4Minutes (Sultrier Version) (2024)

huh?

This might be one of the most peculiar and disturbing compilation of ads
that I've ever had the dubious pleasure to click through on double speed
while praying that a triple speed option would magically appear on the video playback speed controller.
I mean, such an unabashed waste of talent, time, energy and money has to be illegal.

Standing ovation on the underage sex scenes. Well done, Entertainment Industry. Here's your cookie.

With all the money that was poured into this...cinematic creation, they surely could have put dozens of kids from underprivileged backgrounds through med school. Twice.

And now I'm just sitting here gnawing on my nails worried-sick Charlie Kaufman might actually faint from all the laughter and would have to get hospitalized if he ever happens to watch this. Or from all the crying. Maybe both.
What if he has enough unwasted bad karma and this actually happens?
What would the Wachowski sisters think? LMAO

Ryan Gosling once mentioned the "two for them one for yourself" rule..... My hopeful guess is - for the one whose nickname does not correlate all too well with this abomination of a storytelling, this has to be the one FOR THEM. Also, could these THEY finally leave the grannies alone, please pretty please? Haven't the grannies suffered enough? Just stop it already. Better yet, to paraphrase an old song: leave the grannies and the kids alone!! And the cats, ok?

Emm, let's see:
the Durex's money could have been gone as the intimacy choreographer's wage, naturally.
the Cat Food's and the Sunscreen's money combined - as the medical advisor's wage, deservedly.
(loooved how they thoroughly transcribed all the medical terms. very important! educational! please forgive my sarcasm)
But then something must have gone TERRIBLY WRONG in the writers' room.
Because, surely, they only had money left for the cheap counterfeit vodka for a fuel, and the deadline was yesterday. Oh boy, that must have been tough: counterfeit vodka can make one do\write things, looking back one might not be so proud of.....

Ok then, sounds pretty plausible to me.
Or at least just as plausible as all the nappy marrow that went down within these longest ever 4 minutes.
Hopefully I might be able to unsee it with a heavy dose of baby elephants vids.
Fingers crossed.

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yeah, that's what i thought you'd do [slightly derogatory]

I came into this show knowing I loved about half the creatives and hated about half the creatives, so it was always going to be a best-of-times-worst-of-times situation for me. I was, honestly, pleasantly surprised where we ended up! High production values and an interesting concept will get you quite far, and 4Minutes had both in spades--plenty enough to cover some fumbling of plot lines and moderately lackluster romance. Though I think in the end I enjoyed the concept of this series more than the actual series itself, I am going to send out tweets telling me "when it's finished" friends to pick up... so. I guess they got me there!

-The Full Review-

STORY:
Sammon, Sammon, Sammon... It's always the same shit with you, isn't it? Women bleeding from their pregnancy-related-illnesses, a solid attempt at "medical accuracy." awkward/stiff romance in all the strangest places, and an ending that never quite manages to kill enough of it's darlings to stick the landing. And illegal casinos, now, I guess? I'm being rude.
I think 4Minutes is actually quite a bit stronger than Dead Friend Forever and tighter than Manner of Death. While the ending still dragged, I think there was an attempt to really bring all the pieces full circle that improved the quality of the series overall. I loved the concept a lot, and felt that there was a reasonably good use of the 4Minutes concept throughout the narrative, the strongest being in the earlier episodes.
That said, I think pacing and execution was quite sloppy. The first four episodes were full of intrigue and suspense. but the later episodes didn't keep pace conceptually as the action sped up. The 4Minutes touchstones were lost to a lot of montage and time skips that made it difficult to stay invested in the time-bending narrative. I ended up feeling much more connected to the characters on the grounded timeline.

