Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe (2015)

Director: Chuan Lu

Starring: Wang Qingxiang, MarkChao, Yao Chen

The Mongolian Border, 1979: Massive fossils of unknown creatures are discovered in the mountains, and the research team assigned to excavate the remains includes acclaimed Professor Yang (Wang Qingxiang), Hu Bayi (Mark Chao), and Ping (Yao Chen), the professor’s beautiful daughter. When a freak explosion, lethal bat attack, and fall to the mountain’s floor leaves only a handful of survivors, the small remaining band uncovers a mythic Cyclopean Temple – and an Interdimensional Portal that looses a pack of ravenous Hell-Beasts, leaving only Hu alive.

Well now, this was rather interesting – almost like a cross between Indiana Jones and Journey to the center of the Earth (not that I enjoyed the latter). Although the visual effects are not award-winning, they were rather well done and added significantly to a thoroughly enjoyable action adventure. Some effects – like the attack of the demon beasts in the desolate town – were incredibly good. I enjoyed the fact that they did not add cheesy humor as most Hollywood films of this genre do, and the love interest was subtle and not overbearing. The music was great, too. This is just plain good old-fashioned fun with great modern effects.

The film was a box office success, earning $106 million.

In Mandarin.