This Chinese movie’s terrible animation is an unwitting beacon of the anti-AI movement

Moviegoers will often flock to the cinemas for one of two reasons: in response to viral clips on social media, like in the case of Obsession, or because of the draw of a star-studded cast and director, like for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. But as summer comes to a close, Chinese animated film Niu Lai has become an unexpected hit for bringing people to theaters for another reason: its terrible quality. Whether driven by a little bit of “so bad it’s good” irony or appreciation from AI skeptics that the movie’s visuals are so bad they couldn’t possibly have been made by AI, Niu Lai’s popularity is undeniable. Slow-burn box office The premise of Niu Lai is simple: A timid calf navigates its own dream of growing up alongside a skylark and a leopard. The 86-minute film is reportedly a project from a mother-and-son duo that took roughly five years to complete with a budget of just $200. In the first 10 days of its release in China, the film brought in only 7,700 yuan ($1,145), with fewer than 300 people buying tickets. But propelled by posts on social media, the movie has become a surprise hit since its U.S. debut on August 5, raking in upwards of $2.2 m…