This director is vindictive.

Chapter 454 Heated Debate Across the Internet: Is Chen Mo a Genius Director or an Industry Thanos?
Many people like Chen Mo, but just as many people dislike him.

There are many reasons to like someone, such as Chen Mo's ability to bring people emotions like happiness, sadness, or surprise.

Some people also like Chen Mo's film and television works, especially those with realistic themes.

There are as many Hamlets as there are people.

However, there are also many people who dislike Chen Mo.

There are many reasons why I don't like him: he's a scumbag, he's rich, and he doesn't follow the usual path.

As for those critics, it's not that they're criticizing for the sake of criticizing; some of them genuinely care deeply and are therefore very critical.

"That's perfectly normal! This movie, Judge, is quite good!" Chen Mo also saw the most popular film review among the critics, but he didn't feel much about it.

"You actually praised him? He's insulting you!" Zhang Yuqi said indignantly.

It's no wonder she reacted that way, after all, the other party completely refuted "Ocean Wedding".

"Hehe, I can only say that everyone has different ideas. Some art film lovers can't stand any popcorn movies."

Some people, however, don't care whether it's an art film or a commercial film; as long as the movie gives them a good experience, they will like it.

As the saying goes, "A single flower does not make a spring, but a hundred flowers blooming together make a garden full of spring!"
Moreover, look at Chen Mo's film "The Promise" from back then. Although most people said it was a terrible movie, there was still a small group of people who regarded this "terrible movie" as an artistic classic, and they could also analyze a lot of things that they thought were awesome. "Chen Mo said with a smile.

"This thing is extremely controversial!"

And indeed, Chen Mo's words proved true.

Although the box office of "Ocean Wedding" was not as high as on Singles' Day, it still grossed over 2 million yuan on the second day.

This attracted even more criticism.

On the one hand, it's a matter of one's own strength versus another's weakness. With "Ocean Wedding" performing well at the box office, the survival space for other films released in the same period naturally shrinks.

The issue of interests has always been the most direct one.

If some people's criticisms are at least somewhat objective, then others are simply spewing insults.

Some people even went so far as to criticize Chen Mo as a cancer in contemporary Chinese cinema!

Film critic Wenyi Zhishang: "Chen Mo's 'Ocean Wedding' heralds the death of cinema! When audiences are obsessed with scanning mermaid pearls to find their exes, who cares what's being said on screen? This film has no plot, no acting, no depth, only 'special effects bombardment' and 'social media Easter eggs'."

Is this even considered a movie?

We shed tears for *Farewell My Concubine* and pondered deeply for *To Live*, yet now we scream for "Blue Light of the Mermaid Pearl"? Chen Mo has tamed the audience's taste with special effects and gimmicks, misleading them into believing that "stunning" equals "good movies." When a generation becomes addicted to this "visual opium," Chinese-language cinema will completely lose its capacity for thought—at that point, Chen Mo will not only be a "cancer," but also the gravedigger of the entire industry!

Faced with fierce criticism of "Ocean Wedding" from some film critics, many netizens held different views, believing that the diversity of film art should be tolerated, and some even directly quoted "Let a hundred flowers bloom and spring fill the garden" to refute the critics.

Netizen "Light and Shadow Freedom" countered: "Film has more than one form, why be bound by tradition? Some film critics keep saying 'cinema is dead,' but 'Ocean Wedding' proves that film can break through traditional narratives and become an immersive emotional ritual!"
Who says movies have to have a plot? Chen Mo used technology, music, visuals, and interactive Easter eggs to create an unprecedented 'oceanic dreamscape.' Audiences shed tears, couples reunited, and the location of the mermaid pearl sparked heated discussions online—isn't this the charm of film? Art shouldn't be confined; 'a hundred flowers bloom' is the future of cinema!

