Ne Zha 2
CMC Pictures | Release Date: February 14, 2025 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
68
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 22 Critic Reviews
Positive:
16
Mixed:
5
Negative:
1

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
San Francisco ChronicleMichael OrdoñaAug 20, 2025
Ne Zha II surprisingly contains a sincere-feeling theme of individuality, of resisting what society commands a person to be rather than embracing their nature. Read full review
100
The TimesKevin MaherApr 23, 2025
This is nearly two and a half hours of eye-gouging spectacle with jabs of heartfelt emotion, deftly orchestrated by the relatively inexperienced writer, director and animator Jiaozi (remember the name). Read full review
88
The Seattle TimesQina LiuAug 20, 2025
Ne Zha II deserves all the attention and accolades: It’s an empowering film that makes you believe that you, too, can change your fate. Read full review
84
PolygonTasha RobinsonFeb 24, 2025
It’s a lot to take in, but it’s joyously and creatively rendered, a fantasy epic brought to life in vivid color and with all the visual creativity a fantasy fan could want. Read full review
80
VarietyCarlos AguilarAug 21, 2025
What’s remarkable is that even if one fails at grasping in full the plot and its many conflicts, Ne Zha 2 has the power to flood the senses and convince anyone who watches it that they have just witnessed an animated production that holds absolutely nothing back. Read full review
80
The New York TimesMaya PhillipsAug 21, 2025
The writer-director Jiao Zi uses equally expansive storytelling and visuals to deliver an epic, fantastical hero story about power hierarchies and the fall of institutions. Read full review
80
ColliderJeff EwingAug 20, 2025
Ne Zha II is a bold, action-packed, interesting celebration of Chinese legend, wrapped around the story of a growing boy who wants to determine his future. The new English dub translates these characters well to the screen, and its visuals are beautiful companions to the large-scale story. Read full review
80
IGNSiddhant AdlakhaAug 20, 2025
Ne Zha 2 starts out tedious and juvenile, but after its first hour it pivots to enormous and spectacular fist-pumping action and tear-jerking intimacy. Read full review
80
The GuardianPhil HoadMar 20, 2025
Forget the adulterated, Communist party-sponsored attempts at blockbusters of the past, self-taught animator Jiaozi’s film is an utterly self-assured pageant of Chinese mythology that, with head-spinning visuals, is a fine technical advertisement for what the country is capable of, in this case on a comparatively small $80m budget. Read full review
75
Slant MagazineJustin ClarkSep 16, 2025
Jiaozi’s film is a sprawling, hyperkinetic exercise in mythological storytelling. Read full review
75
IndieWireWilson ChapmanAug 22, 2025
The detail, attention, and artistry of every pixel in frame is very evidently displayed. In many respects, watching “Ne Zha 2” feels akin to viewing the “Avatar” films, as the film provides a visual experience that’s the absolute peak of what its medium is capable of. Read full review
75
The A.V. ClubTara Bennett Aug 21, 2025
It’s not hard to understand why global audiences turned out in droves to see Ne Zha 2. Its boundlessly creative visuals, rich character design, all-enveloping sound, and imaginative scenarios are truly original. But that sensory onslaught—those endless fights with their own progressive stakes—comes at the expense of focus, character, and story. Read full review
75
LarsenOnFilmJosh LarsenAug 20, 2025
During the many fight sequences, the action has a brightness and clarity—in terms of line work and movement—that should be studied by anyone working on the effects side of American superhero movies. There is admittedly too much plotting; in fact, you could argue that a final-act twist isn’t even necessary. Read full review
75
RogerEbert.comSimon AbramsFeb 19, 2025
Ne Zha 2 is a rare sequel that amplifies both its action and drama without sacrificing much of what already worked in the last movie. It’s also a rare blockbuster that offers something worthwhile for a wide-ranging audience. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterFrank ScheckAug 21, 2025
The sequel is certainly a stupendous achievement in terms of its animation, and clearly has great cultural resonance in its native country. But those looking for coherent storytelling or emotional depth will have to wait for the next Pixar offering (not that the company has been distinguishing itself lately). Read full review
63
Washington PostChris KlimekAug 21, 2025
I’ll just say it: I was confounded from the opening moments, and only sporadically did I ever find my footing. Read full review
60
The Daily BeastNick SchagerAug 20, 2025
Despite attractive aesthetics, its fights grow wearisome, especially as the material crosses the two-hour mark and, in the process, zooms past multiple potential endings. Read full review
60
EmpireJohn NugentMar 24, 2025
At once awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, eye-rolling and head-scratching, this is animated cinema on a scale rarely seen. It doesn’t always hang together, but on its box-office achievements alone, Ne Zha 2 has earned a place with the immortals. Read full review
60
Screen DailyElizabeth KerrMar 12, 2025
Ne Zha 2 is a distinct fantasy epic and a technical achievement that stands up to the best that Disney, DreamWorks, Aardman or Studio Ghibli can offer, even if it frequently gives in to the same proclivities for excess as its peers. Read full review
50
Boston GlobeOdie HendersonAug 21, 2025
This isn’t really for kids (I’d say it’s PG-13 level), and it’s so entrenched in its country’s myth-making that I wonder if sheer spectacle alone will be enough to entice American viewers. Read full review
50
Austin ChronicleRichard WhittakerAug 21, 2025
Luckily, Ne Zha II still retains the charm of the best parts of the original, with the young rapscallion Nezha still a hyperactive bundle of mischief, hand stuffed down his pants like Dennis the Menace, waddling through jade palaces as he defies his destiny. May he stay as chaotically endearing for the inevitable part III. Read full review
20
The TelegraphRobbie CollinMar 17, 2025
As filmmaking, it’s as mindless as Hollywood’s worst. Read full review
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