ACTING:
Well, there's no coy way to say it. I think Fuaiz and Bas stole the show entirely--but I don't think it was entirely their doing. Everyone in this show is at worst a competent actor and at best really quite an interesting performer. However, the structure of the story was much kinder to the characters in "reality," in terms of audience connection and the ability to build character.
Fuaiz and Bas had very traditional character arcs. We get an initial impression of their characters, and then slowly the plot reveals the layers of their psyche. For Fuaiz, I loved the balance of how cold and calculating he tries to be over top the much more unstable distress. The way he broke and then smoothed over the pain was heart-wrenching and won me over immediately. For Bas, the struggle between his responsibilities was not quite so intriguing to me... until it built to breaking point in the final episode. Really beautifully raw emotion coming through with very little dialogue.
For Jes and Bible... I was less impressed. I was surprised, because I loved Bible as Vegas. But the shift between Great's 4Minutes ideal reality, reality as we know it, Tyme's 4Minutes reality, and the new normal... really lost their characters along the way and the romance with it. They felt less dimensional and less stable as characters over time, not more real. The performances in any given moment were solid, but they didn't add up to a coherent character. It was... a little flat.
For the stand out ensemble I am going to take a minute to once again bitch that Be On Cloud is absolutely Wasting Jet by using him in these one-dimensional villain characters. I watched all of the Hidden Character and I fell absolutely in love with rendition of Porsche and I want to see that actor again. Stop punishing him for a bad choice in partner a year ago and give him something to work with!

PRODUCTION:
Gorgeous, as always, though not quite on par with Kinnporsche. I think the stand out moments of this series were the moments when reality and the 4Minute experience begin to blend. The snatches of spot-the-difference were beautifully chosen and very alluring. Unfortunately, some of the other shots got a little muddled and confusing--some of the darkness too dark and unstructured to be clear, some of the effects in the dream scene nauseating, and some of the choices a bit cute for the kind of production they were having. These weren't overly offensive though.
The only two choices I really disliked were the stupid stuffed animals (no one should take GMMTV's lead in shoving blatant merch opportunities into their series) and the use of Why Don't You Stay. Leave what is special to each production where it is. You've gone above and beyond to differentiate this from Kinnporsche and separate the cast from what they were in that series.... the cover was a misstep (and quite poorly sung).

INTIMACY:
Ok. The NC scenes were realistic and artistic. I enjoyed the way we were introduced to characters and their personalities through their sex scenes! I think there was clear purpose and choice for the degree of explicitness these scenes were shot with and I think they really pulled them off well in that regard. I hope that, despite Pond seemingly awarding himself the title intimacy director with no training, these shoots were a positive experience for the cast.
That said,,, They weren't hot LOL??? That's the best way I can think to phrase my complaint. Despite such a degree of explicitness and nakedness, very few of these scenes had a good sense for chemistry and connection. The plot was clear, the choices and conflict was clear, but the connection wasn't really happening in the moment. The pacing and framing always stumbled in a way that prevented them from being great. It feels like a step backwards, if I am being honest.

In all, I knew I was going to struggle with this show and the show struggled in exactly the places I expected it to. So, if you really like Be On Clouds post-Kinnporsche work or you're a huge Sammon fan... you'll probably have a great time (no pun intended)! If you, like me, don't... I think it's still worth watching and interesting work in it's own right. I think this company is still finding it's footing and discovering it's voice. This was a pretty good attempt!

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SO Sultry-ly good!

It gets more exciting after each episode- making me finish this in one day! I love the concept that the 4 minutes are based on. It's very interesting and meaningful at same time.

What I'm impressed is how well executed this is. I was initially worried that I may get confused because of the storyline but it actually is very clear. There are lots of details being shown that helps you connect the dots very easily as long as you follow through each episode closely. It's seriously really good.

The plot twist are amazing! The acting are also very good- not cringey at all. I especially love Jes and Bible here. I also love Korn and Tonkla, despite the ending

NCs are SOOO goood- Be On Cloud really knows what it's doing! Now, what I like is how the NCs are a bonus and not the selling point. We've seen lots of BL that just gave you NC with crap story, this is NOT one of those

This is seriously so high quality on all levels. 8 episodes are perfect, anything more would be draggy, althou I'll totally take a special episode to watch more Jes and Bible!

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A Decent BL

This series benefits from fantastic casting. It was genuinely refreshing to watch a BL where the cast are all sufficient actors. Jes and Bible are particularly good; Jes acts with convincing subtlety and (besides an awkward Thinking Aloud moment in the first episode) Bible is similar, handling two almost distinct characters well. It's enjoyable to watch actors who have believable range beyond the common BL Uncontrollable Sobbing.
What let's this series down is the writing.
The first five episodes turn out to be dream fodder for the so-far relatively bland MC. Bible does well with what he's given, but it's incredibly frustrating to invest five hours in what turns out to be a dream timeline. The MC suddenly takes an interesting turn in episode six, but odd pacing means you spend far less time in reality than the dream timeline. This is my absolute writing pet peeve. Why should I care about what's happened when at any given moment, it could turn out none of it is real?
I'd have loved to spend a lot more time in the reality timeline. If the pacing was more balanced, I might have found the twist charming. Unfortunately, I found it poorly executed. A shame, as the reality timeline had a lot of interesting potential. Initial episodes had some good twisty moments (like Dome's death) but they really needed to happen in episode 2 so we could get on with the real plot.

