Yao Yi Guan
2021 / 78m - China
Fantasy, Action
3.5*/5.0*
Monster Hospital poster

Watches

January 06, 2022

3.5*/5.0*

China's quest to create the most efficient genre-producing film industry continues. And apart from some flaky CG and an obvious lack of star power, they're getting frighteningly close to producing a genuine masterpiece. Monster Hospital is one of the best films yet in this peculiar niche, and a clear recommend for those who loved the Hong Kong action/fantasy/comedy blends of the 90s.

Together with two disciples, Hong Niang runs a hospital where demons can come to get better. Things get a little rough when she welcomes a pregnant man who has a demon pill inside of him. It's dangerous to let it get born, but Niang's attempts to get rid of the thing turn out to be futile. To make things worse, an evil force also has his eye on the demon child.

The presentation is polished, flashy and fun. It should be clear from the start that the film doesn't take itself too serious, but that doesn't mean the film feels in any way sloppy or rushed. The action is on point, the cinematography is nice and the comedy is appropriately odd. If you're interested in the current state of straight-to-streaming Chinese genre cinema, this is a perfect place to start.