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Time runs out in carefully marked units in the mainland Chinese sci-fi disaster pic “The Wandering Earth II,” a sturdy prequel to the record-smashing adaptation of Liu Cixin ’s novel. In “The Wandering Earth II,” the apocalyptic problems faced by this movie’s Chinese characters—along with their international peers from the United Earth Government (UEG)—have already happened. Because in “ The Wandering Earth ,” the planet has already left its orbit thanks to some high-powered rocket engines, which have pushed the Earth out of harm’s way (aka a crash course with the Sun). Set in the near-future—a range of dates that includes 2044, 2058, and 2065—“The Wandering Earth II” follows China’s men and women of action as they lead the planet out of the solar system and into the previous movie.

Both “The Wandering Earth” and its sequel are flashy, state-approved cornball spectacles about humanity’s resilience (especially the Chinese). Both movies were produced with gargantuan budgets that would make even James Cameron blink, and they both look fantastic thanks to director Frant Gwo ’s eye for panoramic scope and paperback cover-worthy details. The main difference between these two blockbusters is that the protagonists of “The Wandering Earth II” must repeatedly choose to be hopeful despite perpetually impending disasters, each one of which is neatly labeled and foregrounded with pulpy on-screen text like “The Lunar Crisis in 12 hours” and “Nuclear explosion in 3 hours.”

In this way, Gwo (“ The Sacrifice ”) and his five credited co-writers succeed in refocusing our attention on scenes of ticking-clock suspense, sandwiched between syrupy—and mostly satisfying—melodramatic interludes, where square-jawed astronauts and UEG diplomats struggle to do what we know is a foregone conclusion.

Most of “The Wandering Earth II” follows the superhuman efforts needed to jumpstart the Moving Mountain Project, the mission to first build and then deploy the globe-shifting engines needed to push the Earth out of harm’s way. The UEG’s Chinese delegation, led by the paternal diplomat Zhezhi Zhou ( Li Xuejian ), recommends prioritizing the Moving Mountain Project instead of the Digital Life Project. This radical initiative would transfer human participants’ consciousnesses into artificially intelligent computer programs. Some Digital Life supporters try to sabotage the Moving Mountain Project, including a deadly attack on the Space Elevator transportation ships that send UEG representatives from the Earth to the Moon.

Nobody living through the events of “The Wandering Earth II” knows what we know: That the Moving Mountain project succeeds and eventually becomes the Wandering Earth project, which comes under threat by a HAL 9000-esque artificial intelligence (A.I.) named MOSS in the first film. Still, multiple scientists, government officials, and space adventurers—mostly Chinese—believe in their work’s vital necessity, whether they’re punching out saboteurs or detonating one of a couple hundred nuclear devices scattered around the moon. There’s a lot of hand-wringing and teeth-gnashing along the way, mostly from English and Russian-speaking UEG members, all of whom speak in stilted, poorly dubbed dialogue. But Chinese astronauts, like “The Wandering Earth” co-leads Liu Peiqiang (“ Wolf Warrior 2 ” star Wu Jing ) and Han Duoduo ( Wang Zhi ), always prove Zhou’s slogan-simple maxim: “In times of crisis, unity above all.”

Some melancholic (and occasionally maudlin) flashbacks and dialogue emphasize the personal motives of one-note characters who, in the movie’s best scenes, are just parts of a beautiful post-human landscape. Liu remembers his wife and young daughter while melancholic scientist Tu Hengyu ( Andy Lau ) talks with his dead child after he uploads her personality into an experimental A.I. program; she cries a lot and sometimes responds with existentially troubling questions like, “Where am I, daddy? I want to get out.” We’re then periodically reminded of the next impending crisis—“the moon disintegrates in 50 hours”—in between solar storms and nuclear explosions. Somehow, “The Wandering Earth II” never feels tonally unbalanced or narratively convoluted, partly because Gwo and his collaborators keep their movie’s plot focused on feats of action-adventure heroism.

“The Wandering Earth II” only seems relatively unambitious because it’s more focused on sap-happy human emotions than on dystopian intrigue. Both movies are still essentially showcases for beautiful and expensive-looking computer graphics. But “The Wandering Earth II”—a brittle and, at heart, old-fashioned space opera—would be insufferable if Gwo and his ensemble cast members didn’t sell you on the possibility that someday, people who are as selfless, monomaniacal, and capable as Liu and Tu could exist.

“The Wandering Earth II” is also like “The Wandering Earth” because it’s just the right mix of silly and somber. Hurt, scared people wonder about the recent past, but always from a rare position of forward-thinking emotional clarity. (“She’s dead, and that’s it. That’s the reality.”) So when humanity must inevitably save the day, their accomplishments are appropriately surreal and awesome.

In theaters Sunday, January 22.

Simon Abrams

Simon Abrams is a native New Yorker and freelance film critic whose work has been featured in The New York Times , Vanity Fair , The Village Voice, and elsewhere.

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Film credits.

The Wandering Earth II (2023)

173 minutes

Andy Lau as Tu Hengyu

Wu Jing as Liu Peiqiang

Li Xuejian as Zhou Zhezhi

Zhang Fengyi

Hongwei Wang
Yang Zhixue

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The Wandering Earth II takes a sci-fi blockbuster in a stranger, darker direction

The prequel to one of China’s biggest-ever box-office hits is kinda just… 3 hours of suffering

A bleeding man in an astronaut suit tries to cover the head of a woman in a similar suit as a series of windows in a small mechanical space shatter, spraying them and a third man with fragments of broken glass, in an action scene from The Wandering Earth II

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To successfully imitate the kind of mega-budget worldwide blockbuster most closely associated with Hollywood productions, filmmaker Frant Gwo literally went global. 2019’s The Wandering Earth , a sci-fi disaster adventure that became one of China’s biggest-ever box-office hits, takes place in a future world where Earth has been implanted with thrust rockets and piloted out of orbit to avoid a solar disaster. Astronauts must steer the spaceship-planet to a new home, while the surface freezes and its diminished inhabitants huddle underground.

The film’s enormous scope helped the movie become a Chinese smash, though it fell short of a worldwide phenomenon. (In the U.S., it had a limited theatrical run, then premiered on Netflix a few months later.) Wandering Earth ’s extensive, sometimes convoluted world-building, drawn from a short story by The Three-Body Problem author Cixin Liu , left plenty of room for a follow-up. But Gwo must have grown attached to the less icy version of his home planet, because The Wandering Earth II , receiving a somewhat wider U.S. release alongside its Chinese debut, is something even less likely than a disaster-movie sequel: a disaster-movie prequel.

Set across multiple decades leading up to Earth’s launch out of orbit (enabled by thousands of fusion-powered engines around the globe), the prequel starts off with plenty of its predecessor’s grab-bag maximalism. There’s a seemingly mad scientist extolling the virtues of a “digital you that can live forever” — an AI-based plan pitched as an alternate way to survive the coming apocalypse. (It’s unclear, but it sounds like the idea was to upload everyone to a Matrix-esque digital world, and leave the actual one to fry.) Pro-digital terrorist groups attack a massive space elevator, explosions and low-gravity fisticuffs erupt, and we learn that 91% of Americans oppose moving Earth out of orbit because they don’t think a problem 100 years away is worth solving. (“The world isn’t on the side of the reality,” one official laments.)

$A man stands in a dark, chilly-looking room in front of an immense blackboard covered with mathematical symbols and formulae, dimly lit by a single shaft of light, in The Wandering Earth II$

The sprawling results initially feel like a mashup of Don’t Look Up and Independence Day: Resurgence , but as the film enters its second hour, then its third, it brings in even more familiar bits and pieces of other movies. (It runs 173 minutes, including credits and multiple postscripts.) There is so much movie in The Wandering Earth II , and so many disasters, countdowns, and chyrons to go around. The movie may set a record for the sheer number of subtitled locations, timelines, characters, and occasionally even hardware. The first movie’s astronaut, Liu Peiqiang (Wu Jing) gets a backstory. So does one of the computer systems. The writing team steals bits of Interstellar one moment, and engages in parallel thinking with Moonfall the next. (“The moon disintegrates in 179 hours.”)

But perhaps the goofiest thing about Wandering Earth II is how resolutely un-goofy much of it is. There are moments of absurdity, but the film is often surprisingly grim, in a way that feels admirably ambitious but questionably useful. Much of the movie has a downbeat moon-gray palette, even in scenes that don’t take place on the moon. The saddest storyline it weaves across the decades is about Tu Hengyu (Andy Lau), a scientist grieving the loss of his wife and daughter, convinced he can fine-tune the digital echo of his young child into a fuller AI consciousness. (Here, there are thematic parallels with Yeon Sang-ho’s JUNG_E , a fleeter and more manageable science fiction movie premiering on Netflix right as Wandering Earth II lumbers into theaters.)

The dead-family storyline isn’t the only obligatory pause for pathos, either. Another character must deal with his wife’s imminent death, since cancer cases have spiked during the rise of dangerous solar activity. At the same time, he’s trying to secure one of the limited tickets to an underground city.

A man bends over a table to look at something in a dark, futuristic-looking science lab in The Wandering Earth II

In many ways, Gwo carries this heaviness with more grace than the supposed masters of the modern form. Unlike Roland Emmerich (whose work the Wandering Earth series generally resembles) or Michael Bay (whose Armageddon feels like part of this movie’s DNA), Gwo isn’t afraid of quiet moments amid the bombast. He doesn’t nervously pack his movies with goony comic relief or shameless ploys for applause. Some of his imagery has an eerie, almost mournful beauty — even more so than the previous movie, which found some poetic imagery among the chintzier-looking special effects.

Yet none of this keeps exhaustion from setting in over the course of nearly three hours. Exactly how many countdowns to possible apocalypse can a movie bear, especially when the planet is demonstrably intact at the beginning of the next movie? The audience knows Earth survives, which turns Wandering Earth II into a torture device for its new characters: The planet will keep going, but these poor suckers can still get put through the wringer.

