Monkey King: The Lost Empire
Monkey King: The Lost Empire
American journalist Nick Orton is caught up in the world of Chinese gods and monsters while on a search for the long lost manuscript to 'Hsi Yu Chi' (The Journey to the West) by Wu Ch'eng En. He is accompanied on his journey by a humanoid ape with incredible strength and magical powers, a humanoid pig-man, and his brother-in-arms, an ex-cannibal. Based on one of the greatest stories in Chinese history.
RichyE reviewedOctober 26, 2025
Saw it on TV and it felt like a mythological fever dream with early-2000s charm and a dash of camp.
American journalist Nick Orton gets pulled into a mystical quest through ancient China, teaming up with a humanoid monkey warrior, a pig-man and an ex-cannibal to recover a sacred manuscript.
It’s Journey to the West reimagined for Western audiences, part fantasy epic, part cultural remix and all in on magical chaos.
Thomas Gibson plays it straight as the confused outsider, while Russell Wong’s Monkey King brings charisma and wire fu swagger.
The cast is stacked with genre favorites, Bai Ling, Eddie Marsan, Randall Duk Kim, each chewing scenery with gusto.
The effects? Early 2000's TV grade, but charming in their ambition.
Watching it again on DVD feels like revisiting a forgotten VHS rental, earnest, over the top and weirdly endearing.
It’s not high art, but it’s high adventure with a nostalgic kick.
A cult curio that belongs in the “TV movie that stuck with me way longer than it should’ve” shelf.