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"No matter how times change, classics are always those masterpieces that are always imitated, but never surpassed. Nowadays, we have to admit that some of the industry's creations have become bolder and less reverent of the classics that were once considered sacrosanct. Recently, Peng Yuyu, a big man in the online movie industry, remade Stephen Chow's masterpiece "Jiupin Sesame Official", but the result was a dismal box office and a surprisingly low rating, which was simply a direct slap in the face with cash. We thought that challenging such a classic would be subject to self-censorship by the producers, after all, anyone who dares to climb the peak should know where their limits are. But the reality is that the pace of challenging the classics has not stopped, and following Stephen Chow's works, Tsui Hark's "New Dragon Gate Inn" also suffered the same fate. Is that how innovative we are, or is this just another form of cultural self-harm?
Pompous posters
In this seemingly creative age, the audience's desire for something new always seems to be disproportionate to their awe of the classics. We saw a new work called "New Dragon Gate Inn", and its poster immediately attracted widespread public attention as soon as it was released. It's not because of how appealing it is, but because of its roughness that reminds us of the days when VCDs were all the rage and video halls were everywhere. The figure of the heroine Lou Yixiao on the poster was photoshopped so abruptly, as if it was cut directly from one picture and pasted onto another at will. Even if you go back 20 years, this treatment will definitely not be well received.
The plot is staggeringly simple
However, it's not just the poster that's disappointing, it's the content of the whole movie as well. As a self-proclaimed "movie", the length of the film is only 73 minutes, and the actual content may not be as good as a TV episode. The plot is also staggeringly simple, telling a story of a sea adventure with only a faint connection to the classic "New Dragon Gate Inn" in name. The protagonists of the story, Zhou Huai'an and Jin Zhuyu, turned to the sea after a battle outside the fortress and set up a dock called "Dragon Gate Inn". Zhou Huai'an had an important coastal defense map in his hands, which aroused the covetousness of the Japanese and Jinyiwei. The film then unfolds in a way that can almost be called "absurd", with Wako and Nishiki chasing each other on the boat and then trapped together in the labyrinth of the cabin. Such a plot setting makes one wonder about the rigor of the screenwriter when conceiving the script.
The protagonist of the most absurd
What's even more unbearable is that the character of Zhou Huai'an in the movie is portrayed as a thief, which is far from the chivalrous image played by Leung Ka-fai and Jet Li in Tsui Hark's version. This change not only does not add any new layers to the character, but instead makes people feel that the classic character image has been ruined. And the character of gold and jade is even more undignified, and the whole film does not wear pants, showing an absurd stereotype. This treatment of female characters not only has no artistic value, but rather carries a sense of disrespect. The other characters in the movie are also shallow and fail to resonate with the audience. The villain is like a puppet, without any depth, which is unconvincing.
Five-cent special effects
On a technical level, the quality of the film's production is also unsatisfactory. The rough layout of the scenes, and the workmanship of the special effects, make people feel that this is a low-budget work. The dialogue is awkward and lacks logic, and seems to have been pieced together haphazardly in order to cope. Even stars like Lou Yixiao and Chen Zhipeng joined in, but they couldn't save the poor performance of the movie. After its release, it could only rank fourth on the popularity list, and it couldn't even reach the top three positions. This is enough to show that even with the blessing of starlight, it is difficult for works with empty content to win the hearts of the audience.
Fans who have been hit
The release of this movie is undoubtedly a shock for many fans of "Love Apartment". Lou Yixiao's image in the play is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people and is the goddess of many people's childhood. However, in this work, her image has changed dramatically. The audience clicked the play button in anticipation, but felt an indescribable loss after watching. As if a spiritual catastrophe, the movie not only does not bring any positive emotional experience, but rather feels like a trampling on a good memory.
"New wine should be in new leather bags"
The reinvention of a classic work should be a tribute to the original work, a meticulous interpretation of the artist's past glory. However, when this reinvention turns into a crude deconstruction or even destruction of the original, we can't help but ask: is such innovation really necessary? Perhaps we should learn to find a balance between innovation and preservation, and we must have the courage to try new things and know how to respect the classics. As the old saying goes, "New wine should be in a new leather bag." For creators, challenging the classics should not be a hype gimmick, but a demonstration of a deep understanding of art. For the audience, perhaps we need to be more rational and discern the works that really deserve our time and emotional investment. Lou Yixiao and "New Dragon Gate Inn", only time can give the answer to how to go in the future.
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