That obviously isn’t Gwo’s intention, and it is remarkable that his three-hour Wandering Earth prequel is simultaneously stranger and more emotionally grounded than the earlier film. Yet even at this length, even with eye-popping moments and believable characters, some crucial humanity feels missing. Classic disaster movies offer something similar to the feel of a horror movie: the terror of annihilation and the catharsis of survival, but spread over a larger canvas. Maybe that model just doesn’t work anymore. Skillfully made as it is, Wandering Earth II feels more like immersion therapy for the modern onslaught of apocalyptic news from around the world. Like franchises, global disasters no longer really end.

The Wandering Earth II opens in theaters on Sunday, Jan. 22, the first day of the lunar new year. Check the movie’s website for locations.

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The Wandering Earth II

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The Wandering Earth II 's spectacular visuals and brisk pace are more than enough to make up for its lengthy runtime and nationalistic subtext.

The Wandering Earth II is a nearly flawless achievement in epic sci-fi filmmaking.

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The Wandering Earth II Review | Kiss Your Earth Goodbye

A rousing and bombastic bit of apocalyptic disaster movie goodness, Chinese director and co-writer Frant Gwo’s The Wandering Earth II delivers spectacle by the truckload. Arriving in theatres just in time for Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations, this follow-up to one of the highest grossing films in history (going by worldwide box office numbers) is actually a prequel set several decades prior to Gwo’s previous movie. And while its nearly three hour running time is a detriment to keeping momentum going, The Wandering Earth II is a marked improvement over what came before, striking a sweet spot between sensationalism and sentimentality.

The Wandering Earth II unfolds between the years of 2044 and 2065, ending roughly a decade before the first film starts. It tells overlapping stories all tied to the impending demise of Earth. In addition to the sun being on the verge of burning out, the moon is starting to disintegrate. Many cities are already disaster areas, but others are catastrophes waiting to happen. Underground cities have already been constructed to house people when the surface world becomes untenable, but they aren’t fully operational yet and would naturally only be temporary solutions. This forces those aligned with the Moving Mountain Project to accelerate their ambitious plans to craft millions of engines capable of transporting the planet Earth billions of lightyears away to a new solar system over the course of generations. The Moving Mountain Project finds itself at odds however, with believers in the Digital Life Project, scientists and people who believe that everyday life on Earth is a lost cause and humanity would be best preserved in a digital alternate reality.

The Wandering Earth II is a lot to take in, but it’s surprisingly easier to get wrapped up in than its predecessor, with this film filling in a lot of logical and narrative gaps to further build investment in what’s clearly a blossoming franchise. It’s no less ridiculous or patently unbelievable than its predecessor, but that’s part of the charm this time out, with Gwo and company launching headlong into some spectacular action sequences straight out of the gate that are nothing short of jaw dropping in terms of scope and ambition. There’s a bit involving a 90,000 kilometre elevator connecting Earth and space, people trying to outrun solar winds on the moon, and even an extended action sequence devoted to – of all things – rebooting all of the world’s internet service. All of it requires a very healthy suspension of disbelief, but also less annoying than many of its disaster movie counterparts.

There’s plenty of fight scenes, shootouts, dogfights, technobabbling, diplomatic squabbling, and lots of moments where things blow up nice and loud. It’s the bread and butter of the genre, and Gwo embraces that chaos wholeheartedly this time out. It’s all a nice distraction from the overstuffed stories that comprise the actual plot of The Wandering Earth II , which offer up many threads that won’t be fully tied off by the end. There’s a sweet, but corny meet-cute romance between a couple of astronauts that keeps changing in unexpected ways across the film’s time period, a pair of once friendly computer scientists whose partnership has fractured as a result of unimaginable loss and grief, there’s the world leader who has the utmost confidence that China will be able to get the job done when all others seem to doubt them; pretty much storylines one would expect.

With The Wandering Earth II being a very proud and mega-budgeted Chinese production, the heightened sense of nationalism is to be expected, but it’s not too far removed from what beloved blockbusters like Top Gun: Maverick and RRR were doing last year. China is easily the most capable and level headed nation to exist in the world of The Wandering Earth II , and there are plenty of shots taken at other global superpowers coming from its home country’s unique perspective on global affairs. Most (but not all) Americans talk a good game, but are basically cowards who either give up when things get tough or won’t stop shouting. Russians are strong allies who are prone to taking things way too far. The Brits are ruled by a Boris Johnson styled dumb-dumb who seems completely out to lunch. The French come across really great here for some reason. None of this is terribly interesting or surprising, but I’m sure it will get some people talking just the same.

The bigger problem than jingoism with The Wandering Earth II is the running time. The first hour is an outstanding thrill ride, and the final hour is a multi-faceted race against time that works very well. But the middle hour, which predominantly revolves around humanity’s relationship and reliance on technology to solve all its problems, drags mightily. The cliched melodrama is hard to hide during this section of the film, but the performances and Gwo’s sense of style help to elevate things during the slower parts.

But really, the story is worth muddling through in order to get to the great stuff, which is made to be watched on the biggest screen possible. It’s pure, unfiltered escapism made with a great deal of craft and effort during an age where a lot of these movies tend to offer up little in the way of ingenuity. The plot elements in The Wandering Earth II aren’t much to write home about, but the action sequences are wildly original, underlined by the sort of unsubtle metaphors and relentless foreshadowing that make the disaster genre such a blast for moviegoers. It will be interesting to see where Gwo and company head from here, but The Wandering Earth II suggests they’re on the right trajectory.

The Wandering Earth II opens in theatres everywhere on Sunday, January 22, 2023.

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Andrew Parker

Andrew Parker fell in love with film growing up across the street from a movie theatre. He began writing professionally about film at the age of fourteen, and has been following his passions ever since. His writing has been showcased at various online outlets, as well as in The Globe and Mail, BeatRoute, and NOW Magazine. If he's not watching something or reading something, he's probably sleeping.

The Wandering Earth II review – blockbuster Chinese sci-fi prequel veers off course

Frant Gwo’s follow-up to his 2019 mega-hit favours special effects and set pieces over performances, as the human race battles for survival

A gargantuan success in 2019, Frant Gwo’s The Wandering Earth remains one of the highest grossing non-English films of all time. This hotly anticipated prequel, even more ambitious in scope, follows the catastrophic events leading up to the Earth leaving the solar system in the original hit.

At nearly three hours long, The Wandering Earth II is packed with expository science talk, which gets more convoluted and tiring as the clock ticks on. The gist of the matter is, in the face of imminent ecological disasters, an internationally consolidated government body has hatched a solution to alter the orbit of our planet. It also involves blowing up the moon. As well as resistance from (mostly) western countries, the decades-spanning enterprise is also routinely sabotaged by the rival Digital Life Project, which looks to virtual reality as a new beginning for the human race.

Against the threat of total extinction and the unsettling ubiquity of AI, the question of what it means to be human lies at the heart of this prequel, whose sombre silver-grey colour palette marks a stark departure from the first film. Ironically enough, in this case, characters played by superstars like Wu Jing or Andy Lau take a backseat to the admittedly spectacular CGI effects.

In the end, the emphasis on set pieces over performances renders the collective plight of humanity emotionally distant and impersonal. Various mentions of how machines will take over human jobs also finds a strange echo in the film-making itself: Ng Man-tat died from cancer in 2021, yet his character from The Wandering Earth makes a cameo appearance in this prequel via AI technology. It is a gesture of tribute that, within the context of the film, feels oddly unsettling.

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Review: Chinese Sci-fi Prequel “The Wandering Earth II” Offers Epicness Amidst Subdued Times

Starring Wu Jing and Andy Lau, "The Wandering Earth II" channels its predecessors’s sense of ambition—perhaps too much for its own good, given shifts in China’s sociopolitical climate.

By Anthony Kao , 22 Jan 23 02:00 GMT

When The Wandering Earth came out in 2019, another Cinema Escapist reviewer deemed it a “breathtaking sci-fi success. ” Based on a short story by renowned author Liu Cixin (best known for his Three Body Problem trilogy), the big-budget movie signaled China’s arrival as a major player in the global sci-fi blockbuster arena.

Four years later, director Frant Gwo returns with a prequel, The Wandering Earth II . Starring Wu Jing and Andy Lau, the film feels just as—and perhaps even more—epic than its predecessor, with sweeping sci-fi set pieces and ample CGI. However, The Wandering Earth II ’s grandiosity feels somewhat overwrought, especially given China’s sociopolitical mood is much more subdued in 2023 compared to 2019.

Moving Mountains for a Wandering Earth

The Wandering Earth II spans three decades (from the 2040s to 2060s) and dives into the backstory of how humanity ended up building a bunch of nuclear fusion engines to push Earth away from a soon-to-explode sun, as seen in the first Wandering Earth . It turns out that, as an alternative to moving Earth away from the solar system with the “Moving Mountain Project,” others proposed preserving human consciousness on computers through the “Digital Life Project.”

The movie contains three character subplots that convey the struggle between those two philosophies, though the Moving Mountain Project always enjoys clear supremacy. First and foremost, actor Wu Jing (famous for his roles in the nationalistic Wolf Warrior franchise) reprises his role as astronaut Liu Peiqiang—who was the primary protagonist of the first Wandering Earth , and somehow never ages in the five decades that elapse as he advances the Moving Mountain Project across two movies. Next, Hong Kong movie star Andy Lau plays a grief-stricken scientist who secretly embraces the Digital Life Project, as a way to keep his young daughter alive. Finally, Li Xuejian plays China’s understated but firm representative to the United Earth Government (which succeeded the UN), who must corral international alignment around the Moving Mountain Project amidst sabotage efforts and naysayers.

Epic Movie, Epic China?

On top of this ambitious narrative scope, The Wandering Earth II contains all the drone swarm battles, space elevators, and nuclear explosions necessary to satisfy the cravings of action-hungry audiences. What’s more interesting though is how the movie doubles down on a particular image of Chinese-led geopolitical order, in a manner that feels even sharper than what the first Wandering Earth established.

