Here’s an original English film review of Stephen Chow’s The Mermaid (2016), combining thematic analysis with references:
Ecological Satire Through Absurdist Lens: Revisiting Stephen Chow’s The Mermaid
Chow’s 2016 fantasy-comedy masterfully blends slapstick humor with urgent environmental commentary, creating a paradoxical cinematic experience where toilet jokes coexist with marine conservation advocacy. This tonal duality ultimately serves as a mirror to humanity’s contradictory relationship with nature.
- Subverting the Corporate Fantasy
The film’s central conflict revolves around real estate tycoon Liu Xuan (Deng Chao), whose underwater sonar systems for land reclamation project accidentally disrupts a hidden mermaid civilization. Chow employs grotesque comedy to expose capitalist absurdity:
- The “human-as-dog” hypnosis scene mocks corporate dehumanization
- Lavish boardroom meetings juxtaposed with dying marine life visual metaphors
- Romantic subplot where mermaid Shan Shan (Lin Yun) weaponizes naivety against industrialist logic
This narrative structure cleverly inverts traditional romance tropes – here, love becomes an ecological survival strategy rather than emotional culmination.
- Technological Paranoia & Biological Vulnerability
Chow’s visual language emphasizes technological threats:
- Sonar as Weapon: The rotating blades of underwater drones mirror industrial fishing practices, creating visceral horror through mechanical predation
- Hybrid Bodies: Octopus character’s severed tentacles (served as sushi) symbolize nature’s commodification
- CGI Contradictions: Deliberately artificial mermaid designs critique humanity’s Disneyfied environmentalism
The infamous police sketch scene, where officers draw ridiculous mermaid interpretations, underscores institutional blindness to ecological crises.
- Chow’s Signature Style Evolution
While maintaining his “mo lei tau” (nonsense comedy) roots, this film showcases matured storytelling:
- Environmental Allegory: 90% of marine life dies within first 15 minutes – a dark prologue unprecedented in Chow’s filmography
- Musical Juxtaposition: Romantic ballads contrast with industrial destruction scenes, creating cognitive dissonance
- Casting Choices: Deng Chao’s exaggerated performance as nouveau riche tycoon embodies 21st-century China’s economic anxieties
The $46 million budget manifests in surreal sequences like the mermaid tribe’s junkyard refuge – a post-apocalyptic collage of consumer waste.
- Cultural Reception & Paradoxical Legacy
Despite mixed reviews about pacing and romance development, the film’s cultural impact lies in:
- Mainstreaming eco-cinema in Chinese commercial films
- Grossing $553 million globally, proving environmental themes can be profitable
- Inspiring real-world beach cleanups after release
The closing quote “If there’s not a drop of clean water left, all the money matters nothing” became a national catchphrase, though some critics argue it oversimplifies systemic issues.
Conclusion: A Carnivalesque Wake-Up Call
-The Mermaid* succeeds not through narrative coherence, but by weaponizing absurdity against ecological apathy. Like Shan Shan’s clumsy assassination attempts, Chow’s environmental message stumbles between comedy and tragedy, ultimately piercing viewer defenses through persistent, chaotic sincerity. As the mermaids’ blood stains the ocean red in the finale, we realize this isn’t fantasy – it’s our reflected reality.