"Stephen Chow Nostalgia" vs. "Outdated Humor"... Dominates Box Office Despite Mixed Reactions

110.84 Billion Won Earned in Just Two Days After Release
Movie Platform Rating: 6.6
Making Headlines Amid Polarized Reactions

Stephen Chow's new film Kung Fu Woman is dominating the box office and gaining popularity despite receiving mixed reactions from audiences.

On July 13, Chinese media outlet Daxiang News reported, "Kung Fu Woman has earned over 500 million yuan (approximately 110.84 billion won) just two days after its release."

Stephen Chow's new film 'Kungfu Woman' is dominating the box office and gaining popularity despite receiving mixed reactions from audiences. Movie poster.

The film drew tremendous attention even before its release. It portrays the journey of the Chinese women's national football team as they compete in the Women's Champions League, with starring roles by Zhang Xiaofei, Dilraba Dilmurat, and former EXO member Lay Zhang (Zhang Yixing). The movie is set in the same universe as Stephen Chow's 2001 classic Shaolin Soccer and is considered a quasi-sequel.

On its opening day, July 11, Kung Fu Woman was screened approximately 226,000 times and attracted more than 5.97 million viewers. The film earned over 260 million yuan (about 57.665 billion won) on its first day, capturing 80.5% of the box office share. It also surpassed 100 million yuan (approximately 22.2 billion won) in box office revenue in less than three hours after opening. Chinese media praised the film, saying, "It has broken all previous summer release records."

The film was written and executive directed by Stephen Chow, with Qin Fengfei, Lin Zichong, and Lu Zhengyu serving as co-directors. The production budget is reportedly around 380 million yuan (about 84.3 billion won), with 50% dedicated to special effects since the film includes more than 1,200 CG scenes. Notably, all the cast members agreed to reduce their appearance fees to help improve the film’s quality.

Stephen Chow's new film "Kung Fu Woman" (功夫女足) is dominating the box office and gaining popularity despite receiving mixed reactions from the audience. Source: Baidu China.

However, the film's ratings have not been particularly high. According to the movie platform Douban, around 90,500 viewers have left reviews, and the film holds a rating of 6.6. Of the reviewers, 17% gave it five stars, while 8.6% rated it with just one star. Jiemian News reported, "Audience reactions are clearly polarized." Some offered praise for Chow's brand of comedy, saying, "Thank you for making a fairy tale for adults," and "It felt just like when I watched my first Stephen Chow film." On the other hand, some expressed disappointment, commenting, "Stephen Chow's jokes felt awkward and embarrassing," "There is no reason to watch this just because it's a Stephen Chow film," and "It seems Stephen Chow's talent has run its course." Nevertheless, the outlet noted, "The wave of Stephen Chow nostalgia sweeping through audiences is an inevitable phenomenon."

Despite the mixed reviews, Sina Finance projected that the film’s revenue would surpass 2 billion yuan (about 443.94 billion won). The outlet commented, "While the director's signature exaggerated scenes, satirical and imaginative style remain intact, the film is also imbued with deep reflections on life." It added, "The core message of accepting life as it is, regardless of winning or losing, is the kind of healing we most long for today."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.