As with the first Wandering Earth , The Wandering Earth II features China at the helm of a broad international coalition implementing the Moving Mountain Project; these two movies probably recruited the most foreign actors of any productions in Chinese cinematic history. Reflecting China’s real-world engagement with Africa , a chunk of the prequel takes place at a space elevator base station in Libreville, Gabon. While Chinese astronauts, soldiers, scientists, and diplomats take the lead under all circumstances, they’re usually cheery and avuncular, as opposed to imperious. Characters from the Russian military complement the Chinese on multiple occasions, playing into stereotypes of Russians as a zhandou minzu (战斗民族) of soulful warfighters .

While the above elements are all present to some degree in the first Wandering Earth , one significant difference is The Wandering Earth II ’s depiction of the United States as a foil to China. Whereas the original Wandering Earth didn’t feature Americans at all, The Wandering Earth II shows Americans in discussions at the United Earth Government headquarters in New York City. Apparently 91% of Americans don’t believe in the Moving Mountain Project, and the movie paints American officials as belligerent, obstructionist, and petulantly absent from frontline affairs. It’s a view that accords with official Chinese attitudes towards the US, formed especially during the Donald Trump administration.

In general, The Wandering Earth II projects an ambitious image of China that the Communist Party would like audiences to believe exists. Benevolently paternalistic officials leverage advanced technology alongside courageous Wolf Warriors to make this version of China (and by extension the world) a better place. At the same time, in an echo of real-world gaming and tech industry crackdowns, those who engage in digital escapism must be tamed lest they threaten social stability.

2023 isn’t 2019

Alas, reality in China is more complicated than the Communist Party would prefer. In 2019, China indeed seemed like an ascendant responsible global leader, especially compared to a Trumpian United States wracked with isolationism and conspiracy-mongering. The first Wandering Earth fittingly echoed this state of affairs.

However, in 2023, China’s real-world sociopolitical position feels more subdued. With two years of zero-COVID, it’s China that has chosen global isolation , and suffered economically for it. China’s multilateral efforts through the Belt and Road Initiative have stalled , and the country’s famously assertive “ Wolf Warrior Diplomats ” are getting reined in as well. Disillusioned with life in China, educated young Chinese are embracing the “ run philosophy ” of emigrating abroad . Even those stereotypes of Russians as proficient warfighters are now in question , after Putin’s failure to conquer Ukraine.

With that in mind, the epic bombast of The Wandering Earth II starts feeling a bit tone-deaf, especially with the movie clocking in at an eye-numbing 2 hours and 53 minutes (40 minutes longer than its predecessor). The film feels like it’s stuck in a pre-COVID China, and fails to acknowledge what China has been through these past few years. Granted, not every movie needs to reflect political sentiment—but The Wandering Earth II bears a unique burden given its franchise’s established geopolitical significance .

Perhaps The Wandering Earth II should’ve taken a page from Top Gun: Maverick . Both movies convey their respective nations’ geopolitical fantasies, and strive for epic blockbuster appeal. However, Maverick acknowledges America’s malaise before laying it thick with Department of Defense-funded propaganda shots, and emerges a better movie as a result—call it character redemption as a national metaphor, if you will. Alas, showing a China that gets stronger after learning from its anxieties requires acknowledging the existence of anxieties, and doing that gets into a political minefield that The Wandering Earth II ’s filmmakers probably wanted to avoid.

That said, Chinese audiences will likely still flock to watch The Wandering Earth II given its star power, and the halo effect of being a sequel. More nationalistic types will probably embrace the movie as a way to reinvigorate patriotic sentiments. But don’t be surprised if The Wandering Earth II enjoys less buzz than its predecessor, especially among global viewers.

The Wandering Earth II (Chinese: 流浪地球2) —China. Dialog in Mandarin Chinese. Directed by Frant Gwo. First released January 22, 2023. Running time 2hr 53min. Starring Wu Jing, Andy Lau, Li Xuejian, Sha Yi, Ning Li.

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What the sci-fi blockbuster Wandering Earth II can teach us about China’s aspirations

Amid global a crisis, China rises to save the world – while Western countries descend into chaos.

A prequel to the 2019 film Wandering Earth , the Chinese blockbuster hit Wandering Earth II opens on a futuristic dystopia where the dying Sun is about to explode and engulf Earth.

A survival strategy is proposed: the Wandering Earth Project will build giant engines and use them to propel Earth away from the Sun.

Amid a global crisis, China rises to save the world. Western countries descend into chaos. Using state-of-the-art made-in-China technologies, China carries out the Wandering Earth Project – disregarding the cost of lives lost.

Now released globally, Wandering Earth II has earned more than half a billion dollars in China since it opened on January 22. It has also achieved critical success in its home country, with domestic media saying it exemplifies a “Chinese-style space romance”.

Adapted from a short science fiction story by celebrated Chinese author Liu Cixin, at first sight the plot will seem very familiar to fans of Hollywood.

But this film speaks to China’s growing ambition of leading global governance, and its embrace of collectivism and consequentialism .

Chinese science fiction

These political imaginations are not recent. They are deeply rooted in China’s political traditions, along with the development of science fiction literature in China.

Western science fiction was first translated into Chinese in 1902, at a time when Chinese thinkers called for learning from the West to “subdue” the West: a self-salvation plan to modernise China.

Science fiction was taken as an educational tool to disseminate Western sciences. Science fiction enabled China to imagine a bright future when it achieved national independence from Westerners – or became a new power in international politics.

An early Chinese science fiction book was The New Era , published in 1908. This book envisioned China would rise as a regional power in 1999 and secure peace in the Asian continent.

Chinese science fiction began by learning from Western counterparts at the turn of the 20th century when works of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells were widely translated and read in China.

After 1949, however, the genre followed the footsteps of the Soviet Union in its imagination of how science and technology could be better used in the hands of communists than Western capitalists.

East versus West

Wandering Earth II continues this tradition of praising the science possible under communism, and positioning China as a global power. Here, China invests the most resources – technological, financial and human – in saving Earth.

The West is often represented as a rival in Chinese science fiction literature. Alternatively, it serves as a witness to China’s victory: in Wandering Earth II , even the United States has to consult a Chinese diplomat for advice.

This diplomat, Mr Zhou, bears a remarkable resemblance to Zhou Enlai , China’s first premier under Mao Zedong’s leadership. As a diplomat, Zhou Enlai helped China negotiate regional disputes with neighbouring countries.

Today, Xi’s “ community of common destiny ” is shaking the world order.

China’s leadership in Wandering Earth II’s “united Earth government” echoes the increasingly assertive image of China in global politics.

Chinese collectivism

The Wandering Earth Project exemplifies Chinese collectivism when old astronauts voluntarily join in a suicide mission – although some of them are not given a chance to speak.

Chinese history is permeated with political myths of individual sacrifices, derived from the long-existing authoritarian regime.

After communism won in 1949, “for the people” became supreme doctrine: the new government worked to eliminate remaining bourgeois liberal thoughts, and build revolutionary heroes. Individual interest was reduced to be secondary to service for the nation.

Science fiction has long enabled China to imagine a bright future – Wandering Earth II is no different. CMC Pictures

A key part of Chinese political life is the collective ideology of conspicuous consequentialism: that is, the morality of an action is measured only in its consequences.

Taking human survival as its goal, the supreme artificial intelligence in the film pushes Earth to the verge of destruction to test the willingness of human unity.

Despite the “good” intentions of this artificial intelligence, it drags everyone’s life into extreme danger and leaves more than half the world’s population on a barren and frozen Earth without atmospheric protection.

No one in Wandering Earth II questions this draconian decision-making logic. Indeed, when the AI’s true purpose is revealed at the end of the film, the human survivors eulogise its intelligence, forgetting the high price they have paid.

Individual sacrifices

There are many parallels to draw between Wandering Earth II and modern Chinese society.

Today in China, the authoritarian bureaucracy emphasises results, while the policy goals – whether extensive economic growth or COVID-zero – lead to a moral dilemma between overall outcome and individual losses in the process.

When the greater good is achieved, individual sacrifices are lightly portrayed as a necessary cost and a “detour” in the development – which, of course, can be forgivable, and then forgettable.

In contrast to Kant’s humans are ends, not means , both Wandering Earth II and Chinese politics conceive the opposite.

Yimin Xu , Ph.D student at School of Humanities & Language, Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture, UNSW Sydney and Guangyi Pan , PhD candidate, UNSW Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .

'The Wandering Earth 2': Global vision and Chinese wisdom

A man passes a poster of Wandering Earth II at a cinema in Shenyang, Liaoning province, on Jan. 23, 2023. [Photo/VCG]

Unsurprisingly, The Wandering Earth 2 has been a blockbuster since its release on the first day of the Chinese New Year, taking in an eye-watering 2.9 billion yuan in 11 days, breaking 36 records and achieving 91 milestones in Chinese film. Ever since the genre-defining The Wandering Earth established China as a truly viable producer of large-scale and ambitious sci-fi films in the spring of 2019, sci-fi film production has truly taken off in China and matured itself with numerous mind-blowing attempts in film and television with works such as The Cataclysm and the newly-released Three Body TV series.

Directed by Frant Gwo and based on Liu Cixin's novel, The Wandering Earth 2 is a prequel, the backstory that leads up to the first film. The rapidly expanding Sun is devouring the entire solar system, posing imminent crises and existential threats that put mankind on the brink of extinction. To cling to the chance of survival, people start looking for solutions under the leadership of the United Earth Government, but their plans to save humanity begin to diverge and conflicts between different parties arise, mainly around the hesitation between the Moving Mountain Project which aims at moving Earth away from its current solar system and the Digital Life Project that looks to preserving human consciousness on computers. Clinging to the belief that "A civilization without men is meaningless", China insists on supporting the former one despite mounting tensions and succeeds in feasibility trials that convince the rest of the world and unite different nations into one human nation to implement the Moving Mountain Project.

As a sequel, The Wandering Earth 2 is more than just filling for the first film's blanks, connecting plot line dots and unfolding the full picture. In my opinion, unlike most sequel movies, it progresses greatly compared to the first one in terms of aesthetics, imagination, philosophy and cultural depth.

