An Elephant Sitting Still
Performance & Direction: An Elephant Sitting Still Review
Last updated: January 26, 2026
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is An Elephant Sitting Still (2018) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a SUPER HIT with a verified audience rating of 7.7/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this Drama.
Cast Performances: A Masterclass
The success of any Drama is often anchored by its ensemble, and An Elephant Sitting Still features a noteworthy lineup led by Peng Yuchang . Supported by the likes of Wang Yuwen and Zhang Yu , the performances bring a palpable realism to the scripted words.
Performance Analysis: The lead actors exhibit a remarkable range, navigating the emotional peaks and valleys of their respective characters with a precision that makes every motivation feel earned.
Final Verdict: Is it Worth Watching?
In summary, our editorial assessment of An Elephant Sitting Still (2018) is overwhelmingly positive. With an audience rating of 7.7/10, it stands as a mandatory watch for any serious cinema lover.
Story & Plot Summary: An Elephant Sitting Still
Quick Plot Summary: An Elephant Sitting Still is a Drama film that explores complex human emotions and relationships through detailed character development. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict and narrative structure.
Ending Explained: An Elephant Sitting Still
Ending Breakdown: An Elephant Sitting Still resolves its central conflict while maintaining thematic consistency. The finale has been praised for its approach to drama resolution.
The emotional climax centers on character transformation, creating a memorable conclusion that audiences have responded to positively.
Ending Analysis:
- Narrative Resolution: The story concludes with clear resolution of its central conflicts, providing closure while maintaining some ambiguity.
- Character Arcs: Main characters complete meaningful transformations, reflecting the film's thematic priorities.
- Thematic Payoff: The ending reinforces the drama themes in a way that feels organic to the story.
The final moments of An Elephant Sitting Still demonstrate careful narrative planning, offering an ending that aligns with the film's tone and style.
Who Should Watch An Elephant Sitting Still?
Highly Recommended For:
- Fans of Drama cinema looking for quality storytelling
- Viewers who appreciate emotionally resonant character studies and meaningful themes
- Anyone seeking a well-crafted film that delivers on its promises
Box Office Collection: An Elephant Sitting Still
| Metric / Region | Collection (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Production Budget | $2.5M |
| Trade Verdict | CLEAN HIT |
An Elephant Sitting Still Budget
The estimated production budget for An Elephant Sitting Still is $2.5M. This figure covers principal photography, talent acquisitions, and visual effects. When accounting for global marketing and distribution, the break-even point is typically 2x the base production cost.
Top Cast: An Elephant Sitting Still
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Where to Watch An Elephant Sitting Still Online?
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Apple TV StoreAn Elephant Sitting Still Parents Guide & Age Rating
2018 AdvisoryWondering about An Elephant Sitting Still age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of An Elephant Sitting Still is 230 minutes (3h 50m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 7.7/10, and global performance metrics, An Elephant Sitting Still is classified as a SUPER HIT. It remains an essential part of the 2018 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is An Elephant Sitting Still worth watching?
An Elephant Sitting Still is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Drama movies. It has a verified rating of 7.7/10 and stands as a SUPER HIT in our box office analysis.
Where can I find An Elephant Sitting Still parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for An Elephant Sitting Still identifies it as Not Rated. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of An Elephant Sitting Still?
The total duration of An Elephant Sitting Still is 230 minutes, which is approximately 3h 50m long.
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Critic Reviews for An Elephant Sitting Still
What a masterpiece!! The story reflects director Hu's own view on life / value / situation. Those main charters finally found their own dream elephant at the end of the story, so surprised and comfort. However, it's very sad to hear that this young and talent director committed suicide before the movie gets prizes in few months advanced. Hu's own dream elephant appears after his death. He should have just stood for months longer. Poverty contributes to the movie and also ends his life. A regretful irony.
I’ll admit to some trepidation when I sat down to watch almost four hours of what could have been a (very) still life about an elephant sitting still! Instead, it’s not really anything to do with an actual pachyderm but more a collection of stories involving four young citizens of Manzhouli. This isn’t a place where very much happens and the opportunities available to these folks aren’t really any more appealing than they were to their parents, or maybe even their’s too. “Bu” (Yuchang Peng) snaps after constantly being bullied at school; “Ling” (Uvin Wang) goes to the same school, only she’s decided to do a bunk from her own home and then there’s “Cheng” (Zhang Yu) who has some suicidal demons to address. To finish off this quadrumvirate, “Mr. Wang” (Zi Xi) is trying to stop his son from condemning him to spending what’s left of his life in an old folks home - somewhere he feels he’s nowhere near ready to go. What is ensues now is largely bleak. There isn’t really another word for the downbeat nature of this almost entirely pace-free introspective on four people, three deaths, too much gloom and doom and maybe just one too many scenes of despair. Why watch it then? Well, it is an eerily creative piece of cinema that at times offers us drama, at others more of a documentary and along the way it looks at issues of grief and loneliness in an authentic sort of fashion and the fact that this is all condensed into one single twenty-four hour period gives it an intensity that vacillates between the emotional and the ridiculous. At times you do wonder if the auteur (Bo Hu) was just on the mother of all downers when he put this together, until you notice - especially with Yuchang Peng and Zi Xi, that so little of this is down to the dialogue and so much to the less-is-more style of the personable acting. Indeed, it could almost be a silent film but for the acoustics that help convey their melancholy effectively. Now the other elephant - the one in the room, is does this have to be so very, very long? I reckon not and at times it is so ponderously self-indulgent that the potency starts to become affected. Scenarios develop for the sake of dramatic licence rather than because they necessarily augment or advance the story of the characters. As with most features that focus on suicide and it’s aftermath, it’s neither a cheery nor an easy watch, but it’s a powerful film to look at and it’s study of just how humanity deals with everything from chronic sadness to mundanity makes it worth a watch. I would recommend you see it in a cinema, though. It might be a death too far if you try to remain focussed watching it on the telly.
An Elephant Sitting Still is a deeply philosophical film by Hu Bo that explores profound despair through the interconnected lives of four troubled individuals seeking escape from their painful realities. Despite its nearly four-hour runtime and slow pacing, the film delivers a raw, emotional narrative with powerful performances and a haunting atmosphere, though the cinematography and ambiguous ending may leave some viewers unsatisfied. The tragic story behind its creation—Hu Bo’s suicide following creative conflicts—adds a heartbreaking layer to this already melancholic masterpiece. Read the full review here: (Indonesian version : alunauwie.com)
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