--- title: "The Mermaid: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-mermaid/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-mermaid" critics_score: 72 critics_reviews: 12 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Mermaid (2016): what the critics said Critics' score 72 from 12 reviews: 6 positive, 6 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics like The Mermaid, and none dislike it: six of the twelve reviews are positive and the rest mixed, with nothing worse than a shrug. The praise gathers in two places. First is Stephen Chow’s slapstick, which the reviews describe as inventive, cartoonish and often funny, the sequence in which the mermaid repeatedly fails to kill her target being the one most often picked out. Second is Jelly Lin, also credited as Lin Yun, whose comic performance several critics call the film’s discovery, and whose chemistry with her co-star is noted more than once. The reservations are nearly as consistent. Several reviews say the final act turns serious and loses the playful energy that carries most of the running time. Others find the environmental message either too blunt or too thin to match the comedy. The Los Angeles Times adds that some jokes do not survive translation. The spread is wide, from three-star shrugs to The Playlist’s outright rave. ## Variety — Maggie Lee Fi1m's normalised score 88/100 (inferred from the text). 10 February 2016. Lee finds the film an enchanting, delightful comic fantasy despite its cruelty and familiar story. She particularly praises Jelly Lin’s winning performance and the chemistry between the leads. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2016/film/asia/the-mermaid-review-stephen-chow-1201701757/) ## Los Angeles Times — Martin Tsai Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 22 February 2016. Tsai finds the film original, inspired and entertaining, despite some jokes and cultural references getting lost in translation. He singles out its blend of crass, macabre humor and big-hearted environmental fable as especially appealing. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-mermaid-review-20160222-story.html) ## The AV Club — Jesse Hassenger Rating B. 26 February 2016. The review calls the film one of Stephen Chow’s most accessible and best in years, despite a tonal shift that weakens its climax. It praises Lin Yun’s comic performance and the inventive slapstick sequence in which Shan tries to kill Xuan. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/no-one-told-sony-that-the-mermaid-is-stephen-chow-s-bes-1798186756) ## Film Comment — R. Emmet Sweeney Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). The standfirst presents the film as wildly imaginative and inventive. It singles out Stephen Chow’s cartoonish slapstick as reaching new heights. [Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/review-the-mermaid/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Elizabeth Kerr Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 14 February 2016. Kerr finds the film charming, witty, and timely, despite its unsubtle environmental message and predictable storytelling. She especially praises Jelly Lin’s breakout performance and the cast’s ability to sell the material. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/mermaid-film-review-864189/) ## The Guardian — Guardian staff reporter Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 19 February 2016. The critic finds the comedy brisk and enjoyable, but says the film’s ending disrupts its tone. They praise Chow’s sight gags and Jelly Lin’s comic presence. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/feb/19/the-mermaid-review-comedy-making-huge-splash-in-china-has-sting-in-tail) ## Screen Daily — James Marsh Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 9 February 2016. The page identifies this as James Marsh’s review, but the review text is behind a registration wall. The critic’s verdict and any specific praise or complaint are not visible. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/mermaid-review/5100027.article) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page appears to be a review of the specified film, but its text is inaccessible. The critic’s verdict and any specific praise or complaint cannot be determined. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/20/movies/review-the-mermaid-features-stephen-chow-behind-the-camera.html) ## Slant Magazine — Chuck Bowen Rating 2.5/4. 4 July 2016. Bowen finds the film delightfully inventive for much of its running time, though its final act loses the playful energy. He praises its bright visuals and stylized effects, which bring a welcome sense of wonder to contemporary fantasy. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-mermaid/) ## Radio Times — Jamie Healy Rating 3/5. Healy presents the film as a daffy eco fable with a novel reworking of The Little Mermaid. The review singles out its environmental premise and the comic attempts of a mermaid sent to seduce and kill a tycoon. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-posvjk/mermaid) ## The Playlist — Andrew Crump Rating A. 11 July 2016. The critic finds the film eccentrically hilarious and entertaining, with genuine warmth amid its relentless comedy. He singles out Stephen Chow’s elastic visual comic timing and the leads’ economical chemistry. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/stephen-chows-mermaid-eccentrically-hilarious-entertaining-review-20160711/) ## The Skinny — Kirsty Leckie-Palmer Rating ★★★. 3 August 2016. The review finds the film delightfully silly but says its environmental message never develops enough to match its comic artifice. It praises the absurd physical comedy and inept assassination attempts. [Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/dvd-reviews/the-mermaid) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-mermaid.md