China not going ‘Crazy’ about ‘Rich Asians’

CHINESE audiences aren’t exactly going nuts over the US box office hit “Crazy Rich Asians,” despite its all-Asian cast and theme of rising Asian prosperity.

Industry data show the film made just US$1.2 million over the three days of its initial release, far behind local productions in the world’s second-largest movie market. That compared with the US$24.2 grossed by the Chinese crime drama “A Cool Fish,” according to figures from the consultancy Artisan Gateway cited by Variety, an industry journal.

Chinese film industry veteran Wei Junzi says the romantic comedy’s focus on Southeast Asian culture did not resonate with Chinese mainlanders, despite the cast’s ethnic make-up.

“It’s a good genre movie,” Wei said. “It’s also an interesting comparison with the current China-US relationship. You think you know about China, but in reality you don’t.”

The film’s poor performance in China contrasts sharply with its near-rapturous reception in the Chinese diaspora, especially in the United States where it was hailed as the first all-Asian box office smash.

Critic Shi Hang said Chinese audiences are so used to all-Asian productions that the casting didn’t hold much novelty.

“What the public was excited about abroad was all-Asian-faces, but, sorry, we watch all-Asian-faces every day so it is less valuable here,” Shi said.

The Warner Bros’ breakout romantic comedy earned US$173 million in the US and was a box office hit in Singapore, where it is set. Like most comedies, John M. Chu’s film hasn’t been as much of a sensation elsewhere. It took months to secure a China release date.

That time lag may also have enabled many Chinese viewers to access pirated versions online or through streaming services, diminishing their desire to splash out on theater tickets. The film’s performance in China is potentially worrisome for Warner Bros. Its planned sequel, “China Rich Girlfriend,” is expected to better capitalize on the world’s second-largest film market.

Another

upcoming film targeting Chinese audiences is a live-action version of Disney’s 1998 animated classic “Mulan,” which told the story of a Chinese girl who took her father’s place in battling invaders from the north.

That film also boasts an almost entirely Chinese cast, led by actress Liu Yifei in the title role.

Wei said the film’s success will depend on how authentic it feels to Chinese audiences. “Will this be just another movie about Chinese culture, with you Americans’ own interpretation?”