WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Humans. We seem to just love taking the wonderfully created world around us and treating so much of it like garbage. Truthfully, can we not just find a way to see the beauty around us and treasure it rather than destroy it? Plus, how much of that aforementioned natural wonder do we tarnish for the sake of gaining more money? Business tycoon Liu Xuan (Chao Deng) has it all, including an active reclamation project in Green Gulf, a sea life refuge now being purged via a powerful sonar device that wrecks havoc on everything, including a hidden colony of mer-people, led by Octopus (Show Luo). Incensed by this heinous action, the colony sends the beautiful Shan (Jelly Lin) to rid themselves of the issue.
However, after repeated attempts to take Liu out fail, the last thing Shan expects occurs–she falls in love with him. Initially not even realizing what she is, Liu rejects her as crazy and continues his plans along with an unscrupulous and manipulating business partner, Ruo-Lan (Yuqi Zhang). Insistent on gaining his attention and now at odds with her own people because of the growing feelings she has for him, it becomes an ever more dangerous game for them both once Shan reveals her true nature to Liu. Newly smitten and now seeing the damage his project has caused, Liu relinquishes his stance on the reclamation, and soon it’s up to him to protect the very thing that originally sought to destroy him permanently.
Next, my Mind:
Driven by a surprisingly potent message but presented via pure, unadulterated camp, the newest directorial effort from Stephen Chow more than fits within his normal M.O., given previous films like “Shaolin Soccer” and “Kung Fu Hustle”. Delivering a huge plate of total goofiness and entertaining banter between characters which includes winks at Chinese culture and double entendres, the film also provides a hilarious dose of physical humor to boot. Visually, it’s also just plain fun, with basic look and at least enough CGI and 3D-work to give it some sense of legitimacy. Despite its playful tone, there are some fairly visceral moments of violence depicted, and a little language, which is ultimately what gives the effort its “R” rating.
In a narrative with characters such as these, overacting is a necessary element to spur on the comedic attack, and this cast most certainly obliges in spades. Deng plays Xuan as such a pompous jerk, that at times, you actually want him to be taken out. But then once his new reality sets in, watching Deng go totally over-the-top in expressing Xuan’s growing exasperation with others while falling in love with Shan is a complete riot. Newcomer Lin is cute as a button and does such an equally great job in her role as Shan, infusing her with such an overt beauty that hides a comedically dogged perseverance to finish her mission–until the circumstances change. Then it’s all starry-eyed and bubbly most of the way through.
The additional turns by Luo as a very longsuffering Octopus and Zhang’s Ruo-Lan doing her level best to get what she wants from Xuan is effective as well. The films final act does actually carry a real and poignant message about the environment that is tolerable within the context of the greater story, and it does add a level of seriousness one might not anticipate. Still, as a whole, “The Mermaid” is one crazy science-fiction-meets-fantasy ride that is totally nutty enough to be fun to watch and laugh at. Plus, it’s the highest grossing film in China–ever. That says something, too, eh?
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
