The Wandering Earth takes place in 2061 where the sun has turned into a red giant, causing the inhabitants of Earth to work together to get the planet out of the solar system and into the neighboring Alpha Centauri system in order to save humanity. One man, Liu Qi, played by Qu Chuxiao, the son of astronaut Liu Peiqiang, played by Wu Jing, gets caught up in a rescue mission when Earth’s thrusters are disabled, causing the planet to get closer to the sun. Aiding a group of soldiers along with Liu Peiqiang’s assistance from space, it’s now a race against the clock before Earth becomes completely destroyed.
In terms of set design and visuals, this movie can be quite the spectacle, and that’s when it’s at its most engaging. This is first and foremost a blockbuster movie, and it succeeds very much on that front, though it does take a bit of time before really taking off. Once the action shifts to Liu Qi meeting up with the soldiers and the rescue mission kicks off, this becomes one grand action sequence after another, and many of these sequences are very entertaining.
The imagery in this movie is often something to marvel. While some of the CGI tends to stick out like a sore thumb, this film boasts plenty of impressive set pieces otherwise. Taking place in a climate change-riddled world gives way to some very creative settings as Earth is about to meet its end, and the movie does a great job utilizing each setting. The scenes of Liu Peqiang are also beautifully filmed and the more intimate feel in certain moments offers a nice contrast to the wide scope of the Earth sequences.
But the action and the visuals are about all this movie really has going for it. In terms of story, the climate change-set Earth could have made for some great social commentary. Climate change and the effects it has on the planet has become a major talking point as of late, and the setting gave the film a chance to add something insightful to the topic. Instead, all it feels like is simply that: a setting. It’s simply a means to show off some intense action sequences, and while they are entertaining enough, there is a lack of deeper substance.
Character development also feels stunted, as this film often hits a lot of familiar notes. It contains many tropes such as the father who disappears at the beginning of the film. It has the son who grows up to initially be cocky and arrogant, only to become more compassionate as the events of the movie change him. There’s also the stern father figure who cared for the son in the father’s place. The film really doesn’t do much with any of these characters that hasn’t been seen before. Many of them often fall into one cliche or the other, and because of that, it’s difficult to really connect with or care about any of them. They all feel manufactured.
And even the ones who aren’t necessarily a cliche often feel expendable. There are many characters who are seen but often don’t do anything memorable, and feel like they were placed in the movie simply to react and have the occasional line of dialogue where they’ll chime in on a conversation despite not adding anything relevant. This is most apparent with a group of scientists who are part of the initial rescue mission, and are often seen sitting off to the sides. The film will often cut to them, and they’ll give their commentary on a situation, but beyond that, nothing more. They can often have exaggerated body language that indicates they may be more of a comedic relief, but they never actually say anything funny, instead coming off more as hammy.
The acting in general tends to be another issue this movie faces, as a lot of it feels very contrived. Part of the reason it’s hard to really relate to any of these characters, in addition to how they’re written, is the fact that they don’t even behave like real people. Many of the lines come off more in the vein of soap opera-style yelling. One of the only major exceptions to the rule was Wu Jing, who gave one of the more grounded performances in the film. It’s just unfortunate that he didn’t have that much great dialogue to work with, but he manages to elevate the material to make Liu Pieqiang a somewhat likable character.
The Wandering Earth is essentially a standard blockbuster. In terms of visuals and action, this movie fully delivers and has its fair share of moments where it’s truly exciting to watch. The CGI is often impressive and the set pieces are spectacular. However, in terms of story and character, this film often feels like it’s going through the motions. Many of its lead characters feel like cliches, and those who don’t are often expendable and unmemorable. And despite its timely setting, the film fails to capitalize on that fact to provide some relevant social commentary, reducing it to just another disaster movie.
Recommendation: Proceed With Caution
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