Not as good as hype
This review is done being 100% impartial, without any personal fan-favor spirit. Everyone has different perspectives, we should not judge each other. I am still very respectful to someone who gave this show 10/10.My review is like this maybe because that I watched this show after watching "word of honor". The BL theme got me here afterwards. But honestly, the two main leads hardly have any chemistry developed almost till the end. Its only looked like friendly banter and wei ying was almost clueless that Lanzhan may have BL type feelings for him. Maybe its because of censor board. From wei ying's point of view : he probably felt through the whole series that Lanzhan is a trustworthy reliable honest friend, but as soul mate? nah. Except that hunting episode a very short vague conversation between them was about "soul mate" thing. At least before death, wei ying was not at all in love with Lanzhan, he was same way playful and loyal friend as he was with other close person, as example to JC or Wen qing. In that case, if u think Lanzhan and wei ying as BL partner, I would say that about 85% volume of this drama Weiying had more emotions for his brother jiang C. And in that context, one can think of them to be BL partner, lol. Or may be straight relation ship between weiying and wen qing? Last few episodes, you can sense that Lanzhan has little one sided feelings for weiying and weiying is still clueless about it. Probably wei ying is not a gay at all.
I am also very disappointed about the fact that how others ( not wei ying, of course) not at all give any credits to the Wen siblings, specially JC. When those Wen siblings helped WY and JC and tried to collect their parents dead body, it was a huge sacrifice made from their side. And they initiated this kindness. WY only tried to return that kindness. They went against their clan and risking their own life, thats a huge matter of respect. They are proper hero of this story. Their loyalty, conscious, honesty no way lesser than WY. They save WY more than once. Like in prison also they helped WY to survive against that wild creature. Honestly, WY owe them his life, his family glory. In the same way, when WY blindfolded aim the arrows to the target without hitting any wen people, was a bit cruel side of him. He knows that he wont hit any but think about those people who were kept as targets and they might have never witnessed anyone to throw a bunch of arrows at a time without mistake? Although, WY tried to show sympathy and righteousness toward any normal people, but I really doubt, if he was not in debt of those wen siblings, will he still try to defend them going against his own clan? In that case, its not hard to say that whoever goes first to show kindness and righteousness is the actual one, and that is those wen siblings.
The story plot is very attractive thats why I watched the Anime version too after the drama, and in anime the BL theme is more clearer than this drama version. Chibi anime version was cuter and little more expressive about BL theme. I didnt have chance to read the actual novel yet, probably that is why I didnt feel much chemistry between main leads in the drama. Obviously, if people start this drama with pre-mind set then they can feel chemistry even in friendly banter. The way drama portrayed the emotions between main leads, if u consider that as BL then I think every guy is gay out there in this whole world. And any strong friendship means gay/ lesbian-ship.
I am not at all convinced with the "BL" tag with this drama, rather I would recon is as a drama of good friendship.
About the acting: come on! be honest: many actors could have done Lan zhan's role with almost no dialogue. Other actors are also so-so. What was the challenging role here to play that no other actor cant perform? On the contrary, Chasing by dog: the screaming acting by xiao zhan was looking soooo "fake", unless you are totally blinded by fandom you can't claim it as " funny" either. That was more or less over acting, i would say. The best acting done by is Zhu Zan jin and Meng Zi yi. Others are replaceable. Its sad that Xue yang's story part was presented so little and vague way that it almost lost the major contribution it had.
In several episodes, I felt that story was going very slow and it was at some point boring me out. Some scenes were not very necessary and draggy.
I loved the music, so 10/10. This is personal taste. So I wont judge if someone rate music 1/10.
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This drama is made for fans
I meant what I say in both a good and bad way.When I say this drama is made for fans in a bad way, I mean that the series had poor directing overall, with the series sometimes feeling like it's a bit all over the place. And there's a lot of things I can criticise for in this drama too; the occasional weird camera angles where they zoom in and out on the characters for not much reason, the fight scenes with way too many ballerina pirouettes, the sometimes weird colour grading, the misplaced slow-motions, the moments when they linger their camera for much too long on the characters sometimes, and the clarity of the plot. The inexperience of the actors along with potential lack of directing doesn't help much either, leaving some moments that could have been much more powerful a bit lacking.
However there are plus points for fans watching the series as well.
As a fan of the original series, I've tried to avoid watching this drama purely because I know how bad adaptations can be with them often editting out key parts of the story, so I was pleasantly surprised at how they tried to keep most of the plots and characters intact for the series. The main cast had chemistry together and the moments they share together and the moments after when they part endear me to the series.
Overall, my conclusion is that this is a great series for fans to watch if you are not very stringent about how good the actual production is and details on how the plot is presented, because this show can be quite terrible at that, and not a great series for people that aren't as interested in BL and are not as likely to pick up the subtle chemistry when the main leads interact.