Empowered by stunning special effects and wild imagination, the film offers breath-taking cinematic spectacles full of gigantic spaceships and drone swarm battles and visualizes some of the technological wonders that, in the past, only appeared in sci-fi books such as the "space elevator". It is inspiring to see the huge improvement in the Chinese film industry and film-making technology. Furthermore, the imagination is not groundless, but comes from reality. In fact, China's progress in space technology over recent years has provided fertile soil and many raw materials for sci-fi film creation. In turn, this advanced imagination may even lead to technological development in the future.

If the hard tech is what strikes awe into the people's hearts, the Chinese philosophy behind the scene is what makes people contemplate. We've seen enough western apocalyptic narratives in mega-budget worldwide blockbusters most closely associated with Hollywood productions. But this film presents a disaster story from an oriental point of view, where humans work as a team to face the overwhelming crisis. No hero can save the Earth single-handedly; still, every effort matters. And the international unity and solidarity highly emphasized in the film takes root in the real world and are consistent with China's current attitude and approach in a world of changes unseen in a century.

It is very delicate and sophisticated how Chinese philosophy and culture are embedded throughout the whole narrative, including small details that are subtly woven into the patchwork quilt of the movie, such as the naming of the self-rescue projects. The Moving Mountain Project, for example, originated from an ancient Chinese fable, Yugong Yishan, illustrating the point that one strong-willed man can't move mountains but, as long as generations of mankind work together, nothing is impossible. This is only one of the manifestations of the sincere Chinese wish for a long-lasting human civilization and for Chinese ancient wisdom to be applied in today's world.

Apart from these thoughtful details, more explicit advocates of the Chinese approach toward a world of turmoil are put forward in Zhou's speech about the once-broken-but-healed human femur, "In times of crisis, unity above all. Remember the day that people's courage transcends history". In line with the idea of a community with a shared future of mankind, the film vividly depicts some of the most touching and powerful scenes where senior astronauts of all nations sacrifice themselves to ignite the nuclear bombs, and joint efforts are made in reconnecting the Internet to blast the Earth out of its orbit and off on a hundred-generation wandering journey in search of a new home. United we stand, divided we fall. This is even truer today after the humanities' three-year war against the COVID-19 pandemic, as courage and solidarity are the only way out, in science fiction or in reality.

Indeed, the world is undergoing unprecedented transformations and posing great challenges to every single one of us. I've never been a pessimist, but truly, if we don't see ourselves as one human nation soon enough to focus on matters of life and death such as climate change, but continues starting wars with each other in the name of national security, we are going to be buried in the graves we dig for ourselves before the Earth falls apart. That's why I feel great pride to see that China is shouldering its responsibility in global governance as a major country and plays its part in calling forth peace and unity both in the film and in reality.

Overall, The Wandering Earth 2 is marvelous in many ways, including the outstanding visuals and acoustics, compelling narrative and, most importantly, a much more "universal" human value that raises itself to a whole new level of the same genre. I believe both the Chinese people and the world are awaiting what comes next for Chinese cinema.

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As a sequel, "The Wandering Earth 2" is more than just filling for the first film's blanks, connecting plot line dots and unfolding the full picture.

What the sci-fi blockbuster Wandering Earth II can teach us about China’s global and local aspirations

Ph.D student at School of Humanities & Language, Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture, UNSW Sydney

PhD candidate, UNSW Sydney

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The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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A prequel to the 2019 film Wandering Earth, the Chinese blockbuster hit Wandering Earth II opens on a futuristic dystopia where the dying Sun is about to explode and engulf Earth.

A survival strategy is proposed: the Wandering Earth Project will build giant engines and use them to propel Earth away from the Sun.

Adapted from a short science fiction story by celebrated Chinese author Liu Cixin, at first sight the plot will seem very familiar to fans of Hollywood.

But this film speaks to China’s growing ambition of leading global governance, and its embrace of collectivism and consequentialism .

Chinese science fiction

These political imaginations are not recent. They are deeply rooted in China’s political traditions, along with the development of science fiction literature in China.

An early Chinese science fiction book was The New Era, published in 1908. This book envisioned China would rise as a regional power in 1999 and secure peace in the Asian continent.

Chinese science fiction began by learning from Western counterparts at the turn of the 20th century when works of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells were widely translated and read in China.

After 1949, however, the genre followed the footsteps of the Soviet Union in its imagination of how science and technology could be better used in the hands of communists than Western capitalists.

Read more: China's Communist Party at 100: revolution forever

East versus West

The West is often represented as a rival in Chinese science fiction literature. Alternatively, it serves as a witness to China’s victory: in Wandering Earth II, even the United States has to consult a Chinese diplomat for advice.

Today, Xi’s “ community of common destiny ” is shaking the world order.

China’s leadership in Wandering Earth II’s “united Earth government” echoes the increasingly assertive image of China in global politics.

Chinese collectivism

The Wandering Earth Project exemplifies Chinese collectivism when old astronauts voluntarily join in a suicide mission – although some of them are not given a chance to speak.

Chinese history is permeated with political myths of individual sacrifices, derived from the long-existing authoritarian regime.

A key part of Chinese political life is the collective ideology of conspicuous consequentialism: that is, the morality of an action is measured only in its consequences.

Taking human survival as its goal, the supreme artificial intelligence in the film pushes Earth to the verge of destruction to test the willingness of human unity.

Individual sacrifices

There are many parallels to draw between Wandering Earth II and modern Chinese society.

When the greater good is achieved, individual sacrifices are lightly portrayed as a necessary cost and a “detour” in the development – which, of course, can be forgivable, and then forgettable.

In contrast to Kant’s humans are ends, not means , both Wandering Earth II and Chinese politics conceive the opposite.

Read more: More lunar missions means more space junk around the Moon – two scientists are building a catalog to track the trash

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Book Comes to Life: The Wandering Earth

“The Wandering Earth” is a thought-provoking science fiction masterpiece that originated as a novel written by Liu Cixin . It has captivated readers around the world with its imaginative storyline and intricate characters. The book’s immense popularity led to its adaptation into a movie directed by Frant Gwo. In this article, we will delve into the differences between the book and the movie, exploring various aspects such as the plot, characters, and memorable quotes.

Summary of the book

In the book version of “The Wandering Earth,” humanity faces an existential threat as the sun begins to expand. To save themselves, humans decide to transform the Earth into a giant spaceship, embarking on a perilous journey to find a new home in the depths of space. The story follows the Liu family, particularly Liu Peiqiang and his son Liu Qi, as they navigate the challenges of this epic adventure. Along the way, they encounter unexpected dangers, meet remarkable individuals, and strive to ensure the survival of humanity.

Summary of the movie

The movie adaptation of “The Wandering Earth” stays true to the core concept of the book but introduces some significant changes. Set in the year 2500, the story revolves around the desperate attempts of humanity to save Earth from being swallowed by Jupiter. In the movie, the focus shifts from the Liu family to a group of astronauts who brave the dangers of space to ignite Jupiter’s core and alter its gravitational pull. The film showcases stunning visuals and intense action sequences, providing a thrilling cinematic experience.

When and where the story takes place – film locations

The book and the movie share the same futuristic setting. They take place in a world where Earth has become a massive spaceship, traveling through the cosmos. While the book does not explicitly mention specific locations, the movie was primarily filmed in China . The stunning visuals captured on location, such as the Gobi Desert and Harbin Ice City, contribute to the movie’s immersive atmosphere. The use of real-world settings adds a sense of authenticity to the story, allowing viewers to connect more deeply with the narrative.

Characters and their roles in the story

The characters play a crucial role in both the book and the movie adaptation of “The Wandering Earth.” In the book, Liu Peiqiang is a key figure, a skilled astronaut who becomes one of the leaders in the mission to save Earth. His son, Liu Qi, also plays a significant role, showcasing bravery and determination beyond his years. In the movie, the focus shifts to a group of astronauts, including Liu Qi, who face various challenges during their mission to save Earth. The characters in both the book and the movie exemplify the resilience and strength of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity.

Memorable quotes from the book and movie

Both the book and the movie of “The Wandering Earth” contain memorable quotes that resonate with readers and viewers alike. One notable quote from the book is, “In the vast universe, the only constant is change.” This line encapsulates the theme of adaptation and survival that runs throughout the story. In the movie, a powerful quote is, “The Earth has given birth to us, and now it’s time for us to save her.” This quote highlights the deep connection between humanity and the planet we call home.

Exploring the soundtrack by Roc Chen

Roc Chen’s mesmerizing soundtrack adds an extra layer of depth to the movie adaptation of “The Wandering Earth.” The music perfectly complements the scenes, enhancing the emotions and tension conveyed on screen. From sweeping orchestral arrangements to haunting melodies, the soundtrack captures the grandeur and intimacy of the story. Listening to the soundtrack alone can transport you to the vastness of space and evoke the same sense of wonder experienced while watching the movie.

Curiosities and hidden details in “The Wandering Earth”

“The Wandering Earth” is replete with curiosities and hidden details that enrich the reading and viewing experience. Both the book and the movie contain subtle nods to scientific principles and cultural references. For instance, in the book, there is a mention of the “Three-Body” problem, which alludes to Liu Cixin’s other acclaimed work, “The Three-Body Problem.” Additionally, keen-eyed viewers may notice Easter eggs in the movie, such as a cameo appearance by Liu Cixin himself. These intriguing details add another layer of enjoyment for fans of the story.

Tips for cosplay and dressing up as Liu Peiqiang and Liu Qi

If you’re a fan of “The Wandering Earth” and wish to immerse yourself in the world of the story, cosplay is an excellent way to do so. To dress up as Liu Peiqiang, consider wearing a futuristic astronaut suit with customized patches and insignias. Add accessories like a prop helmet and gloves to complete the look. For Liu Qi, a more casual yet practical outfit would be suitable. A jacket with multiple pockets, cargo pants, and sturdy boots can help you channel his adventurous spirit. Don’t forget to pay attention to details, such as replicating their hairstyles and carrying props that are relevant to their roles.

