Lost Identity (2024)

So Far, So Good... but not GREAT

Greetings,

I'm stunned no one has written a review for this show yet. I'm going to start this one and edit it once the series is completed. Maybe it will encourage people to try it, since the show is pretty good.

1. I've watched this director before with LOUYANG. He's less about nuance, more about keeping things moving. My only annoyance with this director is the use of flash-zooms. I don't know what they're called but it's like you're watching something in the distance moving and then BOOM you're a lost closer. It's juvenile and it makes me dizzy.

2. My nickname for this piece is BULLETS OVER BURMA.

3. I'm almost 3/4's in and I am now certain it has made one mistake: the romances fell victim to the plot. This is to say two couples in the story weren't used enough to compensate for the story's more intense moments. Like if you're going to torture someone here and there, have a couple in love here and there. Think of this as the story equivalent of sweet and sour sauce. This story spends too much time sour. There are stories that must be that way but this isn't one of them.

4. The story becomes more addictive the deeper you go, but you must get about a third of the way in to stay in. I'd recommend watching two episodes a pop to keep things moving.

5. There's a weird moment where a character dies. She is laying on the ground grey as anything. What's weird is that it doesn't look like her, and so you're left wondering if said character is actually still alive. The man that discovers her dead on the ground would know the difference. (Was the actress too busy or spooked to play dead?)

6. The music is a mixed bag. The background music is solid, but the two main songs belong in the credits but not the story itself. One is a riff of Bond's YOU KNOW MY NAME and when it appears in the show it's painfully out of place. If I were the producer of this series, I'd have made the ending credits song the opening song and composed a sad ballad for the ending credits, something most Chinese dramas of this seriousness level do with success. (Find an episode of IMPERFECT LOVE (Zhou Xun) and play the ending titles. You'll want to watch the show it's so beautiful.)

7. Our lead actors are good but somehow the story wastes them. This could be said of most of the cast that spend GOBS of time in exposition. Still, the group is actually very talented. Xin Zhi Lei is stunning (as usual) but she -- like so many of the cast -- spends a lot of time reacting to what others say instead of doing anything.

8. I'm completely unaware of the history of this series. From a Westerner's perspective it's all so new. And sad. I started a discussion below in the comments and the history buff's shared some very interesting perspectives. I'm happy I'm watching the series and seeing things from this perspective.

That's my more than halfway take so far. I'll be back in a few weeks to edit this.

I know I don't sound that enthused but it's a solid 8.0 for me at the moment. Don't let my critical self dissuade, give it a shot if you're looking for something a little different.

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