REVIEW: ‘KP Demon Hunters’ has infectious energy despite pedestrian story

K-Pop is entertaining enough by itself, but throw in some glowing weapons and action, and things really get dialed to 11.

That’s the case with this new animated flick from Sony. Released on Netflix, “K-Pop Demon Hunters” follows a trio of singers who moonlight as fierce warriors. Rumi (Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong) and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo) make up a wildly popular group who regularly sell-out concerts.

At the same time, they spend time ridding the world of demons who threaten to steal souls from the unsuspecting public. The three have gotten exceptionally good at both of their jobs. However, a new threat arises in the form of a group of demons who take the form of a boy K-Pop group, which begins siphoning their fans for a nefarious plot.

A bit late to this party, but here we go. “K-Pop Demon Hunters” is a blast of animated energy. The movie is a hyper-active, almost manic joy-ride of action, color and music, making for a solid 95 minutes of thrills. Ultimately, it’s a fun cinematic experience with plenty to enjoy.

For those who’ve watched a good amount of Japanese anime or even some American series like “RWBY,” what’s portrayed in “Demon Hunters” should be fairly familiar. From the type of action on display to the world-building, there’s some commonalities with existing media. However, the film puts its own spin on many aspects.

There’s a passion and uniqueness at play with the film’s fight scenes, weapons, character expressions and lore. Plus, it’s all nicely animated, capturing the scope of what’s taking place on screen.

Where “KPDH” ends up stumbling is in its story, which is rather predictable overall. There are a few story beats, especially in the third act, that tell where things are going to go. Speaking of the third act, it feels quite rushed. The fact that this movie is only 95 minutes is noticeable, and it’s unfortunate.

It feels like the main conflict and resolution are put in hurry-up mode. This is a movie that could have benefitted from an additional 20 minutes or so. Letting a few parts of the narrative breathe and develop could have done a lot to enhance the experience.

Still, the movie is not void of depth or personality. The journey the trio of heroes goes down, especially Rumi, keeps a viewer invested. Their connection with each other is inspiring and their adventure entertains. The movie benefits from a fairly interesting antagonist with Jinu (Ahn Hyo-seop), too.

It’s also worth noting the music is catchy and the performance scenes are big and bombastic. The flick’s big breakout song, “Golden” is an especially strong one. The animation is expressive and adds a lot of charisma to the characters and environment. Plus, the weapons featured in the combat scenes are just plain cool.

“K-Pop Demon Hunters” is a film narratively lacking but it makes up for it in plenty of ways. The three characters at its core are all likable, making for a great trio to root for, and their path is worth watching play out. Boosted by its animation and music, this one is a 3.9 out of 5.