This review may contain spoilers
Cute and entertaining
This fantasy drama is way far from perfect especially with the story line, in fact the whole concept of human -> fairy god -> demigod -> god is complete mess to me. They really could do better with the story and pay more attention to detail.. how Hua Mo can attack Lan Feng at the same time he is present at his daughter wedding.. or how Yanshuang can par with huashu just after she wokeup from comma..If like me, you can neglect their story flaws then go ahead to watch. What drew me.in in earlier episodes were simply the nice costumes, high quality pictures and good looking characters. I like the leads and their friendship. Ayin is a straightforward girl with a kind heart Gujin who appears as a lazy boy but actually has his reason for it, Hong Yi is simply cute and simple character. Yan Shuang is probably the least compelling to me out of the 4 leads, she is portrayed to be powerful in earlier episodes but turns to be weakest in later episodes..
I personally really enjoyed rewatching the early 10 episodes for Ayin and Gujin, i love how playful Ayin is when she just hatched before she fell for Gujin, also when she returned as Feng Yin she's completely different due to the whole experience and trivulation shes gone through. She gave the vibe of a cold and arrogant princess but still kept a pure heart ❤️
Having said that i am Zhao Lusi fan so i might be biased for her character ;)
Especially love the scenes where Huashu was humiliated in Youming world for manipulating Yuan Qi, and twice made to bow to Feng Yin and reminded of her lower status compared to Feng Yin, serves her right!
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wth with the editing
I really like Zhao Lusi, I have watched almost all of her dramas, but for this drama I realized it was something I didn't like.In terms of story, it's fine, good and I think this is an interesting story. The actors' acting is also good, although there are some that I don't like. but the editing and visual effects are really messy. the first 3 episodes were still good, but the next episode made me question whether I should continue watching it or not.
Actually, I've been unsure about the visual effects of the drama since the first poster was published. Very unattractive poster with edits that make Zhao Lusi's face look unattractive in the poster even though this is her first Xianxia drama.
the poster thing gets better when the drama is about to air. but it turns out that the effects of bad editing even reached the final episode.
the editing means the beautiful dresses of the actors are not highlighted. when there is an important scene but the focus is on other things.
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A must watch for fans who love pain and angst
Yes, if you love pain and angst-filled Wuxia or Xianxia drama tropes, and cry your eyes out till they become red, you must watch this drama. It's a gut-wrenching, yet, heart-warming drama that deals with the themes of love, friendship, kinship, filial piety, morality, duties, and responsibilities.Even with such complex themes the drama is narrated in a non-complicated and intriguing way. The story starts slow, with the first few episodes being light-hearted. Maybe the writers wanted the viewers to brace themselves for the trauma that the latter episodes would inflict. But hang through the first few episodes because it only keeps getting better.
The writers of this drama did great justice to all the characters. Usually, in these kinds of dramas, side characters simply fade into the background once their job's done. But in this, the sub-characters had their own complex characteristics and arcs, allowing them to grow in pace with the drama.
Also, kudos to the casting team because each and every actor perfectly fit into their roles. From the main lead to the minor characters which did a cameo, everyone nailed their performances. The costumes and the setting of this drama are exceptional too. All the different clans in this drama were given costumes, hairstyles, and makeup that brought out the essence of their clans and personalities.
Both the main couple and the second couple are a great delight to watch and their storylines will make you celebrate friendship and yearn for true love. This drama had some unexpected friendship stories that truly leave you in awe.
CGI was decent, but there's definitely room for improvement. And as for the music? Could've been better too.
And don't worry if you haven't seen the prequel, "Ancient Love Poetry." This drama fills you in on everything you need to know, so you won't miss out on any of the excitement.
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great acting. fair storyline
One reviewer said to be patient because this takes a while to ramp up. they were right. Like 5 to 7 episodes. Then there are a string of really good episodes. But at mile 36, I gpt really tired. Almost shelved it in the last four episodes but powered through.The thing that saves this show from being a 6.5 is the actors, especially FL(obviously Lu Si is a genius and rocks every script she touches) and 2ML (9 tailed fox), who already acted together in Love Like the Galaxy. (note, he needs to be a ML.). ML was I guess ok. . Haven't seen him in anything else, so maybe he was directed to act just the way he acted, and I didn't like his character versus his acting. Liked the character's playfulness and mischievousness, but in the more serious parts, he just seemed bland. There are more villains than you can count. Story is convoluted and goes off in a million different directions, with a ton of characters that are hard to keep straight. I tried not to skip because I wanted to try to figure out the plot.
One of my biggest gripes is the ending. without giving too much away, we viewers waited for this ending for 40 episodes, all anticipating an amazing ending and it just fizzled out -- such a disappointment. Writers, finish what you started!!! The 2ML and 2FL ending was more satisfying than the ML and FL.
