Cineverse has released the first trailer for the American debut of Escape From the 21st Century, a lively time-travel comedy from Yang Li. The film follows three awkward teenage nerds who unexpectedly acquire the ability to leap forward into their adult selves whenever they sneeze. Originally released in China in 2024, the movie delivers a blend of goofy, high-octane chaos reminiscent of Stephen Chow’s classics like Kung Fu Hustle and Shaolin Soccer, but it specifically caters to a generation raised on video games.
This gaming influence is evident in a subplot where an old Street Fighter II cartridge becomes the film’s crucial McGuffin. The film employs comic overlays, anime-inspired splash screens, and action-enhancing pop-ups, alongside a training montage that transforms the main trio into video game avatars. While the narrative primarily unfolds in live-action, stylized animation enriches the experience. Cineverse provides this summary:
Escape from the 21st Century is a 2024 action sci-fi film from China that follows three teenage boys — Wang Zha, Chengyong, and Pao Pao — who stumble upon a time-bending phenomenon when they fall into a color-filled lake. Each sneeze hurls them into the future, where they face a world threatened by a formidable crime syndicate. As secrets emerge and allegiances are tested, the trio must endure two decades of training to return stronger and save humanity.
