Ci Sha Xiao Shuo Jia / A Writer's Odyssey (2021) - Imaginative Collision Between a Quirky Fantasy World and a Gloomy Real World - 8/10 (25/04/22)

A Writer's Odyssey is a Chinese fantasy movie that follows two distinct story lines that intertwine on several occasions. In the real world, there is a young and gifted author who is targeted to be assassinated by a desperate father whose daughter has been kidnapped by pitiless human traffickers. In the world of the author's epic novel, a young hero tries to overthrow tyrannical ruler Redmane who manipulates peoples into attacking one another while secretly establishing a reign of terror with his powerful army.

This movie convinces on many levels. First of all, both story lines are quite intense and make viewers root for the clumsy, innocent and naive author and his courageous, desperate and resilient assassin as well as for the agile, determined and intelligent hero and his young female companion who oozes with creativity, flexibility and wit. The movie features stunning special effects that add a gloomy touch to the real world and a magical element to the fantastic world. The action sequences deserve to be praised separately as the showdown in the real world at an old library and in the fantastic world in the court of a mysterious castle leave lasting positive impressions.

There are only a few minor elements that could have been improved to make a perfect movie out of a very good one. First and foremost, the film has a few lengths in the middle section that could have been cut for a more dynamic viewing experience. Lastly, some character development could have been a little bit better such as for the antagonist in the real world who doesn't leave a lasting impression.

At the end of the day, A Writer's Odyssey is a creative, entertaining and quirky fantasy movie that is certainly more captivating than the endless prequels, remakes and sequels involving the usual Hollywood superheroes and supervillains. This movie deserves attention and acclaim and should have gotten a world-wide cinematic release if it had not been for the inconveniences of the ongoing pandemic. Make sure to watch this film on a legal streaming platform or to purchase it physically in store to support truly imaginative fantasy cinema.