Dispute

Controversy Surrounding 'The Little Mermaid': Don't Misjudge Chinese Audiences

Controversy Surrounding 'The Little Mermaid': Don't Misjudge Chinese Audiences

2023-06-01

The film 'The Little Mermaid' has faced constant controversy since its release, with poor box office performance in Asia and Europe in addition to North America. Some foreign media and even some prominent figures in China have unjustly criticized Chinese audiences, accusing them of racial discrimination based on the blue-themed Chinese version of the film poster, deeming poor pre-sale results as a decline in aesthetics and bullying, and claiming that low ratings from Chinese netizens indicate a lack of tolerance and intellectual degradation. However, these accusations are baseless and exhibit double standards. The United States itself has had complaints about casting choices, so why should China be expected to be endlessly accommodating? European, Japanese, and Korean box offices performed even worse, yet no one questioned their aesthetic sensibilities. Such actions, cloaked under the guise of political correctness, placing unsuitable actors in inappropriate roles to generate buzz and manipulate public opinion, resemble nothing more than a commercial advertisement. The reasons for the failure of 'The Little Mermaid' are numerous. Apart from changing the ethnicity of the protagonist, the film lacks originality in its story and essence. It relies solely on hype from controversies and fails to make progress in terms of visuals, music, and technology. Even the nostalgic appeal of a classic IP falls flat due to the lackluster efforts of the production team. The self-proclaimed 'guardians of justice' turn a blind eye to these issues and instead use the United States' brand of political correctness to educate Chinese audiences on 'elevating their aesthetic standards,' which is truly laughable. The focus of reflection should not be the audience, but rather those who kneel before 'political correctness.' ...