Legend of the Demon Cat

Director- Chen Kaige

Cast- Huang Xuan, Shota Sometani

Country of Origin- China/ Hong Kong/ Japan

Distributor - Well Go

Number of Discs - 1

Reviewed by - Tyler Miller

Date- 01/27/2020

Strange happenings start when a mysterious talking black cat show up to the Imperial Court. The whole kingdom gets shaken up when the wife of a General is suddenly possessed by an ancient demon that is hellbent on revenge. But an eccentric duo of a Japanese Monk, with a fondness for exorcisms, and an oddball poet are on the case.

Legend of the Demon Cat (2017) comes to us from visionary director Chen Kaige. One of the breakout directors in the fifth generation of Chinese filmmakers, he has made a name for himself with stylish dramas like 1993’s Farewell My Concubine. Demon Cat shows his craftmanship is still top notch with some stunning visual effects.

Sadly, the film falls into the trap of Mainstream Chinese cinema. The plot itself is pretty underwhelming with a sudden tonal shift during the last 45 minutes. It’s like the horror film The Lingering, when the whole plot changes to a moral lesson in greed and the bonds of family. When Demon Cat drops its horror and suspense tone and settles into the big flashback, I mentally checked out of the picture. It’s a shame too since the first hour is so strong.

The CGI cat is spotty at best, but the color scheme and camerawork keep the film pleasing to the eye. The few action scenes are spiced up with some colorful pans, blood, and stunts. Our leads are likeable and have good chemistry. Xuan Huang is the creatively blocked poet who thinks the demon case will give him inspiration. He adds plenty of humor to some of the more outlandish scenes. Our exorcist monk Kukai is played by Shota Sometani who seems to be enjoying playing against type.

Legend of the Demon Cat is mild fun, but the last section of the film really keeps it from being rewatchable.

Well Go USA releases the film on a handsome Blu-ray. The 5.1 Mandarin track is error free with no hiss or pops. English subtitles are included. The English 5.1 Track is also clear with some good dubbing and line readings. The 1080p HD Transfer is a little washed out in some of the nighttime scenes. The focus is sharp, and the blacks are balanced. The only extra is a trailer.