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Fantasy animated film

Jiang Ziya (2020): Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Jiang Ziya (2020) movie poster

Jiang Ziya is a 2020 fantasy animated film directed by Li Wei and Teng Cheng. It runs 1 hour 50 minutes and earned $240.6 million worldwide. Critics gave it 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, and IMDb users rate it 6.5/10.

IMDb rating
6.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes
83%
worldwide gross
$240.6M
Echo Score
75
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Jiang Ziya (2020) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 50m (110 min)
Directors
Li Wei and Teng Cheng
Genres
Fantasy , Animation , Family
Original language
Chinese
After the credits
Yes Extra scene during or after the credits
The story

What Is Jiang Ziya About?

The premise of Jiang Ziya without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Revered commander Jiang Ziya faces a profound moral dilemma when ordered to vanquish the formidable Nine-Tailed Fox Demon. The demon’s strength is mysteriously linked to the fate of an innocent young girl, forcing Jiang Ziya to question the will of heaven and forge his own path. His journey becomes a compelling exploration of loyalty, redemption, and the true meaning of divine power, challenging his understanding of what it means to be a god.

Jiang Ziya Themes & Keywords

· 17 tags
  • fish out of water
  • 3 dimensional
  • 3d
  • reference to jiang ziya
  • cgi animation
  • immortality
  • cg animation
  • multiple realms
  • demon
  • gods
  • donghua
  • chinese mythology
+5 more
  • chinese animation
  • shenmo
  • character name as title
  • chinese fantasy
  • fox demon
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Crew

The Director of Jiang Ziya

Directed by Li Wei and Teng Cheng.

From the directors

More from Li Wei and Teng Cheng

One more film directed by Li Wei and Teng Cheng: The Wild Blade of Strangers.

Ratings

Jiang Ziya Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Jiang Ziya 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, and IMDb users rate it 6.5/10. Our Echo Score gives it 75/100, strongest in art & craft (90) and weakest in character & emotion (60).

75 /100

Jiang Ziya Echo Score Breakdown

In overall terms, Jiang Ziya excels in visual ambition while showing uneven narrative clarity. The film’s intricate world-building and dynamic action sequences have been widely praised for their cinematic craft and atmospheric resonance. However, several observers pointed out confusing plot threads and pacing hurdles that diminish emotional engagement. The result is a striking yet somewhat uneven epic that leaves a strong visual impression but undercuts narrative cohesion.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 90

    In terms of art and craft, Jiang Ziya delivers exemplary visual storytelling. Critics and users alike note the film’s striking animation, refined cinematography, and detailed production design, from an understated color palette to fluid action choreography. The traditional wuxia influences merge seamlessly with video game–inspired graphics to create a cohesive aesthetic. Overall, the visual execution stands out as a major strength.

  • Character & Emotion 60

    In terms of character development, the film offers modest emotional depth. Several critics observed that complex mythic figures receive limited exploration, resulting in earned pathos that feels underdeveloped. Some users noted poignant moments in the middle and well-drawn emotional beats, but these instances remain intermittent. Ultimately, the characters provide occasional resonance but do not consistently anchor the narrative.

  • Story & Flow 65

    In terms of story and flow, Jiang Ziya balances ambitious scope with occasional incoherence. Critics frequently mention a complex mythos and pacing unevenness that challenges narrative clarity, while some users report confusion over character names and rapid dialogue. The post-credit sequence is often cited as the film’s most coherent segment. Consequently, the story remains engaging in parts but lacks consistent cohesion.

  • Sensory Experience 85

    In terms of sensory experience, the film delivers an immersive sound and visual landscape. Multiple critics highlight the dramatic score, nuanced sound design, and video game–influenced graphics that produce an intoxicating audio-visual synergy. User feedback emphasizes a beautiful soundtrack and effective voice performances that strengthen the film’s atmosphere. Overall, Jiang Ziya offers a richly layered sensory immersion.

  • Rewatch Factor 65

    In terms of rewatch factor, Jiang Ziya offers selective replay value rooted in its visual and action appeal. The film’s dynamic sequences and rich atmosphere encourage further viewings, but its narrative complexity can hinder full appreciation on subsequent watches. Observers also highlight an engaging post-credit scene as an incentive to revisit the film. Overall, the rewatch appeal remains moderate and situation-dependent.

Plot

Jiang Ziya Plot Summary

What happens in Jiang Ziya from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

After a fox spirit triggers the downfall of the Shang dynasty, a war sweeps across the three realms, destabilizing everything. The fox spirit is captured, and Jiang Ziya, a mortal who has risen to fame through the fighting, is assigned the grim duty of executing it. During the act, the fox spirit reveals there is a young girl inside her, and that proceeding with the execution would kill the girl as well. Jiang hesitates, but when the spirit fights to escape, his resolve hardens and he seems to finish the act. Convinced that the girl was merely an illusion conjured by the fox spirit, Jiang Ziya is stripped of his powers and banished to the North Sea until he can straighten out his mind and purpose.

Full summary

The whole story of Jiang Ziya, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Jiang Ziya Box Office

Jiang Ziya grossed $240.6 million worldwide. $214,670 came from the US and Canada and $240.4 million (100%) from the rest of the world.

2020 box office

Worldwide gross

$240.6M

US & Canada
$214.7K
International
$240.4M
US & Canada 0% Rest of the world 100%
Videos

Jiang Ziya Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Jiang Ziya.

JIANG ZIYA (2020) Official Trailer | From the Studio that brought you NE ZHA
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Jiang Ziya?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
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  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who is assigned the grim duty of executing the fox spirit at the beginning of the story?

Seen Jiang Ziya?

FAQ

Jiang Ziya FAQ: Box Office, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, box office, ratings, post-credit scenes and language of Jiang Ziya, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Jiang Ziya?

Jiang Ziya runs 1 hour 50 minutes (110 minutes).

When was Jiang Ziya released?

Jiang Ziya was released on February 7, 2020.

Who directed Jiang Ziya?

Jiang Ziya was directed by Li Wei and Teng Cheng.

More films by Li Wei

How much did Jiang Ziya make at the box office?

Jiang Ziya grossed $240.6 million worldwide ($214,670 domestic, $240.4 million international).

How is Jiang Ziya rated?

Jiang Ziya has 6.5/10 on IMDb, 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, 73% on TMDB and 3.8/5 on Movie Insider.

Does Jiang Ziya have a post-credit scene?

Yes. Jiang Ziya has an extra scene during or after the credits, so it is worth staying seated.

What language is Jiang Ziya in?

The original language of Jiang Ziya is Chinese.

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