Summary of Key Points
This article discusses the controversy surrounding the concept of "bad money driving out good money" sparked by the film *Niulai* (Come Here). It argues that China's current entertainment market is not entirely a market economy, so the phenomenon of poorly made films being produced en masse does not occur. Instead, the real issue in the industry is a lack of desire to make money—many films are made with ulterior motives or aim to educate the audience, often at the expense of providing enjoyable content for the general public. *Niulai* is essentially a B-grade Hollywood film that serves as a filler during the movie release calendar; although it is of low quality, it is harmless and meets the public's desire for casual entertainment. A healthy film market should consist of a mix of blockbusters, narrative films, and B-grade movies, and the existence of *Niulai* indicates that the market is moving in a positive direction.
1. "Bad Money Driving Out Good Money?" Don't Worry—The Entertainment Industry Doesn't Want to Profit Quickly
Many people fear that the success of *Niulai* will lead to a flood of similar films, but this is a misunderstanding of the principle of "bad money driving out good money." This concept assumes that everyone is motivated by profit, leading to a proliferation of inferior works when one film succeeds. For example, after Hollywood's *Jaws* became a hit, follow-up films like *Great White Shark* and *Shark Attack* were released. However, this is not the case in China's entertainment industry. For instance, despite the success of *Wolf Warrior*, no similar films were produced; similarly, there was no surge of animated films similar to *Nezha* despite its high box office. Even when AI-generated short videos imitating American superheroes proved profitable, no one made them. Instead, some criticized such content as being populist or overly Westernized. Clearly, the industry's motivation is not profit, so there is no need to worry about follow-ups to *Niulai*.
2. The Industry's Strange Malady: Prefering Losses to Inserting Personal Agendas
The article points out that the problem in the entertainment industry is not a desire for excessive profit but rather a lack of it. For example, despite the target audience being young couples, there are few romantic comedies like the *Ex* series; instead, there are many feminist films that alienate potential viewers by criticizing men and promoting rebellion. In contrast, *Niulai* is quite "normal"—it simply aims to make money and, due to its poor quality and limited budget, ends up being a failure. The author calls this situation "bad money defeating fake money": *Niulai* may be bad, but it at least doesn't have any hidden agendas or attempts to educate the audience.
3. The Real Reason for *Niulai*'s Success: It's Bad but Novel and Harmless
The article explains that *Niulai*'s popularity stems from two factors: its novelty (its poor quality arouses curiosity) and its harmless nature. It neither tries to teach the audience nor is offensive in any way. This is similar to Hollywood films like *Shark Attack* and *Deep Sea Shark*. These movies lack depth but are made to entertain, and since they don't have any hidden messages, they find an audience worldwide.
4. The Ideal Film Market Should Have a Mix of Different Types
A healthy film market should include three types of films:
1. Blockbuster Blockbusters: Like *Wolf Warrior* and *The Wandering Earth*, which attract audiences with star power and stunning special effects.
2. Narrative Masterpieces: Films like *Dying to Survive* and *The Shawshank Redemption* that balance commercial appeal with artistic quality through compelling stories and performances.
3. B-grade Movies: Low-budget, poorly made films that fill gaps in the release schedule and provide a platform for new directors (Cameron and Quentin started their careers with such works).
*Niulai*, despite its flaws, fits into this category. It doesn't occupy prime time slots, doesn't promote harmful values, and provides harmless entertainment, so it shouldn't be overly criticized.
5. A More Balanced View of *Niulai*
The article concludes that there's no need to criticize *Niulai* harshly; it is just a minor part of the market. It’s like a B-grade Hollywood film—you wouldn’t discuss its values with *Shark Attack*, so you shouldn’t set high standards for it. Its existence shows that Chinese audiences are tolerant of harmless, enjoyable movies. The industry should reflect on those films that fail to serve the public and force viewers away from theaters by imposing their own agendas. In this sense, *Niulai* is actually quite "normal."
The core message of this article is that the problem with China’s entertainment market is not a lack of commercialization but rather an insufficient focus on profit. If more films were made with the intention of simply providing entertainment without ulterior motives, the industry would be healthier.