Biography of Liu Cixin and his top 5 works

Liu Cixin, the mastermind behind “The Wandering Earth,” is a renowned Chinese author who has made a significant impact on the science fiction genre. Born in 1963, Liu Cixin started writing in the 1990s and has since gained international acclaim. In addition to “The Wandering Earth,” his other notable works include “The Three-Body Problem,” “The Dark Forest,” “Death’s End,” “Ball Lightning,” and “The Supernova Era.” Liu Cixin’s unique blend of scientific accuracy and philosophical insights has captivated readers worldwide, making him one of the most influential science fiction authors of our time.

List and description of 5 other media adaptations by Frant Gwo

Frant Gwo, the director of the movie adaptation of “The Wandering Earth,” has helmed several other notable projects. Here are five other media adaptations directed by Frant Gwo:

“My Old Classmate” (2014): A romantic drama that explores the complexities of relationships and the nostalgia of youth.
“The Eight Hundred” (2019): Based on true events, this war film follows the defense of the Si Hang Warehouse during the Battle of Shanghai in 1937.
“The Dreaming Man” (2022): An upcoming science fiction film that delves into the world of dreams and the power of the human mind.
“The Rescue” (2020): A thrilling action film centered around a Chinese Coast Guard rescue team.
“The Battle at Lake Changjin” (2021): Based on the Chinese Civil War, this epic war film depicts the crucial Battle of Chosin Reservoir.

Frant Gwo’s diverse portfolio showcases his versatility as a director, tackling different genres and subject matters with skill and vision.

10 similar movies to “The Wandering Earth”

If you enjoyed “The Wandering Earth” and are looking for similar movies that explore the vastness of space and humanity’s struggle for survival, here are ten recommendations:

“Interstellar” (2014): Directed by Christopher Nolan, this thought-provoking film follows a group of astronauts who embark on a journey through a wormhole to find a new habitable planet.
“Gravity” (2013): Starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, this intense thriller depicts the harrowing experiences of two astronauts stranded in space.
“The Martian” (2015): Based on the novel by Andy Weir , this film portrays the resilience of an astronaut stranded on Mars and his quest for survival.
“Sunshine” (2007): Directed by Danny Boyle, this sci-fi thriller explores a team’s mission to reignite the dying sun and save humanity from extinction.
“Snowpiercer” (2013): Set in a post-apocalyptic world, this film follows the remnants of humanity aboard a perpetually moving train as they struggle with social inequality.
“Elysium” (2013): In a dystopian future, this movie showcases the disparity between the wealthy, who reside on a luxurious space habitat, and the impoverished left on a decaying Earth.
“Oblivion” (2013): Starring Tom Cruise, this visually stunning film reveals the truth behind a post-apocalyptic Earth and the lingering remnants of humanity.
“Arrival” (2016): A linguist is tasked with deciphering the language of extraterrestrial visitors in this thought-provoking and emotionally charged film.
“Edge of Tomorrow” (2014): Tom Cruise stars in this action-packed movie where a soldier finds himself trapped in a time loop, reliving a battle against an alien invasion.
“Children of Men” (2006): Set in a future where humanity faces infertility, this film explores the last hope for the survival of the human race.

These movies offer compelling narratives, stunning visuals, and thought-provoking themes that will resonate with fans of “The Wandering Earth.”

List and description of 5 other works by Liu Cixin

Liu Cixin’s literary contributions extend beyond “The Wandering Earth.” Here are five other notable works by Liu Cixin:

“The Three-Body Problem” (2006): The first book in a highly acclaimed trilogy, it follows humanity’s response to an alien invasion and delves into the complexities of science and philosophy.
“The Dark Forest” (2008): The second installment in the trilogy, this book explores the strategies employed by humanity to defend against the impending invasion.
“Death’s End” (2010): The concluding book in the trilogy, it delves into the consequences of humanity’s decisions and the fate of the universe itself.
“Ball Lightning” (2004): This standalone novel delves into the mysteries of ball lightning and its potential as a weapon.
“The Supernova Era” (2003): Set in a world where all adults suddenly die due to a cosmic event, this novel explores how children must take on the responsibility of rebuilding society.

Liu Cixin’s works offer profound philosophical insights, masterful storytelling, and a unique blend of science and fiction that continues to captivate readers worldwide.

Book club questions for “The Wandering Earth”

If you’re part of a book club discussing “The Wandering Earth,” here are a few thought-provoking questions to stimulate your discussions:

How does the transformation of Earth into a spaceship symbolize humanity’s adaptability and resilience in the face of a catastrophic event?
Discuss the role of family and the relationships between characters in the book. How do these bonds shape the narrative and contribute to the characters’ motivations?
Liu Cixin is known for his incorporation of scientific principles in his works. Identify instances where scientific concepts are integrated into the story and discuss their significance.
What social and political themes can be identified in “The Wandering Earth”? How do these themes resonate with our present-day society?
The book explores humanity’s relationship with Earth and the consequences of our actions. How does this theme manifest in the story, and what messages can we draw from it?

These questions can serve as a starting point for engaging discussions and deeper exploration of the themes and ideas presented in “The Wandering Earth.”

List of 10 similar novels with plot similarities to “The Wandering Earth”

If you are craving more science fiction novels with plot similarities to “The Wandering Earth,” here is a list of ten recommendations:

“Red Mars” by Kim Stanley Robinson
“The Long Earth” by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter
“Children of Time” by Adrian Tchaikovsky
“Aurora” by Kim Stanley Robinson
“The Expanse” series by James S.A. Corey
“2312” by Kim Stanley Robinson
“Leviathan Wakes” by James S.A. Corey
“Foundation” by Isaac Asimov
“The City in the Middle of the Night” by Charlie Jane Anders
“Dune” by Frank Herbert

These novels offer a diverse range of narratives, exploring themes of space exploration, humanity’s survival, and the consequences of our actions.

Parent guide for “The Wandering Earth”

If you are a parent considering introducing your child to “The Wandering Earth,” it is essential to be mindful of the age appropriateness and the content of the book or movie. Both the book and the movie contain intense scenes and perilous situations that may be unsuitable for younger viewers. The movie, in particular, has action sequences and visual effects that could be overwhelming for some children. It is advisable to preview the material and assess your child’s comfort with such content before deciding to watch or read “The Wandering Earth” together.

Buying guide and gift ideas for fans of “The Wandering Earth”

If you or someone you know is a fan of “The Wandering Earth,” here are some buying guide and gift ideas to celebrate the story:

Book or Movie: Consider purchasing a copy of the book or the movie adaptation as a gift. This allows fans to delve deeper into the story or relive the cinematic experience.
Soundtrack: The soundtrack by Roc Chen is a mesmerizing accompaniment to the movie. Gifting the soundtrack provides fans with an immersive audio experience.
Collectibles: Look for collectibles such as action figures, posters, or replicas of key props from the movie. These items make great additions to any fan’s collection.
Cosplay Accessories: Help fans bring their favorite characters to life by gifting cosplay accessories such as helmets, gloves, or patches inspired by the movie.
Fan Art: Commission or purchase fan art inspired by “The Wandering Earth.” This unique and personal gift showcases the talent and creativity of artists within the fandom.

“The Wandering Earth” is a captivating story that has captured the imagination of audiences worldwide. Whether you prefer the immersive experience of the book or the visual spectacle of the movie, both versions offer a journey through space and time that explores the resilience of humanity.

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The Wandering Earth (Chinese: 流浪地球, Pinyin: Liúlàng Dìqiú) is a 2019 live-action science fiction film directed by Frant Gwo (Guo Fan), based on the novella by Liu Cixin, and starring Wu Jing . It is currently in the top ten highest-grossing non-English films.

In the near future, the sun is exhausting its fuel, and will soon turn into a red giant, destroying the entire Solar System in three hundred years. Under threat of planetary annihilation, humanity bands together to construct 12,000 enormous "Earth Engines" on Earth's surface to propel it out of the Solar System to a new home. However, upon approaching Jupiter to make use of gravity assist, thousands of engines get knocked offline all across the globe, threatening to plunge the entire Earth into Jupiter.

It was released on Chinese New Year's Day (February 5th, 2019) and later picked up by Netflix on April 30th.

Action Girl : Zhou Qian kicks just as much ass as the rest of her rescue team. Other female rescue workers appear to provide assistance at the Sulawesi Earth Engine.

A.I. Is a Crapshoot : MOSS becomes the primary antagonist on the space station, fighting Liu Peiqiang at every step. MOSS : It is unreasonable to expect humans to stay reasonable.