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Another great one from Be On Cloud but this is NOT A ROMANCE.

WARNING : NO SPOILERS But some mild comments which will be separated by lines from the rest of the review.

There was no way they could have given this series a satisfactory ending if not for that one. Although it's bittersweet and a couple of threads could have been better tied up.
One thing I'd like to warn about however is, if you're looking for romance.... this is not the right show. Not that there's not any but it's honestly not the heart of the drama... though they did give some fan service here and there esp. in the final episode in spite of the lack of NC scenes (in the final episode).

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Great was never great but by the time we reached the end of this journey, he had learned to be better. I'm mostly sad for Tonkla, but he crossed a line he should never had. At least Korn redeemed himself though not by choice but because he was driven to it.

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The show was made confusing on purpose and it's one of those that it's better not to know anything about before you start, but at the same time, that confusion is probably what the character we mostly follow felt.

"Why Don't You Stay" was my favorite song in Kinnporsche so it was pretty nice to hear it sung in another voice in the final episode.
Overall a great watch. I personally don't mind NC scenes as long as there's no violence involved ( BDSM or whatever is a BIG NO), some are relatively graphic so it might have hurt some people's sensitivities but personally I watched it for the story so whether there were NC scenes or not didn't make a difference... though I do think some of the earlier scenes with Tonkla felt too gratuitious.

Honestly, I still feel a bit overwhelmed, so I don't know how to write anything coherent apart from that I loved that show from its very first minute and that it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout its 8 weeks long run.
I have nothing but praise for the actors and for the whole crew who worked on this little gem which are SO SO SO RARE in Thai BLs.

Bible delivered but I was confident he'd pull it off, but Jes, Fuaiz, and Bas were nice discoveries. I'll keep on following their next projects whether they act together again or not.

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Time well Invested

A brilliant series from the very well written story to the amazing cinematography to the exceptional acting. It perfectly combines mystery with romance and action all very cleverly put, evoking all kinds of emotions. It keeps you interested from the start till the end, making you speculate and theorise over the possibilities. The plot is so strong you really need to pay attention to all the details. It's also the reason the rewatch value in my rating is so high. I feel the second time it's gonna look like a new show.

I recommend this series only to those who enjoy a complex story with dark undertones.

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You need to be completely immersed in the story

This series hits me harder than I expected. I was completely immersed in it as if I was living it, just finished now the last episode and I don't know exactly what to feel yet. Definitely my FAVORITE thai series right now.

The plot is really cool and interesting, but you NEED to pay 100% attention all the time, it's this kinda show that have lot of little details that you may think doesn't matter but trust me, it matters!
It's different from the usual I guess. Not many people like this kinda show because may seems confused, sometimes I was confused too but in a good way of experience. The direction did a great job, I'm really impressed and completely in love with everything about 4 Minutes, the photography is so perfect. People complain about being too dark but to me that fits perfectly with the atmosphere of the series, I can understand if you think that's it's a bad point but to me it's not.

The acting of Bible was insane! I have no words to express what I felt, Bib was PERFECT as Great. In general I think the cast did a amazing job, I really felt. That guy that did Ton Kla was insanely good too, his eyes was completely on the character, he made Ton Kla so real! Spotlights on him!
Now to me that one who did Win was kinda off sometimes, feels weird. He wasn't bad but side with Ton Kla he wasn't good though.

About the chemistry, Great and Tyme was FIRE! Stunning! I loved! Definitely good partners, both was really nice on the characters. Loved everything about. Ton Kla and Win, felt so not cool but had chemistry, idk exactly what to say about them, just weird to me how Win became "close" to Ton Kla. Now about Korn and Ton Kla, yeah had chemistry too but I didn't like Korn in the beginning, he was bad but it's okay because Ton Kla is also bad and crazy and we loved it LOL
Now that dude and that girl, wasn't that random and off like some people are saying, chill guys, they're cute and just that, relax.

