Just finished watching Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, an adaptation of the Chinese literary classic. The writer/director, Stephen Chow (Shaolin Soccer,) takes a very light hearted approach to the material though, and makes it a really engaging story in the process.
Chen Xuanzang is an aspiring Buddhist monk traveling the land fighting demons with a book of nursery rhymes, and not doing a very good job. He encounters bad ass demon hunter Duan, a woman who knows how to get things done, and ends up playing second fiddle to her impressive skills. The movie’s often dark humor is largely due to Duan’s decision she’s going to marry Chen whether he likes it or not, and no matter what demons get in the way.
Journey to the West is filled with fun fighting scenes, off beat characters, and great special effects. If you’re looking for a different kind of movie, this one is definitely worth watching.