2016 Movie
Dir. Liang Xuan & Zhang Chun · China, South Korea · Mandarin
Love drives sacrifice in this breathtaking animated drama set in an underwater spirit world
Widely considered as the dawn of Chinese animation, Big Fish & Begonia frankly isn’t as outstanding as Japan’s Spirited Away, but it does share some of its charms. The awe-inspiring natural spirit world looks something akin to the worlds of Studio Ghibli, as well as the cute creatures, this time in dolphin-fish form. Even those unfamiliar with Chinese mythology can recognize the folklorish elements in the story, particularly the magic that feels reminiscent of Little Mermaid, and as each of the teen protagonists makes a sacrifice, it still tugs at the heartstrings. It’s not perfect, and the third act does get a tad convoluted, but Big Fish & Begonia still works emotionally as an homage to Chinese folklore.
Beyond the human realm, there is a magical race of beings who control the tides and the changing of the seasons. One of these beings, a young girl named Chun, seeks something more—she wants to experience the human world! At sixteen, she finally gets her chance and transforms into a dolphin in order to explore the world that has her fascinated. But she soon discovers that it's a dangerous place and nearly gets killed in a vortex. Luckily, her life is spared when a young boy sacrifices himself to save her. Moved by his kindness and courage, she uses magic to bring him back to life only to learn that this power comes at a serious price. On a new adventure, she’ll have to make her own sacrifices in order to protect his soul until it is ready to return to the human world.
"More a visual marvel than a true masterpiece, but hopefully this is just the start of something new."
— Michael Leader
In a mystical realm existing beneath the ocean, Chun transforms into a red dolphin as part of a coming-of-age ritual, where a human boy drowns to save her. Saddened by the sacrifice, Chun uses magic to bring him back to life, only to discover that this comes with an unexpected price.
Look. When I see cute creatures, I’m more willing to ignore minor inconsistencies with balancing the storylines. If cute dolphins (/fish?) aren’t your kind of thing, there also happens to be cute mice, and if neither works for you, it’s still easy to appreciate the beautiful artwork of Big Fish & Begonia.
This might be the only cute depiction of taking care of fish, and frankly, it’s only because the said fish looks like a dolphin. Sorry, fish.
Isabella Endrinal is a curator at A Good Movie to Watch. She's now free from the corporate night shift. Previous articles have been published in outlets such as NANG Magazine. She's currently catching up on some classic films… if she isn't coping with the fact that the Haikyu anime will end soon.
"Spinning their own variations on ancient Chinese myths, these directors make a poetic plea to protect actual species-while delighting audiences with transcendent make-believe."
— Michael Sragow