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classic XianXia story, but with good actors
The Last Immortal (2023) - 8,5/10 -cdramayeah classic XianXia... this drama felt too long. Story even though it was gradually progressing , here was quite lot parts I just tolerated rather than enjoyed.
Shortly put. For me this drama was always around average[8] and above average[8,5] .... based on episodes some was boring some was nice. At the end I guess I enjoyed more episodes than Iepisodes I felt bored for. Moreover it got few mine favs actors which is + too.
Story felt overly complicated, but its predecessor[Ancient Love Poetry] had alike complicated story too.
plot - shortly put ML is immortal from god descent and only true god in immortal world. He is lazy and incompetent, partly by choice. FL is not even born yet but she is hatching as new demigod phoenix. ML caused problem with FL birth and FL's spirit dissipated. ML is grounded to fobidden zone till FL's rebirth. ML finds egg of magical beast[FLs soul] in forbidden zone and hatches it. FLs becomes magical pet of ML and their mutual fate can start.
genre -XianXia, romance
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The romance here is great. Forbidden love through lifetimes, epic protectiveness, jealousy and misunderstandings. The acting also rises above - to no surprise. I'm a big fan of 3 of the main actors Zhao Lu Si, I've followed since 'The Romance of Tiger and Rose', Wang An Yu starred in one of my favorite modern romances 'Falling Into You' and I thought Li Yun Ri stole the show in 'Love Like the Galaxy. '
Why then drop? The plot is a mess with too much screen time spent on petty villains and lots of wasted time with our main characters not sharing screen time. The CGI, production and costumes are all lacklustre.
As time went on, I started not just distractedly watching, but actively skipping to scenes with the three main actors mentioned above. Once I realised I was skipping 50% of each episode I decided it was time to stop.
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Could've been so much better
I hope the FL grows up because at this point episode 16, she is STILL acting "young". FL acting capabilities being young is terrible. The overly long blinks, tilting head, open duh mouth and running with her arms out. Even young people, unless you're 3, don't run like that. Come on. I liked her in other dramas like Love like the Galaxy and Who Rules the World. I'm sure years ago, she didn't play roles like this. I don't think they should hire her to play a young person again. I'm torn because I think all the other actors are doing great, and I don't want to give this a low rating but it's a difficult watch but I'll stick with it for now and hopefully she'll be better at playing an adult.Was this review helpful to you?
The characters were so on point
Just finished watching this drama, and it's so good. I'm quite happy i watched it at this time, so i won't have to wait for upcoming episodes.Feng Yin's characher was good, but it was nothing special to me. It was indeed worthy of a main lead. She was almost the best there, but it was to be expected.
The coolest people in the drama were Yuan Qi and Ming Qi. What i liked about them most was the way they used their powers, those Yuan Qi's cool finger gestures, and Ming Qi's confident flow of power.
I really liked Ming Qi in this drama, even before the last episode. Watching him with Xiu Yan was always so good to look at. The way he was always calm and cool about everything was just so good.
I also liked the Ao Ge - Xiu Yan brothers. Their characters were just too amazing. The way Ao Ge was always stoic and aloof when acting as the ruler and how he was always emotional when it came to his brother moved me. And how Xiu Yan was always thinking of all possibilities and coping with Ming Qi was just too good to see.
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This review may contain spoilers
Gotta be honest, I can't bring myself to 100% ship A Yin with the ML.I just feel that she is way too good for him. He literally killed her by mistake in the beginning💀. And ever since he's gotten her in so much trouble (e.g. he gave that damned peacock the umbrella artifact and ended up putting both his and A Yin's lives in danger- she ended up habing to heal him by sacrificing a part of her lifespan). Also by the looks of the trailers even up to episode 24 he is the same. He literally told her that he regretted to have met her in the trailer like- 💀. I do not care under what circumstances he was. I wouldn't be able to find anyone desirable after all of that.
I would very much prefer Feng Yin to return like the QUEEN that she is and pay ZERO attention to him. She's better off ending up with Hong Yi or even on her own at this point.😭.
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Childish, meant for teenagers… hope it gets better
The drama had some aspects that were not up to the mark and could be improved upon. Although the script appeared to cater to a teenage audience, certain areas were a bit perplexing and could improve flow and coherence. The immortals had many talents, yet their inability to tell the truth was odd. Additionally, the chemistry between the main characters could have been better, and there was a lack of a sassy and powerful female lead, which is usually appreciated by many audiences.The character of FL played by Rosy Zhao was cute, but I found it disappointing that the scriptwriters didn't give her a stronger character. As a result, her portrayal felt short and annoying to me. I was looking forward to seeing Rosy Zhao's new drama but overall it was a disappointment. I didn't find chemistry with the ML Yang An Yu. It was too childish.
