China, Hong Kong | 94 min | NR | DCP | Dir. Stephen Chow
MĚI RÉN YÚ (The Mermaid) tells the tale of a mermaid (Jelly Lin) who falls for the evil business tycoon (Deng Chao) she’s been sent to seduce and assassinate. The film opened in China on Chinese Lunar New Year’s Day (February 8) and shattered box office records. On opening day in China, it opened in the #1 spot, grossing a whopping $66 million. In Hong Kong, the film also opened to #1 on opening day with $709,000. To date, the film has grossed over $525 million in China. In Singapore, the film was the highest grossing Sony release for a Chinese film with $838,000, while in Malaysia it was the highest grossing opening day of all time for a Chinese-language film at $528,000. In Malaysia, it was also the highest grossing film opening on New Years and also the highest opening day gross for director Stephen Chow (The Mermaid, official website). "'The Mermaid' is no ordinary fantastical rom-com ... encompassing as it does weaponized sea urchins, incredibly delicious roasted chickens, man-octopus self-mutilation and other comic oddities" - Glenn Kenny (New York Times)