The original story itself had been great as it illustrated not only the main character but also the side characters personality, motives and how some of which lead to their downfall, and I think the series tried to show most of the ideas explored in the original, though in a more confusing manner than would have been preferred. If I was not there to explain the plot to my siblings who watched it along with me, they would have been pretty confused on how the plot is progressing.
I am pretty happy to see BL getting adapted into different mediums, but I do hope that when it gets adapted, the strength of the medium is used to create an even better story instead of a copy and paste. After all, novels are not scripts, and each has their own strength that can be used to a better advantage. But overall I still enjoyed the series as a fan.
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The cast also very deeply fell into the characters of this drama. AN EXCELLENT ACTING FOR SURE!
THIS IS MY FAVORITE THING, THE MUSIC! A drama wouldn't be perfect if the music isn't good. But this drama has THE BEST OST FOR SURE! ESPECIALLY WANGXIAN AND YI NAN PING! OMG, I SUDDENLY REMEMBER YANLI. POOR MY HEART :"(
With this drama's addictive effect, you gonna rewatch this a thousands time for sure.
IT'S A PERFECT DRAMA!
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No regrets,just heartache n love for this drama?❤️
The Untamed is one of those dramas you start out of curiosity but end up emotionally wrecked and completely obsessed. The story is deep, the bromance is intense, and the chemistry? Unmatched. Every scene feels poetic, the soundtrack lives rent-free in my head, and Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji? ICONIC.Beautiful, painful, unforgettable. 10/10 would rewatch and cry again.
Once you watch it, I promise...you won’t be able to move on. That’s how powerful this drama is. It lingers in your heart and earns its title as a true legend😭❤️
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"The Untamed" is a masterpiece that remains unmatched.
From its beautiful soundtrack to the flawless acting and undeniable chemistry between the leads, every element feels perfectly crafted. The cinematography is good, the casting spot-on, and the story unforgettable. Even years later, no other bromance drama has come close. The Untamed still sits proudly at the top.Was this review helpful to you?
First Cd i watched
This is the first CD I have ever watched, it's based on a super spicy BL novel. It lacks the spice of the written story but it's still a good story, while i dislike the editing and CGI its a bit crap imo it looks a bit shit.The story is a 6 out of 10 because when you have read the story this lacks quite a bit of things.
Acting is a solid 8 of 10 because while the story lacks the spice the actors are good at what they do.
Music is amazing as always 10 out of 10
I think it's a solid rewatch for me because i love anything based on the stories of the novel author.
Over all i recommend it but i have my grievances with it as its deviating a lot from the spicy novel
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DONT MISS THIS INCREDIBLE JOURNEY
I know a lot of folks have reviewed this already and I am late to the game but just finished watching this series for the third time and it only gets better with each viewing. Don't normally do that (especially asit is long) but it haunts me. It is a masterpiece on so many levels. Done on a fairly small budget (for a 50 episode series) with unknowns. It is stunning to watch. The actors so on point and the screenwriter and director were masterful in evading Chinese censorship! A BL it came from and they convey it through delicate but clear nuance. This is a great love story and tale. Others have said it better. Just watch and let it unfold in all its humanity, storytelling prowess and emotional power. Every actor is perfect. And if the tale of Wen Ning as played by Yu Bin doesnt break your heart then you might want to see a cardioligist!Was this review helpful to you?
Are they real a life couple
Honestly! - who are we to ask ourselves whether these two young and excellent actors (= humanes) are seeing each other, dating each other or, after the latest rumors, are even married now!Let‘s just be happy about that these two hearts have found together and, that’s the most important for all LGBTQ+ members, dare to step out proudly and make it clear to the whole world: „Yes! We do love each other!“
I bow to their courage and self-confidence, despite the expected political and social adversity, to stand by each other and show the world that love is simply love and has nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with gender!
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boring, draggy, overrated
wanted to watch this drama for it's plot and storyline but it just was too boring, not sorry. started out first few episodes was okay, I didn't had much thoughts about it but as the drama progressed, I found myself struggling to stay awake or focus on this drama. It was purely so mild, there's no kick and DEFINITELY overrated, how did it even get good reviews? why was this even 50 episodes honestly, what a waste of my time thinking I would watch a high end drama with good actors but turns out just to be a lame story. The actors were good, no shade to any of them but honestly this type of drama is a type of drama the older generation would prefer, lousy and draggy just nice for grandma or grandpas.how did this show get such good reviews though?! I'm so surprised, did the chemistry, bts, appearance of the MLs trick everyone's mind into give it 10 stars? honestly I already know the main reason for it's popularity, Wang Yibo and Xiao Zhan ofc. They're popular everywhere and even BL category is hard to find nowadays in cdramas because of China's strictness, that's why their bromance is shipped by many and attracting many netizens to watching this boring drama..
