Review of White Snake 2: Green Snake (2021)
I haven’t seen White Snake (2019), so I can’t compare the two. Instead, I’ll focus on the story, visuals, action, and tension in White Snake 2: Green Snake (2021), judging it purely on its own merits.
Story
After witnessing her sister, White Snake, imprisoned in Monk Fahai’s Thunder Pagoda, Green Snake erupts in rage and attacks him. Outmatched by Fahai’s immense power, she’s defeated and cast into a strange realm called Asura City. Her journey to escape—and to save her sister—begins here.
Leaning into “Yuri” Vibes
After two hours, I found the story engaging but couldn’t shake the feeling it leans heavily into “yuri” (female-bonding or romantic) themes. Green Snake and White Snake are presented as sisters—though whether they’re truly blood-related is anyone’s guess. The narrative hammers a curious message: letting go of obsession is wise, but clinging to it and chasing your desires is even better. It’s a bit contradictory. Green Snake lands in Asura City because of her fixation on defeating Fahai, destroying the pagoda, and freeing her sister. Asura City, a purgatory for those gripped by obsession, is targeted by Fahai, who seeks to “cleanse” it by having a bull-headed demon wipe out its inhabitants. To escape, Green Snake must either abandon her obsession or wait for the “If Only Bridge” to open, which requires defeating Fahai. Refusing to let go, she hops onto a speeding cart (straight out of Harry Potter) and faces a spider-like creature (reminiscent of Spirited Away’s No-Face), guided by a fox spirit. She battles Fahai relentlessly, growing stronger until he admits his powers have limits and vanishes. The Buddhist wisdom here feels like it’s tripping over itself—one line contradicts the next.
The story’s other big theme is blunt: men are selfish, scheming, and never sacrifice for women, while sisterly bonds endure forever. Yes, you read that right. Men are consistently portrayed as strong but cruel—villains through and through—while women rise from weakness to embody virtue. I’m not knocking yuri vibes or fierce female solidarity; it’s just jarring to see the film push a view that men are inherently manipulative and violent, as if women are above such flaws. It’s a heavy-handed stance that left me blinking.
The climax delivers a plot twist involving the fox spirit, hinting the director isn’t done with the Green Snake-White Snake saga. For yuri fans, the story might feel poignant and masterful. For someone like me, who’s more neutral, it’s a wild mix of genres—xianxia, fantasy, modern, and historical—that’s fresh and entertaining. I can’t fault the story for ambition, even if it’s a bit overstuffed.
Gorgeous Visuals with a Catch
The animation in White Snake 2 is stunning—little to criticize there. Colors pop, and details dazzle. But the character movements are oddly rushed, as if the studio wanted to flex their cutting-edge tech. Where The Monkey King (2023) flows smoothly, feeling natural, White Snake 2’s hyper-speed motion comes off as artificial. It’s not a dealbreaker, but the “show-off” vibe undercuts the otherwise flawless visuals.
Action and Tension
Let’s be real—you can’t expect live-action-level fight scenes from an animated film, especially one like White Snake 2, which isn’t primarily an action flick. I didn’t go in demanding pulse-pounding battles, so I’m not harsh on this front. That said, the action sequences aim to impress but fall short of natural finesse. As I mentioned, the over-polished visuals make fights feel staged, lacking the organic grit of, say, Kung Fu Panda or The Monkey King. They’re eye-catching but don’t grip you viscerally.
Echoes of Spirited Away and Harry Potter
The film borrows heavily—maybe too heavily—from other works. A cart-racing scene screams Harry Potter, and a spider-like creature feels lifted from Spirited Away (2001). Whether intentional or coincidental, these moments are unmistakable. Even with tweaked designs, they evoke their sources too strongly. Great ideas should feel unique or at least build on inspiration to create something fresh. White Snake 2 leans on these references without enough reinvention, making them feel like shortcuts rather than homage.
Overall
White Snake 2: Green Snake (2021) is a visually dazzling adventure with a bold, if cluttered, story. Its yuri-tinged sisterhood and anti-male slant might polarize, but the genre-blending ambition keeps it engaging. The action and pacing stumble under showy animation, and borrowed ideas don’t always land smoothly. Still, it’s a vibrant ride for fans of fantasy or those craving a unique spin on a classic myth—just don’t expect perfection.
