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

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

The movie is surprisingly subdued in its pacing, its characterizations, and its go-for-broke sensibilities.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

It was through random circumstance that i even found this film but i am so glad i did, without knowing much of anything about it i sat and watched what is definitely a gem of a film for anyone who likes their fantasy with a good bit of comedy, and after finding out the director is Stephen Chow it makes even more sense as perhaps one of my fave films of all time is Kung Fu Hustle and this film has that same kind of quirky humor that makes Chows films brilliant!I will admit things move...a little bit janky at times and suddenly it can be full speed ahead but for me personally it just makes me with this had been a series instead, as it also left me wanting to know more about Chows world of mermaids..in particular it made me REALLY wish there was more about the elder Mermaids past.The wacky comedy mixed with a honest serious message makes it a great film that akin to the story it gains its inspiration from will only get better with age, then again these kinds of film are my bread and butter so i may be a little biased.It doesn't kick Kung Foo Hustle off the top of my movie list but it's definitely one i will remember and recommend to others!

'THE MERMAID': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)A Chinese sci-fi/comedy fantasy romance; co-written, co-produced and directed by Stephen Chow. It tells the story of an extremely wealthy playboy, who falls in love with a mermaid that's sent to kill him. The movie stars Chao Deng, Yun Lin, Yuqi Zhang and Luo Show. It's received mostly positive reviews from critics, and it's became the highest-grossing Chinese film ever made! I found it to be just a little too strange, I like strange but I didn't like parts of this (for whatever reason), but I still enjoyed it (mostly). Liu Xuan (Deng) is a very rich playboy businessman, that purchases a wildlife reserve for a sea reclamation project. His company then uses new sonar technology to get rid of all of the sea life there. What Liu doesn't know is that the area is inhabited by merepeople, and his sonar technology has killed many of them (and caused the others to get really sick). The surviving merepeople want to kill Xuan because of this, and they send a beautiful mermaid, named Shan (Lin), to assassinate him. The two then start to fall in love instead. The movie is obviously very different than Disney's 'THE LITTLE MERMAID'; Hans Christian Anderson's original fairy tale was the main inspiration for both films though. It's violent, at times very dark, and R-rated (I think it's probably considered a family film in China though). It's also very bizarre, and weird. I respect those things a lot; but not if I don't actually like what they create (like a lot of the weird slapstick comedy in this). I do like the movie overall though, and I respect it's originality and awesome creativity.Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://youtu.be/bryytrjyDdI

This is from one of the renowned filmmaker from China, Stephen Chow. The film holds the numerous records, including the highest grossing Chinese film of all time. So anybody would be curious enough to check it out. This is highly inspired by the western fairytale 'The Little Mermaid', but totally a Chinese. It carries a strong message about the marine life and pollution, especially that coming from China is obviously not usual. A great theme for a Mandarin film to get exposed to the International stage. An appreciable effort with the decent graphics, but it's filled with lots of negatives than leaving a good impression on the viewers.The story is very important for a film and this is a very simple and short, but the remaining is packed with the comedies and stunt sequences. The film opens with the introduction of a multi- billionaire Xuan, who unveils his new sonar project on the coast Green Gulf where marine creatures consider it as a paradise. On the other side the shrunken to a very few, the merpeople plot to kill him. So they send their finest young mermaid, Shan to seduce him, but instead it creates a chaos when she falls in love with him. The final standoff between the man and merfolks set to reveal who will be the victorious at the end and the fate of Green Gulf.If you are a die-hard fan of Stephen Chow, be prepared for a big disappointment. He's out of his comfort zone here. Thankfully, he did not star in this crap. His strength are comedy and martial arts, but this film was none of them. I mean it is categorised as a comedy, but those parts were too sensitive to call them jokes. You won't be laughing much because of the killing, hurting, tortures, kind of upsetting events draws us away from enjoying it. So if you think it is a cute mermaid love story aimed for children just like CJ7 and if you allow them to watch it, you might regret it later."Love has no law. It is beyond any rules and boundaries."I don't know what is the rating for the domestic release, but this is definitely an R. It is certainly for adults and not everybody going like it. Looks like a film made for the local market only despite the influence of the western fairytale. It might have done well in Chinese box office, but the rest of the world does not consider it Mr. Chow's one of the best works. I think he should stay away from such project in the future, instead make a sequel for CJ7 or for the 'Kung Fu Hustle' where his fans are very eager for the official announcement.If you had seen all his film, especially the directed ones, then you might enjoy some of the jokes from this which is his trademark. The romance was underdeveloped and then the event followed by it that brings the grand finale was too violence. That is when this fantasy-comedy turns an action-thriller without a forewarning. I was shocked for such kind of transformation in the story. I wanted to like it, but could not because I expected something like a Disney film, but it was more like a semi Tarantino film.The addition of a cecaelian character was good from the comedy perspective. But just one from its kind makes him the last survivor and have sympathy than as he's the centre of the comedy in the narration. The overall story as well as all the main characters were never established to its full potential. I'm disappointed with the writing, the director is known for genuine screenplay, but he terribly failed to please his international fans. Of all, I only hope there won't be a follow up to it because we want the old Stephen Chow. He's better than this and I'm sure he will come strong. I can't recommend this film for children or the families, the youngster who are not very sensitive might be the right audience.4/10

The highest grossing Chinese film of all time is an absolute bonkers of a cinema that nicely blends the elements of comedy, fantasy & romance into one utterly ridiculous, batshit crazy & delightfully entertaining feature while also packing in surprising level of heart & a thought-provoking message concerning our environment.The Mermaid tells the story of a money-minded businessman who purchases a wildlife reserve for a sea reclamation project, and uses his sonar technology to get rid of the region's aquatic life. The plot follows a young & beautiful mermaid who's dispatched by her folks to kill him but both of them end up falling in love with each other.Co-written, co-produced & directed by Stephen Chow (best known for Shaolin Soccer & Kung Fu Hustle), The Mermaid has all the craziness of his previous works, be it absurd moments of hilarity, idiosyncratic characters or corny CGI effects which further enhance the oddities of his flicks. The laughs are plentiful yet after a while, it runs out of fuel.It does make a statement against environmental pollution in its own wicked manner although what actually surprised me was the tragic turn the plot takes in the second half, which was unexpected but still a welcome move, for it gives the story a sense of direction while showcasing that beneath its farcical surface lies a rich, thoughtful & somewhat sensible tale.The cast does a capable job of illustrating its whimsical characters, and the chemistry between the two leads only gets better as the story progresses. Camera-work is energetic, always trying to keep up with its maniacal moments. Editing does let its comical aspects fetch a tad too far. Visual effects is cartoonish as mentioned before, while the background score fails to heighten the emotions & is incompatible for the most part.On an overall scale, The Mermaid is another whacky entry from Stephen Chow that promises loads of laughter but everyone won't be able to get on board with its eccentricity, for few will find it quite annoying while others will enjoy it for the same reason. It does work as a comedy, is touching as a romance & is overly fanciful at times yet Stephen Chow's latest would've been more rewarding if it had settled for a more balanced narrative.