Plot Summary: After a traumatic experience with her father, a young girl named Nanhe drifts into a fantastical underwater world. There she meets Shenxiu, the chef of a floating restaurant, and embarks on a dreamlike adventure filled with bizarre creatures and surreal landscapes, ultimately revealing deeper truths about loss, acceptance, and healing.
Director: Tian Xiaopeng
Screenplay: Tian Xiaopeng
Producers: Qiao Yi
Cinematography: Mazhiyuan Cheng
Music: Mao Buyi, Tang Hanxiao, MIUMIU
Starring:
Tingwen Wang as Shenxiu
Xin Su as Nanhe
Kuixing Teng as Dafu
Ting Yang as A Hua
Jing Ji as Mama
***SPOILER ALERT***
Forget 'Spirited Away'
Keeping up with my Chinese movie journey, I stumbled upon a film that, oddly enough, none of my friends on Red Note recommended. They must be missing out, because Deep Sea by director Tian Xiaopeng is an amazing animation—and I think it's my favorite of the year so far. Now, like many other reviewers, my first impression was, "Okay, this is a 3D ripoff of Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away." Don't get fooled by the restaurant filled with bizarre animal creatures; this is its own movie! In fact, ahem... the story is way better than Spirited Away! (I've seen that movie so many times I kind of hate it now, by the way). I was genuinely offended when I saw an IMDb reviewer callously dismiss this as a cheap copycat. This is a unique and original film, and its creators deserve all the credit.
But a warning: If you haven't watched it yet, I urge you to stop reading now. You only get one shot at experiencing this movie correctly, and if you eat the spoilers, there's no turning back.
Watch the action scene below where Nanhe stops the water current created by the Hyjinx.
A Random, Tiring Dream, Until...
Now, do you think this movie won me over right away? Nah. In fact, I was almost dozing off in the middle of it, my eyes completely tired from the constant flood of action, fast images, and overwhelming color. I was ready to give a bad review to this abstract, dream-like movie where everything felt random... until the final moments, where it all starts to make sense. I was NOT expecting to get emotional, I tell you! But the ultimate sacrifice made by Nanhe really got me to tears and made me totally love this character. There are at least three layers to this film that become obvious in that last act. I will absolutely be watching this again. I saw this with my daughter in the original language, explaining as we went, and she didn't get anything. I don't recommend this for young kids; the theme is heavy and the red phantom scenes are pretty scary. My seven-year-old didn't flinch, but that's because she's already used to the scary stuff I've mistakenly made her watch before (😅).
Check out the clip below to see the film's bizarre humor in action... with Nanhe eating a shoe.
Ink-Painted Chaos, and a Final Verdict
So, to sum it up: this is a very unique 3D animation. It doesn't look like your typical Pixar/DreamWorks flick, but its fantastical world might remind you of Miyazaki's universe. It tries to mix modern CG with traditional Chinese Ink Painting. The movie can be difficult for impatient people, and its randomness can make it hard to get into. It can also tire your brain and eyes with its constant flashy visuals (it must have looked incredible in IMAX, though). But if you can make it through the non-sensical adventure, the ending is incredibly rewarding. In my case, it made me desperate to rewatch earlier scenes and reinterpret what I was seeing. I really recommend it, but it's one of those movies you'll either love or hate.
On a curious note, the credits show a book with hand-drawn versions of the story. Because of this I thought the movie was based on a well-known children's book, but it seems that's not the case. What is that book? If you know, tell me in the comments!
Below you can watch the beautiful, heartbreaking scene where Shenxiu says goodbye to Nanhe. The music is just perfect.
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This movie is really beautiful! You are right it can be a little tedious but it pays off.
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