Stream It or Skip It: ‘New Gods: Nezha Reborn’ On Netflix, An Action-Packed Visual Thrill Ride

Li Yunxiang is a courier who moonlights as a bike-loving racing renegade who breaks into factories by night to share free water with the citizens of Donghai City. His good deeds have attracted the attention of those who want to kill him and his family, though: the Dragon Clan. Marked for death, Yunxiang learns that he’s the vessel of the reincarnation of a powerful deity: Nezha. He must come to terms with his new abilities while under the wing of a new mentor and work to save his city and his people from the nefarious deeds of the Dragon Clan.

NEW GODS: NEZHA REBORN: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: An ecstatic young woman exits a tower, runs through a sea of people, and stops when she has a good vantage point of a race that’s currently going on. The energy is electric as the camera follows her. She’s going to watch a race that Li Yunxiang is a part of — a spectacle, to be sure.

The Gist: For starters, it’s important to know that this story is based on a reincarnation of the deity Nezha, a popular character throughout Chinese media. Nezha has been the subject of TV series, live-action adaptations, and animated features over the years, and this is just the latest of many.

This particular retelling of the popular character’s history transports us to a dieselpunk world that introduces us to courier Li Yunxiang. In a world where water is a precious commodity, Yunxiang takes it upon himself to become something of a vigilante who steals water for the community from the Dragon Clan, hoarding it from themselves. He soon finds out, however, that he’s in the crosshairs of Ao Bing, the Dragon Clan boss’s third son. This might not be such a problem if Yunxiang didn’t happen to be a reincarnation of Nezha, the powerful god that’s the bane of the Dragon Clan’s existence.

Yunxiang’s friend Kasha is dragged into the conflict, and as such Yunxiang must reach deep inside of himself and channel the powers he’s just realized lie dormant within. As ridiculously powerful assassins work to systematically eliminate the family he loves, he must tap into his superheroic powers and become who he’s always meant to be.

At its core, New Gods: Nezha Reborn feels a bit like watching Spider-Man realize what he’s capable of once more, but there’s much more flashiness to be found here. Donghai City is an intriguing location that combines some of the stylistic design choices that can only come from CG-animated movies as well as some very interesting elements of dieselpunk, which is a rare choice to find in action movies these days.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? There are very strong similarities to origin flicks like Alita: Battle Angel or one of the many superhero introductions we’ve had over the years to some of Marvel’s stable. If you’ve ever enjoyed a knock-down, drag-out CG animated adventure with fantastical elements, well, you’ll know what you’re getting into here, as well.

Our Take: The story of Nezha is one that western viewers likely won’t be very familiar with, so that does put some at a disadvantage when watching. But it’s still very much jumping into New Gods: Nezha Reborn, as it’s a fun way to both understand another culture’s folk stories while taking in a slick and exciting action flick that knows how to handle its CG effects.

Donghai City is a breathtaking and unique setting, with an interesting aesthetic that brings together classic vehicles and striking buildings. The character designs are visually appealing as well, especially Nezha himself, who’s bristling with power and looking for a way to come into it while understanding his full potential.

Just as the heroes are likable, the villains are just that — villainous. There’s a satisfying dance between good and bad, themes of identity and destiny, and plenty to learn about the interactions between groups that would otherwise clash. It’s all rife with impressive fight scenes, environments, and animation effects. It wouldn’t be odd to see a film like this hitting the theater during a less tumultuous time, and it could stand toe to toe with any Hollywood blockbuster.

Sex and Skin: None. This is a raucous action tale that’s full of violent showdowns, but there’s no sexual content to be found here.

Parting Shot: An elated Li Yunxiang, Kasha, and their friends speed off on cycles after the dust has settled, following a truly epic showdown that tested Yunxiang and the powers he unlocked over the course of the movie as Nezha. It’s clear their adventures won’t end here, as Yunxiang has reconciled his existence with both Nezha and the person he is, having saved the world.

Sleeper Star: During one of the lengthier action scenes, there’s a massive mechanical shark that we get a great look at. Think Dr. Evil’s “sharks with frickin’ lasers” by way of the Austin Powers movie series, and you’ll have a good idea of what to expect here. Not much of a character, sure, but certainly a scene-stealer.

Most Pilot-y Line: “Everyone has an identity. Depending on the time of place, we all play our roles,” Yunxiang opens the film with a short bit of dialogue that hints at one coming into their own when the time is appropriate. It’s oddly prescient, of course, since Nezha is the “hidden” identity here that will soon be revealed.

Our Call: STREAM IT. Though many Western viewers won’t understand the legend of Nezha straight off, this raucous tale makes great use of excellent CG animation to tell a tale that’s up there with some of Hollywood’s latest action fare. It’s gripping, engaging, and looks fantastic, with a hero that’s easy to root for. It isn’t the deepest action hero you’ll ever see, but it’s an exciting popcorn flick that’ll have you on the edge of your seat. It’s well worth a weekend spent with family or friends and an eye for explosions and magical powers.

Brittany Vincent has been covering video games and tech for over a decade for publications like G4, Popular Science, Playboy, Variety, IGN, GamesRadar, Polygon, Kotaku, Maxim, GameSpot, and more. When she’s not writing or gaming, she’s collecting retro consoles and tech. Follow her on Twitter: @MolotovCupcake.

Watch New Gods: Nezha Reborn on Netflix