A rudimentary 3D animated film titled 'Niulai' has become a sensation in China, experiencing a surprising surge at the box office despite initially receiving 'terrible' reviews. The film, which follows a calf's dream of growing up with its family, earned only about 10,000 yuan ($1,480) in its first 10 days after its August 5 release.
According to movie-tracking platform Maoyan, the film's box office surged to 8.2 million yuan ($1.2 million) on Monday, with nearly 300,000 admissions. Its total box office has now reached 17.1 million yuan ($2.5 million).
Red Star News reported that the film was made over five years by director Xin Yumeng and his mother, Sun Lifan, though The Associated Press could not independently verify this. Viewers on the Chinese movie-review platform Douban have posted mocking and bewildered comments, with some calling it 'unbelievably terrible and eye-opening'.
Some young viewers are reportedly drawn to the film due to its bizarre nature, with one college student comparing the trend to the mysterious 'six-seven' craze in the U.S. However, some viewers appreciate the film's simple production, with one vocational schoolteacher describing it as 'simple and honest, like a bedtime story for children'.