action adventure series The New Legends of Monkey returns to Netflix, starring Chai Hansen, Luciane Buchanan and Josh Thomson. Actress Luciane Buchanan gender-switches the traditionally male role of the monk Tripitaka, although she masquerades as male throughout most of the season. This is a spoiler-free review of The New Legends of Monkey. People are sometimes hit and then fall down and lie still; no blood or gore is shown. If you chose to provide an email address, it will only be used to contact you about your comment. It’s one that’s vaguely orientalist though, from the look of its wushu-esque martial arts and armor design to its religious trappings and incomprehensible writing. From the trailer I was intrigued, but worried about over the top silliness. It’s just a shame that a new generation of viewers won’t get to see an all-Asian version of this tale. Our 3 boys (14,6, and 5) have really enjoyed this show. Flag this review See something that needs to be addressed? Click here to login or here to sign up. Chai Hansen's Monkey is a more complex creature, Pigsy (Josh Thomson) and Sandy … The original show was produced in Japan and was based on the 16th-century Chinese story Journey to the West.It is one of the great classical novels of Chinese literature. That question could apply to everyone in Netflix’s “The New Legends of Monkey,” which has given a significant cosmetic update to the story in the 16th-century Chinese novel “Journey to the West” by Wu Cheng’en. by Ian CullenAugust 10, 2020. URL. Women are cast in strong and central roles -- including show's main hero (who was played by a male actor in the original). Except that once the written script was typed out, someone actually gave the go-ahead to film this uninspired, insipid take of a beloved Chinese story. Netflix’s new TV series, The New Legends of Monkey, is a prime example of the infinite monkey theorem. 277 talking about this. The New Legends of Monkey is pitched right, too, with enough adventure to keep kids interested, and hammy, campy humor that'll please parents. The New Legends of Monkey (2018) ← Back to main. We don't have any reviews for The New Legends of Monkey. The cast is multicultural, and a powerful and noble young woman is the main character (gender-flipped from the original 1970s Japanese show on which this one is based). What does that say about the way this show's audience looks at people from another time and culture? Why, or why not? Who in the Seven Hells are you supposed to be?”. Perhaps because it’s a co-production between Netflix, ABC Me (the Australian Broadcasting Company’s children’s public digital TV channel), and TVNZ (Television New Zealand), “New Legends of Monkey” feels like it shares the same hammy humor and aesthetic of “Xena: Warrior Princess” and “Hercules: The Legendary Journeys,” but for the Disney set. Characters have unearthly powers, like lightning bolts that can be hurled or the ability to choke someone without touching them. "The New Legends of Monkey" Thus, the cast hasn’t been precisely whitewashed so much as the tale avoids any need for Chinese people altogether by co-opting its roots. The New Legends of Monkey is a family-friendly fantasy and adventure series out of Australia and New Zealand. Prepare yourselves for your new unexpected addiction! At least one death takes place on-screen, but the injuries that caused it are not seen. Fans are eagerly waiting for the new season full of adventure, action, comedy and fantasy tales. This is my review of the new television series, The New Legends of Monkey. Inspired by the 16th Century Chinese fable Journey to the West, The New Legends of Monkey follows a teenage girl and a trio of fallen gods on a perilous journey as they attempt to bring an end to a demonic reign of chaos and restore balance to their world. The New Legends of Monkey, an Australian-New Zealand adaptation, is based on Wu Cheng’en’s sixteenth century Chinese novel Journey to the West, returned Friday, 7 … The New Legends of Monkey is pitched right, too, with enough adventure to keep kids interested, and hammy, campy humor that'll please parents. The cast of the fondly remembered. The fantasy violence follows suit. The Monkey King is playful, endearing; he generally uses force against rivals. Heroes and villains engage in battles. While catching up on Season 1 I was frustrated. Why Anyone Who Claims to Know the Future of Movie Theaters Is Wrong, One Year Later: 6 Lessons Learned From Television’s Pandemic Year — TV Podcast, Hey, Oscars! Watch the whole show, and I g... Parents don't worry about anything bad in this show. You can s... Movie based on '90s adventure game show is pretty fun. Anybody watching The New Legends Of Monkey? The New Legends of Monkey – review Monkey