'Captain America must die in China': Nationalism fuels Ne Zha 2 fans

The Chinese animated film "Ne Zha 2," with its story of a mythical boy battling demons, has topped the global box office charts for animated films, earning widespread acclaim. The film's box office success, reaching 12.3 billion yuan (approximately $1.7 billion; £1.4 billion), has greatly inspired a sense of national pride among the Chinese people.

As patriotic "Ne Zha 2" fans set their sights on even greater success, they are also closely monitoring critics of the film, accusing them of chasing traffic and being hired "haters." This nationalistic sentiment has also spread to Marvel's superhero franchise's fourth installment, "Captain America: Brave New World," which is now seen as a rival to "Ne Zha 2."

"I don't care if 'Ne Zha 2' can survive overseas, but 'Captain America 4' must die in China," a popular saying widely circulated on social media. In Chinese news media and social platforms, people are gloating over the American blockbuster's lackluster performance at the Chinese box office. Of the $92 million it grossed outside the United States, only $10.6 million came from China, which is Hollywood's largest overseas market.

An article on an online forum analyzed the reasons for the film's unpopularity in China, with the headline: "It's not Captain America that's dead, it's America." The author further argued: "The reality is that America has no superheroes, and America is not a beacon of peace-loving and peace-defending humanity." It has been reported that a cinema in Sichuan Province decided to suspend screenings of "Captain America 4" in order to "support 'Ne Zha 2'."

Meanwhile, some have criticized the limited number of screenings in North American theaters when "Ne Zha 2" premiered outside of China this month. They also accused American cinemas of showing other films instead of the Chinese film. "Ne Zha 2" was released in China on January 29, along with a series of high-profile films aimed at capitalizing on the surge in viewership during the Lunar New Year holiday. It quickly surpassed its competitors, breaking the $1 billion milestone in less than two weeks, a feat that is all the more impressive given China's economic slowdown.

"Ne Zha 2" is hailed as a symbol of the progress of Chinese cinema and a sign that domestic films can rival Hollywood blockbusters at the box office. Previous domestic box office hits have often been patriotic action films, such as the 2021 propaganda film "The Battle at Lake Changjin," which tells the story of the Korean War in the 1950s and was the highest-grossing film in China before "Ne Zha 2" broke the record.

While Hollywood films typically have their revenue spread across different regions, over 99% of "Ne Zha 2's" box office revenue comes from China, and the animated film has become a touchstone of patriotism. On social media, people say they have bought movie tickets multiple times to watch "Ne Zha 2." And those who haven't seen the film have had to face ridicule.

One social media user posted on the Chinese version of TikTok: "A friend told me that I am unpatriotic simply because I haven't seen 'Ne Zha 2'." When moviegoers shared their reviews of the film on social media, criticisms - from a lack of plot coherence to awkward humor and anti-feminist undertones - were met with a barrage of dismissive comments.

On Xiaohongshu, China's equivalent of Instagram, one comment read: "Such people are either chasing traffic or being hired." A Chinese social media user who had criticized "Ne Zha 2" on social media and personally experienced this strong backlash told the BBC that such insults were nothing new. But the defensiveness surrounding the film is stronger because of its huge success, which makes it a representative of the Chinese film industry.

In the eyes of these fans who only see black and white, criticizing the film is tantamount to siding with Hollywood. Another Xiaohongshu user commented: "Everyone be careful, there is currently a wave of haters online frantically criticizing 'Ne Zha 2'," adding that these "premeditated" criticisms come from jealous people in the film industry at home and abroad.

They wrote: "With such a great film, people are voting with their feet. So they start to panic and slander. How despicable!" The huge success of "Ne Zha 2" is helping to introduce characters from Chinese mythology to new audiences around the world and has been praised for its script, special effects and animation quality. But it has become a focal point for nationalistic sentiment, which has led some in China to express concern about the film's growing political significance.

A post on Xiaohongshu reflected on the increasingly heated debate surrounding the film: "'Ne Zha 2' has become a cultural phenomenon, but I don't think that's entirely a good thing." "Criticizing plot flaws is tantamount to being unpatriotic; unreservedly condemning other films released at the same time; replacing in-depth discussions with wars between fans and haters... This is definitely not a healthy cultural environment."