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Acting - Young actors new at their craft.
Directing - Low budget and it showed. Sloppy editing/timing/acting where the director clearly cut corners and let it slide. Scenes that needed 5 seconds drawn out to 30 seconds or more. Rather than a buildup of tension, it dragged the scene down. This happened many times from even the earliest episodes - which does not bode well for the series.
Screenwriting - Too much filler, cliched conversation. Bickering - this was cute maybe the first half dozen times, then it became tedious. The characters were a bit superficial in development - especially the side characters. The usual character archetypes but it gave the sense of being 75% done and could have been refined in presentation. Very odd choices - action/dramatic scene interspersed with casual conversation or obvious exposition.
Storyboarding - A bit confusing and disjointed. Starting at the middle, then going back to the beginning makes a bit more sense if there was some storytelling device that needed this artifice. But the way it was done detracted rather than added to the story being told - why not just do it chronologically? And the decision to cut back from the confrontation scene (ep 4?) (and this is a LOOOONG back story) left me confused. A poor choice - maybe driven by inexperience.
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Such a drag
Exceptionally boring for all the hype and awesome reviews. I was trying to find something to watch after Love and Redemption and after receiving multiple suggestions decided to watch it. While I was trying my best to stop watching and taking a rest with L&R, this one I've had to force myself into watching until now. No point going into detail, when the 99.9% reviewers think it is the best creation after loaf of bread. I hope the next 27 episodes prove me wrong. The story maybe good but the CGI is terrible, and so is the action choreography. Nothing keeps you glued tbh. I wanted to like it so bad, seeing how everyone seem to love it, but this one is just not cutting it.Was this review helpful to you?
An Engaging Story Spoiled by Bad Acting
I understand the hype around this series. Its complex, well-written, and twisty storyline draws the viewer into the cultivation world. For those who are not familiar with the genres of wuxia and xianxia, watching it will be a unique cinematic experience. I am sure that there are plenty of competent reviewers who have underscored the many things that The Untamed deserves praise for, though, so I will not expand on them. Instead, I would like to address its biggest weakness – the acting.Let's start with the lead actor, Xiao Zhan.
His character, the witty rulebreaker Wei Wuxian, drives the plot forward from start to finish with his tragic story. He is the core of this series – a young man who inspires with his bravery, resilience, and kindness. He is the one who intrigues the viewer and draws them in. He is the one who should make them laugh, cry, and care the most. If he fails to do so, this series will lose its charm.
Xiao Zhan did not manage to become Wei Wuxian. His unconvincing acting failed to convey the charisma, the quiet power, and the complexity of this remarkable character. His Wei Wuxian is shallow and difficult to sympathize with. His tears look fake and so do his smiles. I believe that if the production team had chosen an actor who could handle the role, this series would have been a ten out of ten only because of Wei Wuxian. They did not.
My next problem is with actress Meng Zi Yi, who played Wen Qing, the skilled doctor of the Wen Clan.
Wen Qing is the only notable female character in this series, which suffers from a scarcity of interesting female characters – Jiang Yan Li, the other female character that the viewer will be seeing a lot, embodies a collection of stereotypes about women. This is why Wen Qing, who, contrary to Yan Li, is strong, independent, and not obsessed with cooking soup for her future husband, had potential to be memorable. However, Meng Zi Yi's lackluster acting constantly made her character blend into the background. She is a pretty actress, which might have been a factor in the production team's decision to cast her, but I think that her role demanded acting skills and facial expressions other than a deadpan more than beauty.
The third actor who demonstrated unconvincing acting is Wang Zhuo Cheng.
His character is Jiang Cheng, whose complicated relationship with Wei Wuxian is one of the central themes in the story. Jiang Cheng is notoriously bad-tempered, and his personality constantly clashes with the more easy-going Wei Wuxian's. Their interactions, which are meant to illustrate sibling love and rivalry, should have been moving, but instead bordered on the comical because in no given moment did Wang Zhuo Cheng managed to convince me that his character is actually angry or upset.
These actors' mediocre performances made me indifferent to three important characters, whom the viewer has to care for if they are to be invested in the story – and do not even get me started on the villains, both the major and the minor ones. I could not take any of them seriously despite their sinister deeds because their acting ranged from mediocre to bad.
Overall, the actors in this series, with the notable exception of Wang Yi Bo and Ji Li, delivered unconvincing performances. I could not force myself to care about their characters and eventually stopped being invested in the story. The production team should have been more selective during the casting. Such a long series that relies on its characters to drive it needs an exceptional cast.
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