The
Mermaid
(2016 aka Mei
Ren Yu/Sony
Blu-ray)
Picture:
A Sound: B Extras: C Film: B+
A
rich tycoon Xuan (Chao Deng) had just purchased a coastline gulf
property in which he intends to turn into his latest billion dollar
amusement park. What he doesn't know it is the home of the the last
surviving group of mermaids... and they have plans to stop them.
They send the a young beautiful mermaid Shan (Yun Lin) to seduce and
assassinate him, but when things don't go to plan (for either side)
they have hilarious results in Stephen Chow's The
Mermaid
(2016).
Xuan
is also rich playboy tycoon who has made more money than God and is
constantly hounded by beautiful women who want a piece of his
fortune. When he suddenly meets beautiful (but naive) young mermaid
Shan who was sent to assassinate him (!!!) in order to save her
people, they fall in love with each other instead, but then when
others find out who/what Shan is it is up to Xuan (ironically) to
protect her.
This
was your typical mermaid falls in love with human story mixed with
comedy and a bit of save the earth from pollution (by humans of
course). Chow has been on a roll of sorts since Kung-Fu
Hustle,
if not reaching that critical/commercial success again since the
films that have followed have been more fantasy oriented. However,
this works for the story set up and was a massive blockbuster in
China and very well in most other markets. Guess he'll stay this
course for a while.
The
1080p 1.85 X 1 digital High Definition image is a 5K/3D shoot using
the RED EPIC, et al, looking as good in this format as it ever will,
so we get a good tradedown. The DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) Mandarin
5.1 lossless mix is not as strong, but is not bad considering it is a
mixdown from the Dolby Atmos 11.1 theatrical sound heard in better
presentations of the film. Hopefully we'll get to hear that mix in a
4K or 3D Blu-ray release. Extras include making of the film, music
video, behind the scenes and trailers.
-
Ricky Chiang
