1
KimWanHee
Europe
Don't fret over the beginning
Before even starting this review, let me tell you: Do not judge this series by its beginning. The start of it is pretty horrific and I admit it does not get better until like episode 8 or 9. Also, this review is especially for people who watched other adaptations of the Daomubiji series of dramas.
Story:
+ the story works well in itself and there are almost no plot-holes
- the story does not work well regarding its continuity to its prequel and sequel
Overall I have to say, I enjoyed the story, especially the later half of the drama. The story pace is quite steady, fast enough to not get bored, slow enough to enjoy scenes. There were some story parts (side story mainly) which I just could not enjoy though.
Some characters were re-casted, while others weren't and it is noticeable. The chemistry in the beginning is way off and you will feel like some of the actors first have to grow into their roles. Will they be your favorite casting of all the adaptations? Probably not. Are they doing a good job? Yes.
This drama also makes it one of its main missions to show you new perspectives to characters you might already know. If you expect your usual main protagonists, forget it. It is interesting though how some relationships are displayed in the drama, some totally new from what we have seen before, some just a new perspective. This goes from Wu Xie and his uncle to how Wu Xie deals with betrayals from his closest friends.
The music is actually really really good and I caught myself enjoying the intro and outro a lot. Regarding the special effects and CGI, I am quite sure all the money went into the last two episodes. You will notice green screen but if you blink your eyes a few times, it is not that bad.
Overall: I will probably end up re-watching some of it over time, as I did really enjoy the new character relationships and some of the scenes are really a small treasure. I will probably avoid re-watching all of it though. I totally recommend watching the show after some time has passed since watching the other adaptations, as what makes this series so hard to watch is mainly the comparison, and less the series itself.
Story:
+ the story works well in itself and there are almost no plot-holes
- the story does not work well regarding its continuity to its prequel and sequel
Overall I have to say, I enjoyed the story, especially the later half of the drama. The story pace is quite steady, fast enough to not get bored, slow enough to enjoy scenes. There were some story parts (side story mainly) which I just could not enjoy though.
Some characters were re-casted, while others weren't and it is noticeable. The chemistry in the beginning is way off and you will feel like some of the actors first have to grow into their roles. Will they be your favorite casting of all the adaptations? Probably not. Are they doing a good job? Yes.
This drama also makes it one of its main missions to show you new perspectives to characters you might already know. If you expect your usual main protagonists, forget it. It is interesting though how some relationships are displayed in the drama, some totally new from what we have seen before, some just a new perspective. This goes from Wu Xie and his uncle to how Wu Xie deals with betrayals from his closest friends.
The music is actually really really good and I caught myself enjoying the intro and outro a lot. Regarding the special effects and CGI, I am quite sure all the money went into the last two episodes. You will notice green screen but if you blink your eyes a few times, it is not that bad.
Overall: I will probably end up re-watching some of it over time, as I did really enjoy the new character relationships and some of the scenes are really a small treasure. I will probably avoid re-watching all of it though. I totally recommend watching the show after some time has passed since watching the other adaptations, as what makes this series so hard to watch is mainly the comparison, and less the series itself.
Was this review helpful to you?