Apocalypse Anarchy : When the destruction of the world seems imminent, the people in the underground cities start rioting and stealing everything they can.
As Foreshadowed before the end, an anti- UGE insurgency was being brewed by whoever doubt the Sun's imminent death.
Apocalyptic Logistics : No emphasis is put on the logistics of maintaining underground cities, how populations are supported, or how space is distributed.
Arc Number : For anyone outside China, Rescue team's sequence CN171-11 is an reference to a real-life rescue team flying a Mi-171 helicopter who gave their lives rescueing people from the Grand Earthquake of Wenchuan in 2008, 11 years prior to the film's debut.
Artificial Outdoors Display : One of the first scenes after the prologue has a bunch of students (Duoduo among them) getting a school lecture on the Chinese New Year that gets disrupted when Liu Qi activates an EMP, making all if the lights and the wall display of a Chinese city downtown blink uncontrollably.
Of course, the idea that the entire Earth can be equipped with giant thrusters to push it out of orbit.
Even within that sudden death, the Sun expanding wouldn't be the problem. Stellar expansion is preceded by a significant increase in temperature. If the Sun was three hundred years away from engulfing the Earth, it would have already heated up enough to render the planet uninhabitable.
The "gravitational spike" that Jupiter causes. No, planets cannot randomly increase in gravity.
Igniting Jupiter's atmosphere which would cause a shockwave strong enough to push Earth out of its gravitational pull.
Earth. Instead of bringing just a sufficient amount of resources to establish a new home around a new sun, humanity decides to bring the entire planet .
The International Station has multiple stored human embryos, as well as stores of seeds and a database with hefty amounts of mankind's knowledge, all to be sent towards Alpha Centauri as part of the backup "Helios Project".
The Beforetimes : Han Zi'ang reminisces of the time before the Wandering Earth Project, when nobody worried about the sun and everyone was more interested in something called "money".
Big Bad : MOSS is the closest thing to a big bad that this movie has. Besides that, there is no real big bad.
The Big Guy : Wang Lei and the other members of the CN171-11 rescue team .
Binary Suns : Assuming Earth makes it to its destination, the humans will have to deal with this, since Alpha Centauri is not one star, but two. note It's actually technically a ternary star system with three stars, since Proxima Centauri orbits the other two, but it's at a much greater distance.
Bubble Shield : Early in the movie, when threatened by Brother Yi, Liu Qi uses an inflatable sphere to slow him down. He is shown to have several of these on his suit. While the gang is in Shanghai, it is revealed that this sphere is a protective inflatable bubble-type piece of equipment, which saves his life when it allows him to land safely (if a bit roughed up) and protects him from debris after a great fall near the end of the movie.
Calling Parents by Their Name : Due to his contempt towards his father, Liu Qi always calls Liu Peiqiang by name. It's not until Liu Peiqiang sacrifices himself at the climax of the movie that Liu Qi finally calls him "Dad".
Calling the Old Man Out : Liu Qi does this to Liu Peiqiang for leaving his family behind and allowing Qi's mother/Peiqiang's wife to die.
The Cavalry : The rescue workers that arrive at the Sulawesi Earth Engine to help push a firing pin into place.
Centrifugal Gravity : The Navigational Platform International Space Station spins, which allows the crew to walk normally. At one point, the control room of the station stops spinning, and everything starts floating away.
Chekhov's Gift : Makarov puts a bottle of vodka in Liu Peiqiang's space suit to celebrate the latter's retirement. Peiqiang later uses the vodka to disable MOSS.
Chekhov's Skill : At age four, Liu Qi learns from Liu Peiqiang that Jupiter is composed 90% of hydrogen. He then remembers this information and realizes that it means that the hydrogen could be used to cause an explosion strong enough to propel Earth out of Jupiter's gravitational pull.
Chekhov's Volcano : Sort of. The Earth Engines are essentially giant artificial volcanoes taller than even Mount Everest. One of the oversized vectoring engines becomes essential in saving Earth from Jupiter's gravitational pull.
Choosing Neutrality : There's actually a third officer who shares his quarters with Liu and Makarov. When Liu breaks out of his hibernation chamber to stop MOSS, the A.I. awakens both Makarov and the third officer so that they can coerce Liu back into hibernation. While Makarov goes against MOSS's orders and chooses to directly help Liu stop MOSS, the third officer instead opts to quietly go back to sleep, neither helping MOSS nor Liu.
Colony Ship : Earth is turned into one of these to reach a new star system.
Computer Equals Monitor : In a way. MOSS is the space station's A.I., but primarily communicates through various box-shaped "heads" throughout the station that each bear a single eye. When Liu Peiqiang reaches the command module, MOSS has a "head" in there berating him for breaking protocol. He immediately "decapitates" it with a thrown air canister, which manages to shut it up. Naturally, it only takes a few moments for MOSS to lower a replacement "head" in the exact same position its old one was in.
Humankind takes a grave risk to save the hope of rebuilding the Earth's biosphere from total annihilation.
Creative Closing Credits : An Earth the size of a grain of sand flies through floating parts of a printing press, which assemble together and print words onto immense pages, which get rolled up and bound into Liu Cixin's original The Wandering Earth novella. Pages of the book also reform into an Earth Engine, the Navigation Platform International Space Station, and Jupiter.
Death World : The wandering Earth has become a frozen wasteland that will snap-freeze anybody without a protective suit, and this is without taking into account the chaos Jupiter's gravity makes during the events of the film.
Depopulation Bomb : Stopping Earth's rotation causes catastrophic tsunamis all over the world that wipe out half Earth's population.
Died Standing Up : One small team of four is seen frozen in a walking position, having succumbed to the sheer cold while transporting a lighter core. Justified in that they are completely encased in ice, so that they continue to be held up.
Disaster Movie : A lot of disaster happens for sure.
Distant Finale : Not super distant, but the last scene of the film takes place 3 years after the encounter with Jupiter.
Distant Prologue : The beginning of the movie takes place 17 years before most of the events of the film, before the Earth Engines were activated and back when Earth was in its regular place in orbit.
Driven to Madness : When the heroes find Li Yiyi in a crashed airplane, he is homicidal and nearly kills Han Duoduo. Fortunately, the others are able to calm him down.
Eternal Engine : The Earth Engines. Each one is stated to be eleven kilometers tall, and the torque engines around the equator are even bigger. One Earth engine over Paris is shown to make the Eiffel Tower look like a blade of grass. There are ten thousand standard thrust engines and two thousand more torque engines.
Extremely Short Timespan : Aside from the Distant Prologue at the beginning of the movie and the Distant Finale at the end of the movie, the events of the film take place more-or-less over a mere 36-40 hour period.
Fight to Survive : Comes with being a disaster movie of sorts.
Funny Foreigner : Tim, a Chinese-Australian fool, and Makarov, a Russian cosmonaut. Both are played for comic relief.
Generation Ship : Earth, as a Planet Spaceship . The Wandering Earth Project is said to take 2,500 years to complete, and will involve 100 generations of humans.
Glacial Apocalypse : The Earth entering a new ice age is the natural consequence of transforming it into a Planet Spaceship and send it flying away from the Sun (to escape it becoming a red giant several billion years too early). The cold, which is capable of instantly killing a person if they are not protected, is one of the greatest threats in the journey to save the planet when it threatens to crash with Jupiter.
Gondor Calls for Aid : Han Duoduo does this near the end of the movie.
Gratuitous English : Tim shouts one or two lines in English when frightened. Liu Qi also snaps at someone in English.
Greater-Scope Villain : In a way, the United Earth Government is this, as MOSS is acting on the decision made by the council members of the government to continue with Project Helios instead of saving Earth; however, their intentions are fairly reasonable and understandable. Eventually, however, the Government has a Heel–Face Turn and chooses hope, allowing Liu Peiqiang to destroy the Navigation Platform International Space Station to save Earth.
The Heart : Han Duoduo.
Heartwarming Orphan : Han Duoduo, who was orphaned in a tsunami as a baby and found and adopted by Han Zi'ang. She later heartwarms enough rescue workers to convince them to help push the firing pin of the Sulawesi Earth Engine.
Heel–Face Turn : The United Earth Government eventually agrees to allow Liu Peiqiang to terminate Project Helios to save the Earth.
An unspecified worker chose to fall down a ravine in their truck rather than possibly allow the cargo to fall down with them. The cargo is an incredibly important Lighter Core - essentially, the firing mechanism for an Earth Engine.
He Lianke dies while tweaking the hardware to hack the Sulawesi Earth Engine.
Liu Peiqiang plunges himself and the Navigational Platform International Space Station into the exhaust beam of one of the Earth Engines to ignite Jupiter's atmosphere.
Hollywood Science : Has this in spades. Reviewers like Bob Chipman have mentioned that the plot is as scientifically sound as that of Armageddon (1998) (which is famously used by NASA as a litmus test of how much Hollywood screws up).
Human Popsicle : The Navigational Platform International Space Station contains hundreds of thousands of human embryos on board in case something goes wrong with the Wandering Earth Project. Also happens in a lethal way a few times to some of the people due to the cold surface environment.
Impaled with Extreme Prejudice : Zhou Qian gets impaled through the shoulder all the way through by a steel rod when a ceiling collapses. She survives.
In Space, Everyone Can See Your Face : Liu Peiqiang and Makarov's faces are clearly visible in the helmets of their space suits.
Ironic Echo : At the beginning of the film, Liu Peiqiang tells his son, Liu Qi, that he will turn into a star by flying up to the Navigational Platform International Space Station. He says it again at the climax when he sends the same station into the Sulawesi Earth Engine's modified exhaust beams, causing an explosion visible from Earth's surface that resembles a star.
I Will Only Slow You Down : Wang Lei convinces Liu Qi and Tim to escape with Han Duoduo, as he's trapped under rubble and can't escape. When they do, he cracks a smile before he dies.
Crosses over into Dark Is Evil and Red and Black and Evil All Over because MOSS's node/head/whatever in the control room of the space station, which is directly hooked up to its databank (basically its true "body"), is instead black with a red eye.
Lovable Coward : Tim is the only member of the group who is constantly freaking out over the danger.
The Medic : Zhou Qian has a pouch with a Red Cross icon and several vial-like cylinders on her belt (possibly adrenaline shots), and she is shown performing CPR on Huang Ming. Li Yiyi even gives her the nickname "Band-aid".
Missing Mom : Liu Peiqiang's wife died before the events of the film, a fact that their son, Liu Qi, holds over his head due to the fact that Peiqiang chose to pull the plug to guarantee Liu Qi and Han Zi'ang residency in the underground cities.
Monumental Damage Resistance : Shanghai's Oriental Pearl Tower is shown to be intact, albeit frozen. So is the (fictional) building for the Shanghai Olympics 2044.
Mundane Utility : Li Yiyi wrote a program called the 12 Chimes of Spring as a show for Chinese New Year's, which would modify an Earth Engine to fire out sequential red bursts of plasma through individual nozzles rather than constant blue streams of plasma through all seven nozzles.
The Nicknamer : While discussing the plan to hijack an Earth Engine, Li Yiyi exclusively refers to everyone by odd nicknames such as "Band-Aid" for Zhou Qian and "Chinese Man" for Tim.
No Hugging, No Kissing : There is no romance between any of the characters in this film at all.
No One Gets Left Behind : Invoked, but ultimately averted. Han Zi'ang gets left behind while transporting the Lighter Core through Shanghai, and dies when the building they are in collapses. This leaves Liu Qi enraged.
Non-Action Big Bad : MOSS can't do much to the protagonists besides try to lock Liu Peiqiang in the hibernation chamber and activate a thruster to blast Makarov. Most of its antagonism is in the form of restricting access to various things on the Navigation Platform International Space Station.
Non-Indicative Name : Earth isn't actually wandering (i.e. moving around aimlessly), since the planet has a target destination (the Alpha Centauri system).
Not Afraid to Die : Liu Peiqiang is absolutely fearless as he steers the Navigational Platform International Space Station into the Earth Engine's exhaust stream.
One World Order : In the face of planetary destruction, all the nations of Earth band together to form the United Earth Government, which initiates the Wandering Earth Project to save the world.
Only One Name : Tim and Makarov, the two western characters, are only ever referred to by one name.
Outrun the Fireball : Some of the protagonists hop in a transport to try to outrun the shockwave from the explosion on Jupiter's surface. The shockwave destroys half the transport before they can take shelter under an Earth Engine, but they all manage to survive.
Pac Man Fever : Brother Yi near the beginning of the movie is shown playing Contra on a Famicom. This is particularly odd since assuming it's an original Famicom, the console is up to 92 years old , since the movie takes place in 2075.
Percussive Therapy : Han Zi'ang's death enrages Liu Qi to the point of trying to attack Wang Lei.
Plucky Comic Relief : Makarov has a "drunk Russian" shtick, while Tim spends the majority of his screentime being clueless and goofy.
Precision F-Strike : In the English dub, Liu Qi gives one to Wang Lei after Han Zi'ang gets killed in a collapsing building. Liu Qi: Why the fuck didn't you save my grandfather!?
Planet Spaceship : Earth. The 12,000 Earth Engines on the surface of the planet allow it to cruise through space.
Powered Armor : Not exactly armor, but rescue teams such as CN171-11 use exoskeletons that grant the user more strength.
Rape as Comedy : It's a punchline when Tim reveals that he's in jail because of a rape accusation.
Red and Black and Evil All Over : MOSS's main drive is a black box with a red eye, in comparison to the gunmetal grey of its other terminals.
Red Eyes, Take Warning : MOSS, which has a design clearly inspired by HAL 9000 . Surprise, surprise, it turns out to be the Big Bad of the film.
Rogue Planet : Humanity turning Earth into one of these is an important part of the plot.
Saharan Shipwreck : There is an enormous ship frozen in the middle of Shanghai. Justified in that it is explicitly stated that due to the Earth Engines' influence, the planet's rotation stopped, causing tsunamis all across the globe, which is how the ship could have gotten there.
Scenery Gorn : Has a few such scenes, such as the shot of the frozen Shanghai.
The engines are also powered by ordinary rocks burned using "heavy fusion" technology. From John Elliot from the same article as above, it would also take 95% of the Earth's mass to power the entire 4.3 light year trip to the Alpha Centauri system.
The entire ploy to ignite Jupiter to cause an explosion strong enough to push Earth away is simply ludicrous for the people on the surface of the planet. Assuming such a powerful explosion can even happen, an explosion powerful enough to push Earth away to allow it to overcome Jupiter's gravity while it's 30 minutes from breaching its roche limit would crush all the Earth Engines on the side of the planet that the shockwave hits, killing everyone who is currently on that side of Earth, sending shockwaves through the entire crust and probably caving in every underground city on the face of the globe, and leaving the world with one hell of a dent. Of course, none of that happens and Earth simply continues on its merry way.
Single-Biome Planet : Earth becomes an ice world after leaving its place in the Solar System and begins to get more and more distant from the Sun.
Sleeper Starship : The Navigational Platform International Space Station comes with hibernation chambers for the crew.
The Smart Guy : Li Yiyi and He Lianke.
Space Station : The Navigational Platform International Space Station, which cruises 100,000 km ahead of Earth to help guide it.
Stuff Blowing Up : A few things. We have exploding electrical equipment, erupting volcanoes, and later, the entire Navigation Platform International Space Station and Jupiter .
Super Wrist-Gadget : Liu Qi's wrist multitool, which includes devices like an EMP and a blowtorch.
Surprisingly Realistic Outcome : Though Liu Qi, Han Duoduo, and Li Yiyi become a team by the epilogue of the movie, the surviving rescue workers and Tim simply returned to civilian life.
Tempting Fate : While driving a stolen transport, Liu Qi assures Han Duoduo that "no one can catch [him]". Seconds later, he runs into a police vehicle, and in the very next scene, he's in prison .
Time-Passage Beard : Liu Peiqiang is clean-shaven in the prologue, but seventeen years later during the bulk of the film, he has a full beard.
Tidally Locked Planet : Sort of. Since the Earth has stopped rotating and it is being propelled away from the Sun, only the northern hemisphere is exposed to sunlight, while the southern hemisphere, facing away from the sun, is in permanent night. Since the Earth Engines that push Earth are facing towards the sun, this means that most of the Earth Engines are on the lit side of Earth, with only the torque engines approaching the dark side.
Title Drop : The plan to move Earth to a new star system is itself called "The Wandering Earth Project".
Translator Microbes : Despite speaking different languages, characters in the film can often understand each other, such as the Chinese Liu Peiqiang and the Russian Makarov. Might have something to do with the earpieces each Navigational Platform International Space Station crew member is wearing. At one point in the movie, one rescue worker on Earth is explicitly shown activating a translation device when receiving a spoken message. In the English dub, however, everyone simply speaks English with various accents.
20 Minutes into the Future : The technology (besides the Earth Engines) does not seem much more advanced than modern times. The movie takes place in 2075, as shown by a blink-and-you'll-miss-it display monitor. This means that the Earth Engines were activated in 2058 at the earliest, since the prologue that takes place 17 years before shows the Earth in its usual position, before the engines were activated. In fact, Han Zi'ang states that no Earth Engine had failed in 30 years, which means that at least one was completed in 2045, and were being constructed earlier still.
Two Girls to a Team : Han Duoduo and Zhou Qian are the only females among the main cast.
Underground City : There is one under each of the 10,000 Earth Engines.
Weaponized Exhaust : The third act of the movie focuses on amplifying the output of one of the Earth Engines to blast Jupiter in order to cause an explosion to push Earth out of the danger zone.
Weird World, Weird Food : People underground eat flavored earthworms.
White-and-Grey Morality : Though MOSS is the closest thing to a Big Bad in the film, it is simply acting on orders given by the United Earth Government, the members of which are only choosing to abandon Earth to ensure human survival - a difficult decision for sure. They eventually decide to save Earth instead.
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The ambitious scope of Liu Cixin’s fiction is perhaps starker in his short fiction than in his longer work: narratives unfold over lifetimes and eons in several stories, sometimes captured in small snippets of a limited observer. There are a lot of expository paragraphs, falling into “as you know” territory, except it is clear, of course, that the protagonist does not know and must have everything explained to him (and these protagonists are all men). These expository paragraphs stretch into pages in the novels—and they are no less intense in the short fiction; their saving grace being that the short stories are themselves split into chapters, so whatever technobabble is happening doesn’t feel as endless. They are particularly tedious in first contact stories such as “Mountain,” “Devourer,” and “The Micro Era,” where there is barely any human drama and the protagonists are flat. The psychological rationality of the dramas vary: in “Cannonball,” a man wakes up from cryogenic sleep to find a society furious at him for the actions of his son, and a group kidnaps him to kill him in a tunnel to the Antarctic. However, despite the pages of historical exposition updating the main character on what has happened during his sleep, it is never quite clear how the rage of the society is justified, except as a search for a scapegoat. Still, in stories such as “Sun of China” and “With Her Eyes,” the expository paragraphs deliver hard-hitting emotional landings that are deeply moving.

