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Why Chinese film-goers are flocking to a movie they hate
🇨🇳 China /Culture & Society

Why Chinese film-goers are flocking to a movie they hate

From South China Morning Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The animated film 'Niu Lai, or The Arrival of the Ox' has become a surprise box office hit in China, surpassing 11 million yuan in earnings.
  • The film's popularity stems from its perceived poor quality, with audiences flocking to see it due to its "rough" style and confusing plot.
  • 'Niu Lai' was created by a two-person team, director Xin Yumeng and his mother Sun Lifang, who handled most key roles over five years.

An animated film in China, 'Niu Lai, or The Arrival of the Ox,' has achieved unexpected box office success, not due to its artistic merit, but precisely because audiences find it remarkably bad. The film, which debuted on August 5 with a meager 3,420 yuan (US$507), saw a dramatic surge in viewers and revenue, reaching over 11 million yuan by Monday and securing a spot in the top 10 domestic animated films of the year.

Critics have described the film's animation as "rough" and "broken," with oxen characters resembling "piled up, colorful boxes" and exhibiting "weird, almost humanlike smiles." The Beijing News characterized the animation as "stiff and glitchy" and the voice acting as "jarring." Initially, negative memes circulated online, but this criticism soon fueled curiosity, leading to increased audience demand and a significant rise in screenings nationwide.

stiff and glitchy

— The Beijing NewsDescribing the animation quality of 'Niu Lai'.

The film's unique journey to popularity is attributed to its creators: director Xin Yumeng, a self-taught filmmaker, and his mother, Sun Lifang, who wrote the screenplay, performed voice acting, and sang the end credits song. The duo spent five years meticulously crafting the 86-minute film frame by frame using a home computer, without professional crew or outsourcing.

This unlikely success story has stirred mixed reactions within the film industry. Some established filmmakers express envy, noting that 'Niu Lai' surpassed their own films' box office targets in a single day. The phenomenon highlights a peculiar trend where a film's perceived flaws can paradoxically drive its commercial success.

jarring

— The Beijing NewsDescribing the voice acting in 'Niu Lai'.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by South China Morning Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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