A tech blogger stated, "What's wrong with technology empowering culture? Critics say Chen Mo 'desecrated tradition,' but they haven't seen how 'Ocean Wedding' used technology to 'bring the Book of Songs' and 'The Rites of Zhou' to life! Humpback whales singing 'Guan Ju,' gene-edited jellyfish replacing incense, and the location function of shark pearls recreating the 'Bronze Oath'—these aren't acts of destruction of tradition, but rather reinterpretations of culture using modern language. If even this kind of innovation is labeled a 'cancer,' then Chinese-language cinema is truly beyond saving!"
Furthermore, what kind of film a director makes is their own prerogative. I'm speechless at those who say Chen Mo will ruin Chinese cinema. If one director and one film can be the reason for ruining Chinese cinema, then aren't all other filmmakers utterly useless?

Some netizens were even more direct.

"I don't understand art, in fact, the vast majority of viewers don't understand art or what makes a good movie. I think these critics are really hypocritical."

They tout how realistic films from South Korea can change national policies, and how a certain film has a huge social impact, as if such films are the only good films.

However, when it comes to "Ocean Wedding," they seem to selectively turn a blind eye.

With a box office of 3 million yuan on its opening day, 89 couples heading straight to the Civil Affairs Bureau after the screening, and the whole internet buzzing about the "reunion of the mermaids and pearls"... Aren't these figures more convincing than the "refined criticisms" of film critics?

Isn't this a form of social influence?

Does a good movie have to draw attention to marginalized and vulnerable groups?
Isn't that too narrow-minded?
"Ocean Wedding" may not meet some people's "artistic standards," but it touched the hearts of millions of ordinary viewers. Film is a popular art form, not a self-indulgent toy for film critics—the premise of a "springtime of joy" is allowing different flowers to bloom!

Those who criticize the film for "lacking a plot" may never have experienced the profound impact of a long-awaited reunion. The magic of *Ocean Wedding* lies in its use of ritual to awaken emotional memories deep within the audience—the song of the humpback whale, the seven-year promise of the mermaid pearl, the family tree revealed at the underwater temple… These elements collectively create a "collective healing." When a film can make people cry while embracing a past love, it has already transcended the realm of "plot" and become a vessel for emotion.

To paraphrase a great man: If the people like what they see and hear, and you don't, who do you think you are?

Just because you like peonies, do you want every flower to grow into the shape of a peony? What's the point of spring then?
While Hollywood is dominating the world with Marvel, we can't even tolerate a film like "Ocean Wedding"? Chen Mo proves that Chinese films can also master high technology, big productions, and immersive interactive experiences.

If even such innovative attempts are condemned as "cancer," then Chinese-language cinema will forever be confined to low-budget art films. "A hundred flowers blooming" requires capital, technology, and courage—Chen Mo possesses all three; what's wrong with that?

However, despite the lively discussions, these controversies are ultimately just debates among netizens and some film critics.

No one in the industry stepped in, after all, this kind of controversy is actually the same as the controversy between commercial films and art films back then.

There will never be a result from arguing about it.

For those in the industry, what makes Chen Mo a cancer in the industry?

Stop joking. Right now, they're all trying to figure out what kind of magic Chen Mo possesses that makes a movie like this sell so well at the box office.

In fact, the target audience for "Ocean Wedding" has always been quite specific.

If you really look at this movie with a professional eye, you'll find that the critics' criticisms are not without merit.

However, if it's a couple who have been separated for a long time, a lover, someone who still believes in love, someone who longs for love, or someone who has someone they love in their heart, then the situation will be different when they watch this movie.

Soon, industry insiders began to analyze the reasons for the success of "Ocean Wedding".

Renowned marketing strategist Li Guang, who serves as the long-term brand strategy and marketing consultant for dozens of companies across the country, wrote a lengthy analysis specifically on Chen Mo's marketing model for "Ocean Wedding".

"Ocean Wedding: A Marketing Miracle Transcending Time and Space - How Chen Mo Conquered Audiences' Hearts with 'Time'!"

First: The key element is "time":
From the "Thirteen-Year Promise" to the "Seven-Year Pearl": Time has become the most luxurious marketing tool!

