Summary of Key Points
The animated film "Niulai" has unexpectedly become popular, not because it's good, but because of its unique form of "badness"—it falls into the category of being "so bad that it's interesting." Its sincerity and uniqueness in its flaws allow viewers to comfortably display their sense of superiority. The film's rise from obscurity to widespread attention represents a shift in the film market from being content-driven to being topic-driven. This phenomenon has also sparked discussions about censorship, removal from theaters, and attempts to manipulate subsidies, revealing some real issues within the industry.
Detailed Analysis
1. The Secret to "Niulai's" Success: It's Not About Being Good, but About Being "Bad in a Unique Way"
Ordinary bad movies make people angry and want to return their tickets, but "Niulai," being "bad in a funny way," is different. Its flaws are genuine (the mother and son spent five years creating the animation by hand, not just perfunctorily) and unique (the visual modeling is rough to the point of being absurd, and the plot logic is quirky), which makes it an unusual viewing experience. Similar to the classic bad movie "The Room," where the director truly believed he had created a masterpiece, "Niulai" is made with sincerity, not just to attract attention. Viewers enjoy it because it satisfies their curiosity and allows them to freely express their sense of superiority without any embarrassment (there's no fear of being criticized since everyone knows it's bad), so they are willing to pay for the ticket.
2. The Changing Film Market: "Talk Value" Is More Important Than "Quality"
In the past, whether a movie was good or not determined its box office success, but now whether it can become a topic of conversation is more crucial. "Niulai's" box office success comes from social interaction—young people buy tickets to join in the trend of mocking the film, essentially buying a ticket to join a temporary community of critics. In contrast, this summer's movie "The Time of Stars," which had a good rating on Douban but lacked discussion, was directly removed from theaters. This suggests that in the future, we might see "trend-driven movies" that are intentionally rough and bizarre to encourage discussion and create memes, as these are the keys to attracting attention ("Niulai" became popular by chance; next time, it could be done on purpose).
3. The Paradox of Censorship and Removal: More Intervention Makes It More "Valuable"
Many wonder how such a bad movie could pass censorship. The standard for approval is whether the content violates any rules or technical safety issues, not its quality. "Niulai" tells a fairy tale about a calf's growth, so there's no issue with its content, and it was approved. Removing it would turn it into a form of "performance art"—viewers would shift from being curious to defending freedom of expression, similar to the "Bamboo Cicada" incident, giving it a meaning it doesn't deserve. Therefore, removing it would be costly, and letting it run its course and be forgotten is the safest approach.
4. The Rumor About Subsidies: It Doesn't Match the Timing; It Sounds More Like Realizing a Dream
Some claim "Niulai" was made to manipulate subsidies in Liaoning, but the timeline doesn't match. "Niulai" was filed for production in 2021, while Liaoning's subsidy policy was only introduced in 2025, so it clearly wasn't aimed at those subsidies. Moreover, the policy requires "excellent films," and "Niulai" certainly doesn't meet that criteria. Even if it could apply, the subsidy amount would be limited given the low cost of production. It's more likely that the director and his team wanted to fulfill their dream of making a movie; otherwise, the harsh reality would dampen everyone's enthusiasm for discussing it.
5. A Mutual Achievement: Both Viewers and the Movie Get What They Want
This popularity isn't one-way; viewers use "Niulai" to affirm their taste ("I can tell it's bad, so I have good judgment"), and the movie gains significance by attracting widespread attention from an otherwise ignored audience. As the article says, it's a mutual achievement—both need each other: you need me to prove your taste, and I need you to give me attention; neither can exist without the other.
Overall, "Niulai's" success reflects changes in the current film market, where topic-driven content and social engagement are becoming new drivers of box office success. It also highlights the courage of ordinary people to pursue their dreams and some of the gray areas within industry regulations. Regardless, this absurd phenomenon is ultimately a form of "performance art" created together by viewers and the movie itself.