Modernized retelling
The new film, Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force, picks up where the first one left off with the resurrection of Yin Shou, a ruthless king played by Chinese-American actor Kris Phillips, known as Fei Xiang in China, who relies on the magic of Daji, a fox demon inhabiting the body of a beautiful woman, who is also his favorite concubine.
In the first movie, Yin uses the demon to murder his father and elder brother in a quest for supreme power, also condoning its decision to murder his queen and send his son to the guillotine. He also attempts to steal the Fengshen Bang, a divine scroll that enables its owner to dominate the world.
Yu Shi, who plays Ji Fa, the brave young son of Ji Chang, the lord of one of Yin's vassal states, resists the king's tyranny. He kills Yin and escapes to his homeland of Xiqi — a harmonious agricultural society. Upon being resurrected, Yin sends a powerful army to destroy Xiqi. Ji Fa is forced to face formidable opponents, among them General Deng Chanyu, who has followed her father into battle since she was a child, and Commander Wen Zhong, who has a third eye on his forehead and can use powerful magic to slaughter people.
"Fengshen Yanyi consists of 100 chapters, featuring hundreds of characters, which is considered quite typical from the perspective of Chinese literature. But if we want to captivate the audience within a two-hour-plus time frame, we need to make a choice and select the most interesting characters," Wuershan says.
As the daughter of a seasoned general, the character of Deng caught the director's attention for her representation of a brave female warrior, who reminded him of the legendary women of Chinese history, from Fan Lihua during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) to Mu Guiying and Liang Hongyu during the Song Dynasty.
He has given the character a more contemporary essence. Deng is intelligent, courageous and highly skilled in martial arts. In an early scene, she enlists a bunch of Xiqi farmers to help build a pontoon bridge across a river. Unsure of their loyalty, she sends a horse galloping across the bridge to test its sturdiness first.
"But what I want to explore is how an epic myth that has endured for centuries can still resonate with modern audiences. In the movie, you will see that Deng is not only loyal to her commander but also true to her heart. She fulfills her duty as a military officer while also respecting the lives of civilians," says Wuershan.
Ji Fa is also given a compelling character arc, maturing from a fresh young warrior into an exceptional military leader fighting for justice, as he shoulders the responsibility of protecting his homeland.
"He starts to see things differently and really gets what war is all about — why it's so important to bring everyone together to fight the enemy. The battlefield is a brutal place of bloodshed and sacrifice, which makes the idea of true justice even more powerful," Wuershan says.