However, I was thrilled to see Li Yun Rui again. I loved him in Love Like the Galaxy. I still wish they became the main lead couple in a costume drama. They have great chemistry and complicity. I would be over the moon watching them together!
I find modern music in costume dramas to be problematic. I prefer the use of flute, violins, and zither. Personal taste.
However, there were several things that the drama did very well. The costumes and backgrounds were stunning, and the special effects were well done. The acting of all the performers was also good. There were some funny moments in the drama that added to its charm, and the blue puppet, despite being marketed towards teenagers was a clever move that could generate significant revenue.
While the drama had some weaknesses, it also had several strengths. It had a talented cast, beautiful visuals, and some entertaining moments. It could become a great drama that appeals to a broader audience with some improvements to the plot and character development.
Season 1, 24 episodes out of 40. I will still give it a chance to see if it gets better. Because at this point, a lot of the story makes no sense and at times redundant and boring.
**
The plot took a sharp turn after her third reincarnation in episode 30. The once sweet and innocent character transformed into a cold and unlikable bitch. While the male lead who had previously rejected her in her past life finally realized his mistake became a remorseful character and received his own rejection medicine back at him, the extreme coldness of the female lead's personality was simply unbearable to me. Although I prefer strong and powerful women to lead and enjoy seeing the villains punished, her icy attitude was too much. I understand that she remembers all the sufferings and rejections she faced, but it does not justify her behavior. Even though the drama is still airing, I can only keep it a 5-star rating.
**
I finally watched the last episodes, but it was too little too late. The plot did get better, and the emotions of both couples were more engaging, but I was left with a female lead that I couldn't stand. One was a doormat and the other was a bitch, and I didn't like either of them. Even the last few episodes that showcased the rosy Zhao I love didn't make up for the previous disappointment. The epilogue was an utter disappointment, poorly executed and lacking in every aspect. As a fan, I'm not blind to an actor's bad script.
This show is a complete miss for me, with no rewatch value and no recommendation whatsoever.
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A Mesmerizing Dive into Eternity
"The Last Immortal" is a spellbinding drama that masterfully weaves the threads of mortality and immortality into a captivating narrative. The storyline, rich in complexity and depth, explores the consequences of eternal life with a poignant touch.The casts both Zhaolusi and Wang anyu delivers stellar performances, with each actor skillfully portraying the nuances of their immortal characters. The chemistry between the lead actors adds an extra layer of authenticity to the timeless tale. The cinematography is breathtaking, capturing the essence of different time periods and immersing the audience in the beauty of centuries past.
The script, a tapestry of emotions and philosophical contemplation, invites viewers to ponder the profound questions surrounding life, love, and the human condition. The pacing is impeccable, allowing the narrative to unfold gracefully while maintaining a sense of suspense.
"The Last Immortal" is not just a drama; it's a visual and emotional feast. The soundtrack complements the storytelling, enhancing the overall experience and evoking a spectrum of emotions. The production team's attention to detail is evident in the seamless transitions between historical epochs, creating a visually stunning and cohesive narrative.
As the drama reaches its climax, viewers are left with a lingering sense of introspection. Themes of love, sacrifice, and the relentless passage of time resonate long after the credits roll. "The Last Immortal" is a testament to the power of storytelling, leaving audiences with a profound appreciation for the transient beauty of mortal existence.
In conclusion, "The Last Immortal" is a must-watch for those who crave a thought-provoking drama that transcends the boundaries of time. It not only entertains but also challenges perceptions, making it a standout piece in the realm of immortal-themed dramas.
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This review may contain spoilers
An Unlikely Romance Between a True God and The Pheonix Queen
Adapted from the novel “Hidden God” (神隐) by Xing Ling (星零), WeTV’s latest adaptation “The Last Immortal” shares a close connection with the popular fantasy romance “Ancient Love Poetry”. Starring Zhao Lusi and Wang Anyu in lead roles, the show recently premiered to high expectations and is making waves throughout. I have been reading a lot of contradictory comments on MDL about this show; some like this drama immensely (like me) whilst others aren’t exactly enamored with Wang Anyu’s acting prowess. I had the same reservations, when I started with the first episode. His expressions seemed to mechanical and paired opposite a phenomenal actress like Zhai Lusi, his act was indeed disappointing. The show takes sometime and effort to get used to; I was mainly focused on the mystique surrounding Zhao Lusi and that was the only reason, why I persisted. But overtime, Wang Anyu’s Gu Jin slowly grows on you. Before going into too many details, let’s reminisce and rejoice!Read the complete article here-
https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2023/12/15/the-last-immortal-first-impressions/
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