The challenge faced by the translators is not just linguistic, but cultural. Given the conversations surrounding multiculturalism, diversity, and the lack thereof in publishing during the current zeitgeist, there is the added challenge of choosing stories that would translate well to the target market, in this case, Chinese science fiction stories for the “Western” market. It calls into question the universality of narratives, personality types—what defines the everyman? What defines cultural specificity? Can we read them in these stories, in ways that are recognizable to our foreign eyes? The story “Taking Care of God” emphasizes filial piety, especially with the warning at the end for humanity to safeguard against the problems of old age by having children of its own. As a Chinese reader, I recognize this theme and final exhortation—I also find it tiresome, because it reflects the anxieties of my parents pushing me towards marriage and kids, but it may well land differently for a Western reader.

This is the reader’s challenge: to remember that we are the foreigner to the translated texts, and it is by the generosity of translators that we have access to these texts at all. For this challenge we may ask ourselves what we expect from science fiction, and/or from Chinese fiction. We may ask ourselves what our preconceived notions of science fiction are in terms of whose narratives are centered, and whether science fictional narratives are necessarily universal, and if so, why. Some of these stories in The Wandering Earth may well be universal, at least according to an unmarked male perspective: the title story chronicles the launch of Earth from the orbit of the dying Sun from the perspective of a man who lives through the eras during which humans “brake” the Earth from spinning to when it traverses its frozen path past Pluto towards a new galaxy. “Mountain” recalls the call of the mountaineer to constantly seek a new peak to conquer, here manifest in a mountain of water in the middle of the ocean created by the tidal pull of a visiting alien spaceship. In “For the Benefit of Mankind,” a highly trained assassin is hired by the wealthiest people of China to murder specific poor people who have rejected money, for reasons to do with colonizers from another planet (who are themselves escaping their own bizarre class war). Women are not particularly vilified, but they are consistently underdeveloped in favour of the male protagonists.

Liu’s premises are enormous in scope, but also outrageous, with enjoyment to be had in the small details that continually escalate the premise. This takes on a comedic effect in “Curse 5.0,” in which a jilted woman’s tiny virus code eventually becomes tweaked by other coders to have devastating proportions. This devastation is inadvertently triggered by characters who are actual self-inserts of the author and fellow Chinese science fiction author Pan Dajiao (Pan Haitian), impoverished by their creative endeavors. Ridiculousness lies in throwaway lines that parody various pulp fiction tropes and escalating tweaks to the code.

