The animated film Niu Lai, which translates as 'The Cow is Coming', has become an unexpected sensation in China, defying all expectations of what constitutes a good movie. Initially released without fanfare and dismissed by many as the worst animation ever, it has now grossed over 14 million yuan ($2 million), making it a minor box office hit.

The film’s creator is a mother-son duo who produced Niu Lai with a minuscule budget of around 20,000 to 30,000 yuan. Its crude low-poly animation and nonsensical plot have only added to its appeal, leading some viewers to champion the movie as an anti-AI success story.

This sudden rise in popularity has not gone unnoticed by critics. A comment piece in state-owned Beijing News cited by the BBC warned that Niu Lai lowers audience expectations and risks losing viewer trust if cinemas screen such films. The distributor reportedly received advice against releasing it but went ahead because of a personal connection to the director.

The film’s story revolves around a newborn calf and a skylark, told in an abstract dream sequence over 86 minutes of low-poly animation reminiscent of late '90s video games. Its lack of publicity and hand-drawn promotional materials have added to its charm, making it seem like a forgotten artefact rediscovered.

While some see Niu Lai as a testament to human ingenuity in the face of AI dominance, others remain skeptical. Viewers might prefer human-made slop over AI-generated content, but this could merely indicate that people will watch anything if it’s bad enough.