A WRITER'S ODYSSEY 2 (刺杀小说家2) (2025)

Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy
Director: Lu Yang
Cast: Deng Chao, Dong Zijian Lei Jiayin, Angela Wang, Ding Chengxin, Wang Yanlin, Finden, Chang Chen, Xin Zhilei, Guo Jingfei, Chang Yuan
Runtime: 2 hr 14 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: GV and Purple Plan
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 6 November 2025

Synopsis: A novelist, Lu Kongwen, finds himself in the depths of a life crisis when he is drawn by an irresistible temptation, leading both himself and the characters in his book into an irreversible catastrophe. In the novel’s world, the protagonist Kongwen embarks on a journey of resistance to defy his predetermined fate.

In the end, the novelist confronts his own dark side, regains his faith, and joins forces with his characters to save both worlds from impending doom.

Movie Review:

We must confess we could not remember much about the first movie before stepping into the sequel, but in that same vein, take it from us that you don’t need to have that foreknowledge to enjoy writer-director Lu Yang’s ambitious fantasy.

Like its predecessor, ‘A Writer’s Odyssey 2’ blends the worlds on and off the page. In the former, author Lu Kongwen (Dong Zijian) is drowning in ignominy after being wrongfully accused by charlatan Cicada (Chang Yuan) of plagarising the highly successful serialized novel ‘Godslayer’. Six years on, Lu gets his shot of redemption when Cicada unexpectedly turns up to apologise and plead with him to write a sequel to ‘Godslayer’.

In the latter, the megalomaniac Redmane (Deng Chao) has regained his powers partially after his earlier defeat at the hands of Kongwen (also played by Dong), and after a chance encounter with the real-life Lu who unknowingly crosses from one world to the other, rallies Kongwen to join him to search out the God whom he thinks has been dictating their fates with an invisible hand (or pen).

Without spoiling how the plotlines come together, let’s just say that what unites Kongwen in the real world and in the fantasy world is the ability to gain control of his fate, or what some would term free will. That is what also drives Redmane, though in his case, it is also about power and domination. Whereas the first hour sees the events in the two worlds unfolding largely in parallel, the second hour truly brings both these worlds together – and to director Lu’s credit, they do collide in fascinating and even wonderous ways.

We’re not sure how those who remember its predecessor might think, but we dare say Lu’s fantasy world here brims with culture, purpose and tradition. From the Capital City (also known as the Sky City), to the Dragonfall Plains, and to the Primal Realm, each location has its own painterly charm; perhaps the most dazzling is the Heart Tree, a physical manifestation of the purity within Redmane’s heart, which unfortunately is progressively withering as he becomes ever increasingly consumed by self-aggrandization.  

Besides a distinct Chinese aesthetic, Lu also weaves in a fair measure of philosophy to lend depth to his story. The characters may be frivolous, but their motivations and what they symbolize isn’t. Both versions of Kongwen represent the search for self-identity, and the will to be able to determine one’s own fate. On the other hand, Redmane represents the authoritarian instinct present in many leaders today, who go beyond taking control of one’s own fate to dictating that of others. And last but not least, there is the benevolence and wisdom of Kongwen’s father Jiutian (Chang Chen), whose kindness and big-heartedness endures across generations.

It would be blasphemous for Lu to turn his tale into socio-political commentary, but within his characters belies a meditation on the values that we treasure in today’s society. For example, one fear many have with the advent of AI is how that will diminish individual thought, choices and volition, especially with agentic AI or even artificial super-intelligence. Or what of the potential slide towards authoritarianism that we see even in what is supposed to be the most democratic country in the free world? To be sure, Lu doesn’t go so far as to pronounce his views, but there is a strong thematic focus here that isn’t coincidental.

Yet for the casual viewer, ‘A Writer’s Odyssey 2’ is simply a visual feast. Over slightly more than two hours, Lu keeps the pace brisk and light, so that those simply looking for a good, entertaining spectacle will not be disappointed; but we appreciate how Lu injects artistry, meaning and message into his vision, while never letting it distract the movie from being a blockbuster in its own right. To be sure, there are parts which could be a lot more coherent, but it is an engaging and even thoughtful diversion that you won’t mind losing yourself in.

Movie Rating:

(Both a visual treat and a surprisingly thoughtful meditation on free will, 'A Writer's Odyssey 2' is a fantasy you won't mind losing yourself in)

Review by Gabriel Chong