was a late seventies Japanese television series that aired in the early eighties here in the UK. No disrespect to the CSM reviewer, but they obviously haven't watched the whole show. Kids love a dark (but not scary!) “I am the Monkey King. People may be hit or kicked and then fall to the ground and lay there, unmoving; occasionally characters are fatally wounded, but we see no blood or gore; impacts tend to be offscreen. The New Legends Of Monkey Season 2: Netflix is bringing a brand new season of the hit show from New Zealand called – The New Legends Of Monkey.The show debuted and aired in 2018. It’s also worth mentioning that there’s the teasing possibility of a third season at the end too. It’s possible “Journey to the West” has reached a similar status in Australia because of its familiarity. Aussie kids grew up with a late-‘70s version from Japan, known as “Monkey” or “Monkey Magic” in its BBC dubbed format. Thank you for your support. I watched the entire first series before I made this so I coul... Hey there everyone! The affection for that series Down Under (and in the UK) cannot be overemphasized, and thus the title “The New Legends of Monkey” is directly tapping into that nostalgia for the older crowd who may be introducing their kids to this tale for the first time. But this is precisely why the whitewashing issue should be addressed but is tricky to do so. Review: Based on the Chinese folktale ‘Journey To The West’. Violence is mild, but frequent: Expect choreographed martial arts battles on each episode, some with weapons like swords or batons or with characters using supernatural powers like lightning bolts that shoot from their fingers. Perhaps because Monkey has emerged from being imprisoned in stone for 500 years, he has an endearing innocence as he realizes his powers have gone all wonky. How do Tripitaka, the Monkey King, Pigsy, and Sandy demonstrate teamwork and courage? This Article is related to: Television and tagged Netflix, The New Legends of Monkey, TV Reviews. This makes the so-called villains dastardly but never too frightening. It can be found on Netflix. Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. Sandy is a major character in the television series The New Legends of Monkey. Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Check out the archive for all episode recaps. Language is mild; the Monkey King occasionally refers to the "seven hells," and demons and the Monkey King frequently insult each other, hurling insults like "you snot-knuckled leather head.". What to Watch, Read, and Play While Your Kids Are Stuck Indoors, Common Sense Selections for family entertainment, Check out new Common Sense Selections for games, Teachers: Find the best edtech tools for your classroom with in-depth expert reviews, Cómo configurar los controles parentales en Netflix, Which Side of History? This lack of representation denies Asian performers jobs, perpetuates stereotypes, and creates divisions among people who don’t understand those they don’t encounter. It meant running home from school and parking i In fact, by the time the last episode ended, I was gagging for more of this story. Sexual content is relegated to flirting and the occasional quick kiss; there's no cursing (except for a literal mention of "hells"), but rivals frequently exchange arcane insults like this one from the Monkey King: "You snot-knuckled leather head." Thus, it’s dressed itself up in Chinese inspiration but does so without having to actually acknowledge the Chinese. Tripitaka bravely accepts an important quest that will help the people where she lives; she performs small kindnesses such as giving her food to a hungry monk, and often prevails through fast thinking, clever trickery instead of violence. If you're up for a fantasy epic you can watch with your second-grader, give this one a try. Interviews with leading film and TV creators about their process and craft. Leave a Comment on TV Review: The New Legends of Monkey (2018) Summary: A new take on the story of the Monkey King, Pigsy, Sandy and Tripitaka the monk, on their journey to restore the world. This series sees a new take on the Monkey King and his fellow Gods Pigsy and Sandy. Read full cast list here on IMDB. My rating 8/10. Monkey King and Shadow Monkey hug — Monkey King grabs the Shadow Scroll that created his doppelganger and starts folding it half which hurts him. The New Legends of Monkey is a brand new reboot of the cult 70s classic show Monkey Magic. It’s like Xena: Warrior Princess but made with kids in mind. Together with their faithful companions Pigsy (Josh Thomson) and Sandy (Emilie Cocquerel), they embark on a quest to recover their people's sacred scrolls, return them to their mountain home, and cast off the