However, there is a niche audience for these low-budget adaptations. If you love watching The Asylum ’s knockoffs (like Atlantic Rim ), you might get a few laughs from the wooden acting and terrible green screen. Don't judge the Monkey King by the thumbnail.
If you’ve been scrolling through streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, or even YouTube’s rental section recently, you might have seen a title that made you do a double-take:
So what is the version?
If you want to fall asleep to two people whispering in a cave while a cheap CGI pig snorts in the corner, go ahead and rent the 2021 version.
Disclaimer: As of 2025, no official "Journey to the West 3" has been released. If you see a 2024 or 2025 version, it is almost certainly another low-budget digital placeholder.
The real Demons Strike Back (2017) is a frenetic, colorful mess of brilliant action and weird humor. The fake 2021 version is just... a mess. It lacks the manic energy of Stephen Chow or the visual flair of Tsui Hark.