Up the Yin Yang

I think I've mentioned before that sometimes Ms. Spenser doesn't want to spend all night watching movies. Strange, I know. Sometimes she has to get a little work in, as well. Also, she doesn't especially care for Asian martial arts movies. That makes them perfect to watch on streaming while she's taking care of email, etc. They aren't distracting because they aren't in English. That's how I found myself watching The Yin Yang Master (2021).

It starts in media res, with Qingming (Chen Kun) accused of killing the guards and stealing the Scale Stone, an object of power. So he runs away. Seven years later, we find Boya (Qu ChuXiao) guarding a shipment of tribute for the emperor. He is attacked by a demon with three expressionless faces and four arms. After a big fight, he rips one of the faces off, and it's a mask - the demon is actually three weasel-demons in a coat (with three masks and four arms). That's when this movie had me. 

I won't go into the rest of the movie in any detail (partly because I don't remember much - I tend to let these things just wash over me). Qingming is half-human-half-demon, but a good sort. Boya is a bit of a dry stick, but can't bring himself to go after Qingming full force. Woman Warrior Baini (Zhou Xun) can, however, making her a formidable opponent. 

But the real fun comes from the demons. Some are evil, some just goofy, all are fun to watch. It looks like this was made for the Chinese market, but got bought by Netflix for streaming. I liked it so much, I started the prequel/sequel Yin Yang Master: Dream of Eternity (2020).

PS: I finished the YYM:DoE, and it reminded me of something about the series (aside from how bonkers it is). The series seems to focus on the concept of the Spirit Guardian, someone who has your back in the spirit realm, I guess. A demon can be the spirit guardian of a human, a man for another man, a man for a woman, etc. The bond seems to be intimate and sacred, and can lead to trouble if you pledge to guardianship to someone doomed or unworthy. As a plot device, it works sort of like romantic love, which is interesting.

Also, I note that one Spirit Guardian in the sequel is a winged ape name called Snow Hound, who at least has snow powers. Vermillion Bird, on the other hand, is Boya (I think), with black wings. He rides his sword like a surfboard as it slices up a giant snake. Bonkers, I tell you.