A long rant, but it gets better by the end!

First and foremost, the adaptation kinda ruins the 'grandmaster of demonic cultivation' aspect of the novel. Why? SPOILER: because Wen 'mofo' Ruohan and by extension Xue Yang know how to do demonic cultivation, and are quite adept at it. That kinda defeats the whole point of the 'I've written a manuscript on demonic cultivation' facet to Wei Wuxian's character, which is the reason he is so notorious as the Yiling Patriarch. No one before him has ever dabbled in demonic cultivation to his extent. So, there goes that defining feature of the MC. (And don't get me started on the whole arc on the yin metal. I'm still sore with that. Although, to be freaking fair to the script writers, they've managed to squeeze in 'original' WangXian content. Wow, bless!)

Second, what is with the weird mechanics of the transmigration? I mean, I get it. It's going to cost the brain cells of the viewers to associate a single MC to two different cast actors, but!!! The execution of how Wei Wuxian hides his identity is sloppy. A mask... really? Worse, it's a half-mask. I suppose this is a popular trope in Chinese dramas where oops, if I wear a mask, people who have literally been with me from adolescence will not recognize me? Ok, no. SPOILER: Even Xue Yang has had a better disguise as Xiao Xingchen in Yi City. Come on.

Third and last, the drama is on the low-budget spectrum and it shows... Never mind the props. I think the swords, and just most of the trinkets and what-not that the characters carry are great. But, the sets? They are a hit or miss for me - especially the Nightless City. The set design for that is a downer, SPOILER: considering that a chunk of Wei Wuxian's downfall happens there... and the number of extras they had for the Slaughter in Nightless City and Siege of Burial Mounds is too few. This could've been remedied with post-prod editing, but I guess this isn't a priority. It would've made the battles more intense, in my opinion.

GRANTED, the first two criticisms won't matter so much to people who'll watch this without knowing the source material, but still these plot holes are silly! On the flip side, the additional arcs and scenes contribute to fleshing out the side characters better than in the novel. For example, Wen Ning and Wen Qing, Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan. They're introduced much earlier in the drama than in the novel so their exposure is more substantial.

Okay, so on to the things that made me go, OH YES THIS IS ART! A MASTERPIECE. The chemistry of the lead actors is outstanding. Given, CQL is just 'bromance' - boohoo for us novel readers - but the spark between WWX and LWJ is there. I think that both Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo have done their characters justice, and whatever popularity they are getting post-show, they truly deserve it. You can see it in their eye contact, their gaze -- I don't know how much direction they've had to take to achieve the synergy, but they both blew me away, more so Yibo because it's difficult to act out a character that's meant to have the emotional range of a statue.

The supporting cast aren't bad either. Most of them give off the unique vibe of the characters they are portraying. Hello, Zhu Zan Jin, I'm looking at you and your slightly-dimpled smile, and your take on SPOILER: charismatic yet scheming Jin Guangyao. I love and hate you. Also, Liu Hai Kuan, I feel your constant exasperation as Lan Xichen. I can relate as an older sibling (sigh). However, some of the styling choices do make me waggle my eyebrows and click my tongue. What, just what have they done to gorgeous Wen Ruohan and Nie Mingjue? Not to mention Uncle Jiang? According to the novel, they're ALL supposed to be beauties... Oh, well. Also, the make-up for the corpses is terrible as well. Squiggly, black lines. That's it.

THE MUSIC I GIVE FULL MARKS BECAUSE WHO CAN DENY THE PERFECTION OF THE OST? Like, we mere mortals do not have the right to pass judgment onto it. I don't know a lick of Chinese but I've listened to the entire OST on YouTube far too many times and I still get a little teary-eyed. Impossible.

Finally, and this is more of a comment in general -- be it for casual viewers or readers of the novel: the pacing of the drama can be a little off-putting at times. There are a lot of unnecessary panning shots so some scenes do get dragged out. BUT rest assured, these reviews do not lie. Fans tend to shower praises on something that they love, and certainly this series isn't immune to that, but The Untamed lives up to its hype. The latter half of the series is especially precious and action-packed, in contrast to the heart-wrenching flashbacks, so dropping it early is such as shame. Just give it a chance!

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