China Synopsis
宇宙探索编辑部
One UFO sighting after another proves false. He has to beg for money to keep his space-exploration magazine afloat. There are no messages in the TV static. Nevertheless, aging Tang Zhijun continues to believe in alien life forms and heads to mountainous southwest China to investigate after watching a mysterious online video. He is accompanied by a drunk, a girl with insomnia, and a cynical staffer. When they meet a young poet in a village who says he received instructions from aliens, they decide to follow him and embark on a journey. This Journey to the West is not a story about the Monkey King, but an ordinary man's continuous pursuit of UFOs and the human condition of chasing faded love.
Other Titles From China Film Group Corporation
The 2022–2024 China Window
Journey to the West holds position #19 of 77 China films in the 2022–2024 window, below highlighted by audience rating.
The 2020s China Landscape
Journey to the West premiered in 2023 — a quieter year for China cinema with only 35 titles in our catalog. The 2020s overall landed 216 films and series across 4 years of activity.
Adventure + Science Fiction in China
9 China titles in our catalog blend the Adventure and Science Fiction genres. Below: the top-rated of them (excluding Journey to the West itself).
Position in Catalog
Released alongside 34 other China films in 2023.
The 928th China title from China we index (earliest catalogued entry: 1935).
Our China catalog contains 946 titles in total (747 films).
Audience Engagement
31 audience reviews — more than 52% of China films in our index.
Popularity sits at the 39th percentile among China films.
Reception Benchmarks
Ranked #185 of 946 China films indexed here (80th percentile by TMDB audience score).
Rating is +0.8 points above the China average of 6.7/10.
Among China Adventure productions specifically: #37 of 178 (top 21%).
Production Details
| Primary Country | China |
|---|---|
| Original Language | Chinese |
| Production Companies | China Film Group Corporation, Wanda Pictures, Huayi Brothers Pictures, Alibaba Pictures Group, G!FILM |
| Runtime | 1h 57m |
| Release Date | April 1, 2023 |
| IMDb | tt15072612 |
| Official Site | www.midnightblurfilms.com |