Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
When Xuan's real estate project threatens the home of mermaids, Shan is sent to stop him. When they fall in love, he is encouraged to cancel the project. However, he must save them from bigger danger.
Stephen Chow's fantasy-comedy romance is exuberant and visually inventive in stretches, blending slapstick with environmental themes in a characteristically Chow style. However, the plotting is uneven and tonally inconsistent, lurching between broad comedy and abrupt dark violence. Acting is serviceable but uneven, with the leads charming but thin. The film has Chow's distinctive comic fingerprints — making it feel somewhat singular — but it lacks the layered craft and emotional depth of his best work like Kung Fu Hustle. The ending shifts gears awkwardly and feels rushed, undercutting the romantic stakes it built up.