Chen Mo's "Ocean Wedding" subverted the traditional marketing logic of movies from the very beginning of its promotion and release.

He did not emphasize the film's visual spectacle or star-studded cast, but instead used the sentimental appeal of the "thirteen-year promise" to elevate a mockumentary into a ritual of collective memory.

The brilliance of this strategy lies in the fact that time becomes the most expensive cost, but also the most lethal emotional weapon.

The image of former couples reunited because of the "13-year promise," holding yellowed ticket stubs and brand-new movie tickets arranged into a heart shape, has long transcended the movie itself and become a symbol that has spread virally on social media.

Chen Mo is well aware of the emotional pain points of modern people—in an era where fast-paced love is rampant, "long-lasting affection" has become a rare commodity.

He used big data to screen out viewers who had broken up many years ago, and transformed the theater into a "reunion laboratory," making "Ocean Wedding" no longer just a movie-watching experience, but a social experiment: If you were given a chance to travel through time, how would you face your past regrets?

The second key weapon: Easter eggs and irony!
The film's post-credits scene—a seven-year-growing mermaid pearl—is a marketing marvel of genius. This design subtly incorporates two disruptive logics:

The first layer is a satire of "fast-food love": in a time when "flash marriages and divorces" have become the norm, Chen Mo deliberately sets the maturation period of a pearl at seven years, directly addressing the most dangerous "seven-year itch" in marriage. He uses the growth cycle of a pearl as a metaphor for the cruel truth that love needs time to mature.

The second layer is the "contractual spirit" empowered by technology: the positioning function of the mermaid pearl (effective distance of 1314 kilometers) makes the intangible promise concrete.

In ancient times, jade pendants served as tokens of love; today, pearls represent digital contracts—when the light spots of two mermaid pearls overlap on a map, technology becomes the most romantic matchmaker. Ironically, some netizens discovered that mermaid pearls were being used for "catching adulterers in the act," a bizarre and realistic response that precisely proves that Chen Mo had already anticipated the audience's playful mockery and yearning for "eternity."

The ultimate form of this marketing campaign is to make movies a "pressure relief valve" for social emotions!
The truly terrifying aspect of *Ocean Wedding* lies in its complete blurring of the lines between commerce and art. Chen Mo's team not only produced a film, but also designed a complete "emotional consumption chain":
Preliminary phase: Use the "thirteen-year promise" to activate collective nostalgia and transform the audience into "ritual participants";
Mid-term: Using the premiere as a stage, celebrities, media, and ordinary people jointly perform the "reunion" script;
Later: Extend the marketing cycle by using the shark pearl Easter egg to make "seven years to form a pearl" a continuous social topic (in the next seven years, the pearl growth progress of each couple may be posted on the hot search).

This "full lifecycle marketing" strategy led to an exponential increase in the box office and influence of "Ocean Wedding." According to data from Huayun Apparel, after the film's release, the "Thirteen-Year Promise" special page received over 2 million visits, and 89 former couples remarried directly—Chen Mo achieved a "remarriage KPI" that even the Civil Affairs Bureau could hardly match with just one film.

"Ocean Wedding" may be criticized by film critics for "lacking plot", but no one can deny that Chen Mo used this marketing feast to prove that contemporary audiences are no longer consuming stories, but "the emotions that are seen".

From the collective healing of the thirteen-year promise to the delayed gratification of the seven-year pearl, he accurately grasped modern people's anxiety about "certainty"—in an era where everything can perish quickly, only "time" can become the most luxurious endorsement of trust.

Just like the subtitle at the premiere: "The tides always remember the grains of sand carried away by the moon." Chen Mo's marketing philosophy may also be the same: a true hit never chases traffic, but becomes traffic itself.

While audiences went wild for the mermaid pearl's location tracking function, they were no longer chasing the film itself, but rather a "time magic trick" meticulously designed by Chen Mo—a collective illusion about regret, reunion, and self-redemption.

(End of this chapter)