Wandering Earth II

[tanithryudo]

This is actually a prequel to Wandering Earth I, so not required to watch the first movie to get it.

And...huh, it's opening in US theaters the same time as in China. (Well, actually a day later given timezones, but both on the 22nd!)

Tickets: https://wellgousa.com/films/wandering-earth-ii


I feel...a little tempted to go watch. >.>

Because: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adcieMCh3Ho

Watch on YouTube

We have guests coming on the 22nd though. So maybe the day after or so...

EDIT: Just checked the seating availability online, and it does look like there's a lot of people actually prepaid to go see it on the first day!

Comments

[cashew]

From what I understand, Three Body Problem is a Sci-Fi AU of the cultural revolution. I tried reading it but couldn't make it past the first chapter because the novel gave zero world building at the go and just kind of threw the reader into it. I'm sure it does a bit more explaining later, but I needed just a little bit more set up before getting thrown headfirst into a bunch of jargon. Am planning to try it again at a later time.

I know the novel won tons of awards, but given the media censorship, I'm very skeptical about the adaptation.

[tanithryudo]

My own knowledge of the series is just based on third hand research over the last few days or so...

The cultural revolution reference is just a backstory point (albeit a major motivational one) for one of the main characters in the first book, but from what I understand, most of the story in book 1 is in the present day (well, of when it was written, so the 2000s). Then book 2 and 3 have several timeskips of several decades to centuries at a time (skipped due to the viewpoint character going into cryogenic sleep, or traveling in a ship at relativistic speed). Then the end of the last novel skips literally to the end of the universe. XD

Generally, reviews have said the first book can be tedious, the segue from 1 to 2 is almost nonexistent, but books 2 & 3 are brain-breaking (in a positive sense).

As for the english translation, from what I understand the main changes weren't political or anything, but rather they had to tone down the... I guess unconscious misogyny in the original writing. Someone posted some comparisons here.

Anyway, there's a new 30 episode TV series being streamed in the US as well as in China. I might watch the subtitled version on Tencent's youtube channel once there a good block of episodes unlocked for free access. Depends on how the general audience reviews go (still too early to tell at the moment).