‘Captain America must die in China’: Patriotism fuels Ne Zha 2 fans

A chorus of praise is being sung around Ne Zha 2, the Chinese film about a mythical boy who battles demons, which has been newly crowned the world’s highest-grossing animated film.

The field office glory of the video- which has raked in 12.3bn yuan ($ 1.7bn, £1.4bn )- triggered a massive rise of national pride across the country.

But as nationalist Ne Zha 2 viewers set their sights on more success, they are also keeping a close eye on detractors of the video, accusing them of being clout-chasing, paid “haters”.

Also in the sights of this populism is Captain America: Brave New World, the third movie of the hero company, now seen as Ne Zha 2’s enemy.

Captain America 4 may die in China, according to a common adage that has been repeated on numerous social media content.” I don’t care if Ne Zha 2 may live abroad, but I don’t care if Captain America 4 does succeed in China.”

People are raving about the American blockbuster’s lackluster performance at the Foreign field office in Chinese media and social media. Of the$ 92m the film has made outside the US, only$ 10.6m has come from China, Hollywood’s largest overseas market.

” It’s not Captain America that’s dying, but America that’s dying”, reads the title of an article on an online community analysing the film’s lack of appeal in China.

The artist goes on to argue:” In fact, the US does not include superheroes and the US is never a peace-loving, peace-defending lighthouse for humanity”.

Apparently, one Chinese territory film made the decision to postpone showings of Captain America 4 in theaters “in order to support Ne Zha 2.”

However, some are essential that Ne Zha 2, which premiered outside China this quarter, did not get enough examinations in North American theater. Additionally, they have accused American theaters of showing different films as opposed to the Chinese picture.

Ne Zha 2 was one of a number of well-known films that was released in China on January 29 to pique the interest of moviegoers during the Lunar New Year holiday.

It immediately towered over the competition, crossing the$ 1bn milestone in less than two months- even more amazing considering China’s weak economy.

Ne Zha 2 is being hailed as a sign that local-made works are becoming more and more popular internationally. It is also being hailed as a symbol of improvement in Chinese cinema. Despite China’s large home market, its package office is generally dominated by Hollywood.

Past private field office visits have tended to be nationalist, action movies such as The Battle of Lake Changjin, a 2021 advertising picture about the 1950s Korean War, which held the record for China’s highest-grossing picture until Ne Zha 2 broke it.

While Hollywood movies typically have their revenues distributed across a range of regions, more than 99 % of Ne Zha 2’s box office profits come from China, where the animation has become a symbol of patriotism.

People on social media claim to have purchased tickets to see Ne Zha 2 multiple times. And those who haven’t seen the film claim to have to deal with insults.

” A friend told me I was not patriotic, just because I did not watch Ne Zha 2″, a social media user posted on Douyin, China’s TikTok.

As moviegoers took to social media to share their opinions of the film, criticisms of the film ranged from the lack of plot arc to its awkward humor and anti-feminist undertones.

” People like that are either clout-chasing, or are being paid”, read one comment on Xiaohongshu, China’s Instagram-like app.

” Everyone beware, there’s currently a wave of haters swarming Ne Zha 2 with criticism online”, another Xiaohongshu user commented, adding that the “premeditated” criticisms came from jealous individuals in either foreign or domestic film industries.

” With such a great movie, people are using their feet to vote. So they are starting to panic and spread lies. How despicable”! they wrote.

Ne Zha 2’s enormous success has helped to bring characters from Chinese mythology to new audiences all over the world, and it has received praise for its script, special effects, and animation quality. However, some in China are concerned about the film’s growing political significance because it has become a focal point for nationalist sentiment.

Ne Zha 2 has become a cultural phenomenon, but I don’t think that’s entirely a good thing, according to a Xiaohongshu post reflecting on the sharpening debate surrounding the film.

” Criticizing the plot holes is equated to being unpatriotic, unreservedly condemning other films released in the same period, and replacing serious discussion with a war between fans and haters,” said one critic. This is definitely not a good cultural environment”.