Before ‘diving’ into fantasy, this eco-conscious comedy starts off on a serious foot – with sobering actual footages of deforestation, pollution and bloody slaughter of big fish. All in the name of life ‘improvement’, as directed by rich yet greedy humans. Industrialisation and exploitation of sentient beings continues to be too much and too fast, worsening life for all in the long-run instead. Yes, this is exactly how we arrived at our current climate crisis. This signature line is uttered twice in the movie – ‘When there is not a drop of water or a breath of air left, what is the use of money?’
In his book ‘Daily Inspiration From Khenpo Tsultrin Lodro’, the Buddhist teacher wrote of how he had heard of a mermaid-like creature’s appearance in a lake, as witnessed by a man he trusts. ‘Coincidentally’, on the next page, he wrote… ‘When we discover Mother Earth has become extremely poor and can no longer provide for our greedy demands, we have to lower our expectations, however unwillingly, to the bare minimum – a breath of fresh air, a glass of clean water, or a piece of unpolluted soil. The day will come when we discover that even these are luxuries that Mother Earth can’t afford to provide…’
The usage of linked oceans as backdrop of the story is ingenious as they more tangibly represent interconnectedness of nature and sentient beings within. This would be harder to depict via air or land. To animals and such, it is surely ludicrous that humans arbitrarily carve up patches of water and land, to sell and buy at arbitrary prices. The elements should be freely enjoyed yet treasured for the sake of all. As nature is home of all beings, it is as priceless as harmony between all beings is. Our love must become great love that knows no interspatial or interspecific boundaries.
The mermaids represent forgotten lives struggling to survive in desecrated environments. Semi-human, they have voices to protest against humans on their plight. Semi-animal, they speak up for all other sentient beings too. We must learn more about one another to appreciate and protect one another, to no longer harm another, or be apathetic to one another. If we humans are truly more highly evolved than other earthly beings, should we not be the Bodhisattva guardians of all, and the environments they live in? Should we not save and liberate, instead of capture and exploit? Technological development for economical development will surely fail if we fail to grow in compassion and wisdom at the same time. Let us reclaim our lost innocence, by reconnecting to nature, via our Buddha-nature!
代言环保的《美人鱼》
周星驰在90年代是华人界最家喻户晓的谐星。他的幽默可以无厘头到让人爆笑如雷。他对细节的敏感度也非一般。就这样他成功出了名，慢慢走入导演的行业。不过周星驰之前的戏，是演或导常是纯粹搞笑，没什么利益社会的讯息。这部《美人鱼》就有所不同。
《美人鱼》带给于观众非常慎重的警惕。虽然美人鱼因该是虚构的众生，但他们在戏里的遭遇与海里的一切众生没两样，都被误解、欺负与杀害。人类就凭着用小聪明发明的科技与武器，把无助的众生囚禁，占为己有，理所当然地当做娱乐品、试验品或所谓的研究品。要不然，就把它们宰杀给吃了。
因为人类的不见底的贪、嗔、痴（三毒），导致环境的破坏惨不忍睹。动物就变成最直接却无法反抗的受害者。海洋已被极度污染，森林已被无止砍拔，空气已被严重玷污。海陆空，一个都不放过的摧残，就为了肤浅短暂的金钱利益。这非常的愚痴行为真令人不知人类还能在这地球上生存多久。
生活在这个拜金主义的年代，难免有一群有钱人，认为钱是万能的，能打发与解决一切问题。但他们会有如此嚣张是因为有一群贪钱的人让他们摆布。就这样，两群互相燃烧彼此的三毒。戏中的富豪刘轩（邓超饰）和李若兰（张雨绮饰）就是以上描述的富豪。珊珊（林允饰的美人鱼），虽是‘穷人’，但金钱对她来说没任何意义。刘轩屡次用钱打发她，她都无动于衷。毕竟她需要的是远远超过金钱所能买的 – 一片清净的自然海里家园。
或许会有人认为珊珊和人类不同，不需要钱生活，但人类往往忘记自己需要的不多，而是想要的太多。为何霸占了自己居住的土地后，还要霸占其他众生的海洋？不知足者便是用无穷尽的欲望挖出无底洞的坟墓。困境都是自己闯入的。钱或许能诱惑你，但为了钱犯不犯戒由自己决定。
将心比心吧！如果有一天人类的命运与动物对调，你会愿意被囚禁当做观赏、实验、研究或食物的对象吗？若不能，那就请别再买票支持任何利用动物，却假名保护动物做‘教育’题材的机构，例如水族馆、马戏团、动物园等。
最后与大家分享《美人鱼》的一句真言：
“如果这个世上连一滴干净的水，和一片干净的空气都没有，赚再多的钱又有什么用？”
大家用膝盖都能想到。。。再多的钱也找不到，买不到第二个地球。人类醒醒吧！聆听代言环保的《美人鱼》吧！
(Chinese review by 真悯）
