Purely Joyful Movie!

Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

The film is a romantic comedy. Lui Xuan is a real estate developer. He has sonars around his island, "The Green Gulf" to keep away protected species so he can develop it. Unbeknownst to him, it has trapped and is killing off the local indigenous mermaid (and men too) population. Shan has been assigned to lure Mr. Lui so she/they can assassinate him. Lui courts her as this turns into an odd Chinese version of Romeo and Juliet involving two different species. Shakespeare sells.The film has English subtitles. The comedy was good. It made me laugh out loud. The police scene was a riot. The sound track fit neatly into the film using mostly stuff we hear in American and old European films. The opening scenes of a side show scam artist sets the comedy mood. The film also has action. It hits on all cylinders.Guide: Quick male butt showing. Implied topless scene. Use of SOB and frequent "bitch." A large tentacle is where manhood should be. Shooting and killing. Even the music has subtitles.

Still you could say that the humor may still strike a nerve with young ones. Most of the humor that is. If you don't know the director by now, you will have a template of his style and comedy after watching this. If you do know him, you know what to expect. And while it does have quite some flaws, it still was a lot of fun.So it may feel weird to be entertained to the level you are entertained, especially because some of the jokes are really set low (some even below water ...), they still hit their marks mostly. It has to do with timing and good execution (this time no pun intended). Good fight scenes, but also predictable story. The charm lies elsewhere ...

Firstly, why do all Chinese movie romances have the guy yelling angrily, "I love you!" like it's a bad thing? They make me think that Chinese culture promotes the man being stoic and then loses his mind every once in a while while the girl is usually non-serious and goofy. I've never found the chemistry between Chinese leads to indicate a simmering romantic heat and I can't help but conclude that Chinese are a bit prudish. They try to make romance too innocent and childish and when they have a kissing scene it seemed awkward. Not hot.In addition to a lame romance, Stephen Chow tries to use his slap stick physical comedy but most gags were not even remotely funny. Major physical elements didn't work at all. e.g., the rich dude trying to explain to the two cops his encounter with the mermaids. Also, the tentacled dude getting his tentacles cooked at the chef's stand didn't work either. The girl playing the mermaid love interest had a few chuckle worthy parts where she was singing. What is up with all the insults she has to deal with from everyone though? She just laughs and agrees? Weird.I liked Kung Fu Hustle a lot but this was not even close to that film which to me is like the Chinese Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I give "The Mermaid" 5/10... +1 for the environmental message... 6/10.

Note: Check me out as the "Asian Movie Enthusiast" on YouTube, where I review tons of Asian movies.So here's the story. An estate project involving reclamation of the sea threatens the livelihood of the mermaids who rely on the sea to survive. So they dispatch one of their own to seduce and kill the project manager. The director here is Stephen Chow, who has also acted in many films. His more popular directorial efforts include Shaolin Soccer (2001) and Kung Fu Hustle (2004), but two of my personal favorites are From Bejing With Love (1993) and Journey To the West: Conquering the Demons (2013). If you're familiar with his work, you will know what to expect with Mermaid. He gives us a charmingly wacky, high energy film that moves at a brisk pace from start to finish. There are tons of jokes that are consistently peppered at the viewer; some work better than others, but it helps to keep the viewer engaged throughout.The premise itself also allows for some unorthodox character interaction, which is especially entertaining. How many comedy movies concern a nutty mermaid who is attempting to seduce and assassinate someone? I always like it when a movie is a bit different, and this one certainly is. Like some of Chow's other films, there are some rather serious and violent moments that are introduced, but they work well despite resulting in some tonal shifts. The reason I feel this way is because this film makes its lead characters likable and you don't want to see them get physically harmed. So that's a positive.The lead actress here is Yun Lin, who is a newcomer, but she dominates the proceedings with a very expressionistic performance. When she shows up for the first time, her make-up is all messed up and she's practically screaming her lines. You're saying to yourself, "Is this the lead actress?" Acting like this can get extremely annoying, but I have to say that she nails it very well. To give a performance this energetic and yet still be funny and likable is quite an accomplishment. She was definitely good in this. The lead actor (Chao Deng) is also very good. He plays off of Yun Lin properly and they have good chemistry together. Finally, I have to point out that the supporting actress (Kitty Zhang) could very well be the most beautiful woman on the planet. My goodness! The first time I saw her was in the very romantic comedy "All About Women" (2008) and really liked her performance in that one. She's just as good in Mermaid. At one point during the later half, she gets quite serious and she's entirely convincing. I do not want this woman getting angry with me.With all of that said, however, I would not elevate Mermaid into quite the same class as the previously mentioned movies from Stephen Chow's filmography. But at the same time, I'm not exactly sure why I feel that way. Maybe it's the environmental theme and characters, which are basic and not particularly nuanced. So in some sense these qualities limit the overall depth of the film.Also, the special effects are low grade and cartoonish. There's a lot of mermaid and tentacle stuff going on, which is not particularly convincing from a visual standpoint. This flaw is limited to being a minor distraction due to the light overall tone. For some reason, I easily forgive lackluster special effects in comedy films. And to be perfectly honest, I think moviegoers place way too much emphasis on special effects nowadays. If the film itself is immersive, low-grade special effects can be perfectly fine. Clash of the Titans (1981) is a great example of that. I love that movie.Regardless, I definitely enjoyed Mermaid, and it could very well move up my ratings list after a second viewing. If it plays in a cinema in your area, check it out. It is not yet available on DVD, but there is a good chance at a wide release given the popularity of the director.