demons that have enslaved their land. Characters drink ale at a tavern; no one acts drunk. © Common Sense Media. mystery, and this cheerful, goofy show fits the bill, with its easy-to-grasp premise, relatable characters, and supernatural action. Read The New Legends of Monkey reviews from parents on Common Sense Media. Get full reviews, ratings, and advice delivered weekly to your inbox. Now seeing the popularity of the show Netflix has decided to release the second season of … I have my fingers crossed for a S2. Let me just say it rides that line wonderfully between goofy and I still like these characters. Feel like throwing rotten tomato on the person who made this crap. But there’s no guarantee that Asian populations feel the same way in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. When I am lucky to be offered a variety to choose from thanks to competitive subscription services, I have recently gravitated to the new Monkey series. Do you think a revisit was necessary? Cheesy dialogue, stiff, wooden acting and some wonderfully misplaced CGI give this family friendly show a bad 90s-fantasy-vibe to it yet because of this, it somehow makes the show all that more endearing. Why are many legends set in foreign lands? Armed with 10 short, pacey episodes, New Legends Of Monkey does little to hook those turned away from the first season back but does manage to satisfy fans with its follow-up adventure. And messaging falls into the “be true to yourself” and “friendship is powerful” categories. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free. Unfortunately, this maintains the misconception that not only are all Asian cultures the same, but they’re also random and indistinct. The New Legends of Monkey is a great combination of escapism, humour, a little drama and just simply...fun. Because “The New Legends of Monkey” looks slick and is fun, it should be a draw for families who want an entertaining co-viewing experience. The New Legends of Monkey is a far more sophisticated piece. The Japanese production was based on the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West. After all, this is supposed to be fun, not preachy. This really is a joke and seems like a bad comedy where the monkey even cant beat a kid. The New Legends of Monkey certainly continues this trend, straddling the lines between overt campiness and high-stakes adventure. See our. The New Legends Of Monkey, available to watch now on Netflix! Suggest an update to this review. TV Review: The New Legends of Monkey (2018) By Alyxwrites May 12, 2018 May 23, 2020. Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. The show it’s self did get a bit ‘go here, do this, move forward’ but for twenty minute episodes I can’t really complain. In particular, two recurring scene-stealers appear to have been modeled after Michael Moorcock’s albino antihero Elric and androgynous David Bowie, respectively. “The New Legends of Monkey” goes out of its way to provide positive, empowering, and inclusive messaging for its younger audience without getting too political. Here’s How to Craft a Successful Virtual Awards Show — TV Podcast, What Does a Childhood Memory Look and Sound Like? This creates a strange dynamic in the group as he’s supposed to lead and yet is often clueless about how to proceed. Mainstream American audiences may not be quite as familiar with the original tale as viewers in Australia, whence this new adaptation hails. The ten episode first season of this show has left us wanting more. Of the main cast, only Hansen is Asian — he’s Australian-Thai — but despite the lack of Chinese performers in the lead roles, the entire production is a hodgepodge of diversity that includes Chinese-Thai, South Korean, Maori, and Tongan, along with Europeans, according to writer-director Craig Irvin. It’s fantasy violence that usually is interspersed with cheeky dialogue and taunting glances. Common Sense and other associated names and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 41-2024986). Families can talk about shows like The New Legends of Monkey that revolve around legends. Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes when you use our links to make a purchase. The gags lean towards slapstick or distinctly goofy, rated-G fare. Second season of the family adventure series follows a teenage girl and fallen gods Monkey, Pigsy and Sandy on their mission to collect lost scrolls of wisdom and save a fantastical ancient land We display the minimum age for which content is developmentally appropriate. The show's not-too-scary scene-stealing villains are given to flowery speeches, eye-popping outfits, and pretty wimpy villainy. Have you watched episodes of the 1970s show Monkey? Parents need to know that The New Legends of Monkey is a fantasy adventure about a group of friends on a heroic quest. The second instalment of the popular series inspired by a classic Chinese novel Journey To The West will be released on 7th August 2020, Friday. The New Legends of Monkey is based on an old Chinese fable by the name of Journey to the West. In the adaptation, the four main characters include two who have been gender-flipped from the original tale and none who are played by Chinese actors at all, which had sparked criticism of whitewashing earlier in production and which this review will address later. The series did not warm to me at all — it felt well-crafted in CGI but the writing and production lagged behind the effects. On episode 4 and I’ve laughed out loud several times. The action is clean and there is no sex or swearing. Find more TV shows that help kids build character. It may be obvious to say, but The New Legends of Monkey is not your fathers, or in this case, my Monkey, but it’s still a fantastic family-friendly update of the Journey to the West fable and at less than 25 minutes an episode the show never outstays its welcome. In Review: The New Legends of Monkey – Season 2 (Netflix) The Monkey King and his friends return as the seek out the scrolls of wisdom while fending off the demonic forces who seek out the scrolls for their own evil. This review of Netflix series The New Legends of Monkey season 2 contains no significant spoilers. Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners. The New Legends of Monkey - Review If you were an Australian kid in the nineties, chances are you'll know exactly what I mean by Monkey Magic. Campy fantasy-adventure reboot is silly fun for kids. The New Legends Of Monkey Season 2 is all set to release on Netflix. It’s some real guilty pleasure fun. They were really well done, very interesting, very cheesy and such an easy watch of TV. Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. Amazon.com: The New Legends of Monkey | NON-USA Format | PAL Region 4 Import - Australia: Chai Hansen, Luciane Buchanan, Emilie Cocquerel, Josh Thomson: Movies & TV Along the way, they’re beset by magical demons who have a passion for overwrought speeches and even more flamboyant attire. We won't share this comment without your permission. Cast is multicultural, but since original series this update is based on was a Japanese show adapting a Chinese book, some have complained about lack of Asian actors in the cast. And Tripitaka's group of four quest buddies is sweet and supportive through every adventure. Customers at a tavern drink "ale" from a pitcher; no one acts drunk. Find where to watch The New Legends of Monkey: Season 2 in New Zealand. What is a legend? This isn't a show for 7 year olds. The ending of The New Legends of Monkey season 2, episode 10, “Shadow Boxing” Shadow Monkey teleports back to where the Scroll of Creation is so they cannot save the world. Searching for streaming and purchasing options ... Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. The New Legends of Monkey. Choreographed martial arts battles, often set to music, are frequent -- combatants may use swords, batons, other weapons. 1978 original. Expect flirting, dating, the occasional brief kiss. You need to be logged in to continue. Strange anachronisms like zippers and modern phrasing pop up amidst the pre-industrial trappings. Copyright © 2021 Penske Business Media, LLC. Families can talk about reboots and retellings. She is portrayed by Emilie Cocquerel. Your privacy is important to us. The star rating reflects overall quality. Monkey is guilty of this the most, and Hansen portrays the arrogant and silly god with a captivating and comedic physicality that also serves him well as he executes spins, kicks, and flips. Get The Latest IndieWire Alerts And Newsletters Delivered Directly To Your Inbox. The Netflix original, however, is far more refined production-wise than that kitsch classic, and yet maintains a light comedic tone that keeps the series family friendly. From an Asian-American perspective, representation matters because the United States is a diverse country that doesn’t necessarily act or look like one on screen. The martial arts and CGI magic are showy and thrilling, but even if people are harmed, that never entails blood, guts, or even a corpse. Our ratings are based on child development best practices. The New Legends Of Monkey has all the ingredients to be a disaster. In fact, the whole enterprise has the vibe of vintage sword-and-sorcery shows like Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, but aimed at younger viewers. When he is freed from a 500-year slumber by Monk Tripitaka. Login to write a review. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news!