Movie · 2019 · Animation, Fantasy, Adventure · 1h 50m · NR · Chinese
Curator score: 4.1/10 (22.6K ratings)
Fight your fate
Overview
A young boy is born as the reincarnation of a demonic power, into a society that hates and fears him. Destined by prophecy to bring destruction to the world, Nezha must choose between good and evil to see if he can change his fate.
Lu Yanting, Joseph, Han Mo, Chen Hao, Lu Qi, Zhang Jiaming, Yang Wei, He Yuxiang, Ren Junpeng, Da Hai, Yu Chen, Liu Linzhu, Tao Yuan, Li Nan, Xingliner
Where to watch
Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Peacock Premium, Rakuten Viki, Netflix Standard with Ads, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus
Curator Review
Verdict
A lively, emotionally direct fantasy adventure with standout action and a strong underdog arc. It’s not perfectly polished, but its mix of mythic spectacle, family warmth, and anti-fate rebellion makes it an easy recommendation for animation fans.
Best for
fans of mythic coming-of-age stories
viewers who like high-energy animated action
audiences drawn to underdog protagonists
fans of family-centered fantasy
people interested in modern Chinese animation
Skip if
you want tightly refined plotting over big emotional swings
you dislike broad humor in animated blockbusters
you prefer quieter, more contemplative fantasy
you’re not interested in prophecy-and-destiny narratives
Overview
Ne Zha is a crowd-pleasing blast of mythic animation that hits hardest when it leans into its central contradiction: a child marked as a monster who still wants love, belonging, and a chance to choose his own path. The movie’s emotional core is simple but effective, and that clarity helps it cut through some rough edges in the plotting.
Worth noting
The action is the big surprise. It’s fast, colorful, and often more aggressive than you’d expect from a family fantasy, with a real sense of physical impact. Even when the story rushes through character beats or feels a little overstuffed, the visual energy keeps it moving.
Bottom line
What lingers most is the family dynamic. The parents’ devotion gives the film warmth, while the fate-versus-free-will premise gives it a genuine emotional hook. It may not be the most elegant animated fantasy of its era, but it has enough personality and momentum to win you over.
Top Letterboxd reviews
James (Schaffrillas) (3.5★) · 1894 likes
Very fun! Couldn't help but feel like most aspects of the film, from the villains to the central friendship to the abrupt ending, would have benefitted from another draft. Even so, a nice time with some unexpectedly killer fight scenes. Excited to see the sequel which is the highest grossing animated film of all time, apparently!
gusace (5★) · 1827 likes
highlights of the movie:1. nezha beating the shit out of everyone and everything2. nezhas badass mom3. nezhas sexy hot dad4. his dad is so sexy5. rlly like what a mans wow6. they have no business making me gay for nezhas dad he was kindof a prick in everything else7. honestly not 2 be a home wrecker but im gonna fuck nezhas dad. its incest in name only8. ill stop now
lowlights of the movie:1. why is ao bing a twink
Jessica Wessica (3.5★) · 1115 likes
Ao Bing has Nike eyebrows
RickyBoby (3.5★) · 814 likes
“Hey Ao Bing, you’re cool... don’t come to school tomorrow.”
7/10
dan p (2.5★) · 620 likes
dares to ask a bold question for a kids movie: what if red energy guy was good and blue energy guy was bad??