The ridiculousness can paper over the ethical questions raised as well. In “Devourer,” a dinosaur alien empire’s spaceship comes to strip Earth of its resources and render humans into livestock. Alongside the long descriptions of negotiations for survival and attempts at subterfuge are ruminations on perspectives of scale, time, and what constitutes a society: in the face of humans asking to be spared to preserve tens of thousands of years of civilization, Emissary Faingsh (or “Fangs”) gestures to a civilization of ants that, having survived through the Pleistocene era, is destroyed in an excavation by humans. Later in the text, after the war between the aliens and humans, the humans find it in themselves to recognize the heart of the alien. On the one hand, the text is asking the reader to identify and recognize the humanity of an alien. On the other, the alien is a genocidal colonizer. On a third hand, the genocidal colonizer is a giant thirty-foot-tall dinosaur.

The standout, for its sweetness, as well as its depiction of the poetic universality of human curiosity and ambition, is the 2002 Galaxy Award winner “Sun of China.” The migrant worker story, moving from village to city in search of a better life, takes on a new philosophical scope with the science fictional premise of the titular China Sun, a prototype satellite sun that influences weather. The protagonist, Shui Wah, makes friends with an engineering entrepreneur who brings him to China’s “big city,” Beijing, where he finds work as a skyscraper window cleaner; members of this profession are called “spidermen.” Serendipity has them meet again, where in a stroke of penny-pinching genius, the entrepreneur hires Shui Wah and other spidermen to clean the China Sun. Eventually, Shui chooses to participate in an exploratory expedition from which he will not return. In each chapter of the story, Liu broadens the vision of his protagonist wider and wider, from village, to town, to city, to space, and to the stars beyond. For the young immigrant who has moved oceans away from family, the final exchange between Shui and his parents is especially moving:

Pa shouted into the phone. “Wah, you are going somewhere far away?” “Yeah, Pa,” Shui replied from space. “I am afraid I will not come home.” “Is it very far?” Ma asked. “Very far, Ma,” Shui answered. “Farther than the Moon?” Pa asked. Shui fell silent for a few seconds. Then, in a voice much lower than before, he said, “Yeah, Pa, a little farther than the Moon.”

This is the dream and justification of science fiction: that science fiction inspires us to look beyond our narrow perspectives out to the world and stars, to be part of the universe beyond that which we know possible. In his science fictional contemplations of what we might call “deep time,” that stretches for aeons past the reckoning of human lifetimes, Liu also adds that wistful reminder of the things we leave behind as we seek to go beyond—family ties, old dreams of contentment, and human history.

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The Wandering Earth Quotes by Liu Cixin
The Wandering Earth Quotes Showing 1-30 of 40. "Indeed, it is the nature of intelligent life to climb mountains, to strive to stand on ever higher ground to gaze farther into the distance. It is a drive completely divorced from the demands of survival.". ― Liu Cixin, The Wandering Earth. 3 likes.
The Wandering Earth II movie review (2023)
Somehow, "The Wandering Earth II" never feels tonally unbalanced or narratively convoluted, partly because Gwo and his collaborators keep their movie's plot focused on feats of action-adventure heroism. "The Wandering Earth II" only seems relatively unambitious because it's more focused on sap-happy human emotions than on dystopian ...
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There is so much movie in The Wandering Earth II, and so many disasters, countdowns, and chyrons to go around. The movie may set a record for the sheer number of subtitled locations, timelines ...
The Wandering Earth 2
The Wandering Earth 2 (Chinese: 流浪地球2) is a 2023 Chinese science fiction action-adventure film directed and co-written by Frant Gwo, and starring Wu Jing, Andy Lau, and Li Xuejian.The film is a prequel to the 2019 film The Wandering Earth, which is based on the short story of the same name by Liu Cixin, who serves as the film's producer.. After the major box-office success of its ...
The Wandering Earth II
Rated: B- • Dec 2, 2023. Jul 11, 2023. In the near future, after learning that the sun is rapidly burning out and will obliterate Earth in the process, humans build enormous engines to propel ...
The Wandering Earth II Review
1.1K. A rousing and bombastic bit of apocalyptic disaster movie goodness, Chinese director and co-writer Frant Gwo's The Wandering Earth II delivers spectacle by the truckload. Arriving in theatres just in time for Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations, this follow-up to one of the highest grossing films in history (going by worldwide box office numbers) is actually a prequel set several ...
The Wandering Earth II review
A gargantuan success in 2019, Frant Gwo's The Wandering Earth remains one of the highest grossing non-English films of all time. This hotly anticipated prequel, even more ambitious in scope ...
Review: Chinese Sci-fi Prequel "The Wandering Earth II" Offers Epicness
Moving Mountains for a Wandering Earth Courtesy of Well Go USA. The Wandering Earth II spans three decades (from the 2040s to 2060s) and dives into the backstory of how humanity ended up building a bunch of nuclear fusion engines to push Earth away from a soon-to-explode sun, as seen in the first Wandering Earth. It turns out that, as an ...
What the sci-fi blockbuster Wandering Earth II can teach us about China
Amid global a crisis, China rises to save the world - while Western countries descend into chaos. Published on the 14 Feb 2023 by Yimin Xu, Guangyi Pan. A prequel to the 2019 film Wandering Earth, the Chinese blockbuster hit Wandering Earth II opens on a futuristic dystopia where the dying Sun is about to explode and engulf Earth.
'The Wandering Earth 2': Global vision and Chinese wisdom
Unsurprisingly, The Wandering Earth 2 has been a blockbuster since its release on the first day of the Chinese New Year, taking in an eye-watering 2.9 billion yuan in 11 days, breaking 36 records ...
The Wandering Earth II (2023)
The Wandering Earth II: Directed by Frant Gwo. With Andy Lau, Ren Hanami, Hao Feng, Jing Wu. Humans built huge engines on the surface of the earth to find a new home. But the road to the universe is perilous. In order to save earth, young people once again have to step forward to start a race against time for life and death.
Liu Cixin Quotes (Author of The Three-Body Problem)
1096 quotes from Liu Cixin: 'The universe is a dark forest. Every civilization is an armed hunter stalking through the trees like a ghost, gently pushing aside branches that block the path and trying to tread without sound. ... The Wandering Earth 13,546 ratings. Remembrance of Earth's Past 5,051 ratings Open Preview To Hold Up the ...
What the sci-fi blockbuster Wandering Earth II can teach us about China
A prequel to the 2019 film Wandering Earth, the Chinese blockbuster hit Wandering Earth II opens on a futuristic dystopia where the dying Sun is about to explode and engulf Earth.
The Wandering Earth II (2023)
The Wandering Earth II: Directed by Frant Gwo. With Andy Lau, Hao Feng, Ren Hanami, Jing Wu. Humans built huge engines on the surface of the earth to find a new home. But the road to the universe is perilous. In order to save earth, young people once again have to step forward to start a race against time for life and death.
The Wandering Earth II: blockbuster prequel shows how China's tech
Four years later, The Wandering Earth II, a prequel featuring Hong Kong actor Andy Lau Tak-wah, has been received with similar enthusiasm, raking in more than 3.5 billion yuan in the 20 days after ...
The Wandering Earth: Book vs. Film
The movie adaptation of "The Wandering Earth" stays true to the core concept of the book but introduces some significant changes. Set in the year 2500, the story revolves around the desperate attempts of humanity to save Earth from being swallowed by Jupiter. In the movie, the focus shifts from the Liu family to a group of astronauts who ...
Review: 'The Wandering Earth II' is rooted in Chinese culture, a story
Posters of the Chinese science fiction film The Wandering Earth 2. Photo: VCG A crisis is in the air: The sun has become unstable and within 100 years, it will expand to consume the Earth.
The Wandering Earth (novella)
The Wandering Earth is a science fiction novella by Chinese writer Cixin Liu. The novella focuses on humanity's efforts to move the Earth in order to avoid a supernova. It was first published in 2000 by Beijing Guomi and won the 2000 China Galaxy Science Fiction Award of the Year.
The Wandering Earth (Film)
The Wandering Earth (Chinese: 流浪地球, Pinyin: Liúlàng Dìqiú) is a 2019 live-action science fiction film directed by Frant Gwo (Guo Fan), based on the novella by Liu Cixin, and starring Wu Jing.It is currently in the top ten highest-grossing non-English films. In the near future, the sun is exhausting its fuel, and will soon turn into a red giant, destroying the entire Solar System in ...
The Wandering Earth by Liu Cixin
Liu Cixin, Holger Nahm (Translator) First published in Science Fiction World, July 2000. I've never seen the night, nor seen a star; I've seen neither spring, nor fall, nor winter. I was born at the end of the Reining Age, just as the Earth's rotation was coming to a final halt. The Sun is about to unleash a helium flash, threatening to ...
The Wandering Earth by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu, Elizabeth
Liu Cixin's alien invasion trilogy (usually called the Three-Body Problem trilogy, but more accurately named The Remembrance of Earth's Past), which examines the fall of humans through a colonization process that sneaks in through technological and psychological means, has a scope encompassing galaxies and the fate of the Earth through a Sinocentric lens.
The Wandering Earth: Cixin Liu Graphic Novels #2
Liu Cixin, Christophe Bec, Stefano Raffaele (Illustrator) 4.00. 305 ratings38 reviews. The second in a new series of graphic novels from Hugo Award-winning author Liu Cixin and Talos Press. The life-bringing sun is on track to have a catastrophic helium flash within the next four hundred years, which would wipe the Earth from the universe entirely.
Official Discussion
However 17 years into the 2,500 year journey unexpected perils will require a few brave people held together by fate the band together to save the Earth and the human race from almost certain destruction. Director: Frant Gwo. Writers: screenplay by Gong Geer, Junce Ye, Yan Dongxu, Frant Gwo, Yang Zhixue.

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Review: Chinese Sci-fi Prequel “The Wandering Earth II” Offers Epicness Amidst Subdued Times

By Anthony Kao , 22 Jan 23 02:00 GMT

Moving Mountains for a Wandering Earth

Epic Movie, Epic China?

2023 isn’t 2019

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