The ending was definitely surprised. I was expecting lot of differents endings but this yeah let me without words. I don't know how I feel yet to be honest.
This show hits really harder when youre struggling with maladaptive daydreaming, that's my case, insane, got me really drowning. That's interesting to me. Need to think a lot.

What I loved the most:
- Acting (Great, Ton Kla and Korn) was definitely on point!
- Atmosphere really deep and dark, immersive.
- Photography!!!! Cheff kiss mwah

What I didn't like:
- I felt like something is missing on the last episode but I can't say what, just have a feeling.
- Sometimes, the way that some scenes was switching was off and confuse in not a good way.
- That guy who did Ton Kla was a minor when did the sex scenes, that's definitely NOT COOL ok BOC!

Plus: They should have put this on GLOBAL Viki rakuten! Didn't get why just few country and differents streaming services...

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Strong start average finish

4Minutes actually started out great but the last 2 episodes were not impressive. There are a few unanswered questions and the final episode has a few confusing moments which don't make sense unfortunately or at least they were quite ambiguous and just leave the audience to fill the gap.

I ended up starting the sultier version and it is definitely graphic. There is partial nudity especially involving a minor (at the time of shooting) so it is good that there is a censored version as well. Watch whatever you are most comfortable with.

I rarely watch BLs but the plot summary and title were what intrigued me. I enjoy mysteries and it was definitely fun trying to decipher the clues in each episode before the clarity of the situation finally hits. So that's where it started to be less enjoyable. There are a few editing issues that didn't make sense but don't affect the plot. I was still surprised these things weren't caught.

The show really was a 9/10 for me midway so I expected a strong finish but sadly they were unable to deliver. I felt disconnected from some of the characters by the end because their actions/reactions seemed strange. And some characters don't have the chemistry we were expecting so it feels unbelievable. It is sad because they really could have done well if they covered all their bases and hadn't skipped crucial moments and elaborated things further. I feel disappointed because I had higher hopes but it is worth watching for the suspense.

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A Gripping Mystery That Explores Love, Regret, and the Complexity of the Human Mind

I enjoyed the show. The mystery was spot-on for me; there were no plot holes, and all the dots connected perfectly by the end. The way they revealed what "4 minutes" stands for was brilliantly executed.

However, there were some aspects of the plot that I wished had been clearer:

*The Love Between the Main Characters
While I could feel their love for each other, I struggled to believe that a week was enough time for their relationship to fully blossom. It felt rushed. I think the writer could have given them more time to deepen their emotions, which would have also allowed the audience to better understand their attraction and love.

*The Second Leads Should Have Been the Main Leads
Plot-wise, Korn and Tonkla's story was the origin of all the chaos that unfolded in the show. If they had been the main leads, the narrative might have felt more cohesive. I understand this would mean the show couldn't be titled 4 Minutes, but the second couple deserved more prominence—not just as supporting characters but as the primary focus.

*Lack of Character Depth
Most of the characters lacked background stories, except for Tonkla. This made it hard to connect with anyone else emotionally. Tonkla stood out because I could relate to his emotions and understood his motivations better. I wish the writers had explored the other characters’ backstories more, as it would have helped the audience form a deeper connection with them.

Overall, the show is a must-watch. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a series that kept me hooked from start to finish. I especially appreciated the main theme of the show: how complex our brains are and how they can create an entirely different life to help us cope with regrets. I totally recommend this show!

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So amazing, but the last episodes were weak

This show is definitely worth watching. I loved the plot that just kept you on your toes, and the amount of theories I created was not healthy. I just felt like the last two/three episodes were in stark contrast to the rest of the show and much weaker.

Positives:
- Bible's acting! He was once again just convincing, natural, and just truly a great actor
- The plot. The writing of the plot progression was super interesting, how they kept dropping hints and kept us guessing. The characters were also super interesting, especially how they were morally grey, flawed, and complex.
- The NC scenes. Even though I wasn't the biggest fan of the pairings in this, they're chemistry wasn't AMAZING (but that wasn't the point of the show at all so it's fine), all the NC scenes were full of chemistry, incredibly nuanced, natural, and well-used as storytelling devices. Probably my favourite NC scenes ever.

Negatives:
- The last two/three episodes. The dialogue felt off/forced. The acting suddenly felt unnatural. They tried to wrap up/explain the previous plot in a way that made it feel silly, that dissolved all this great tension they'd previously built in an insignificant way. Truly am a bit disappointed.

All in all, still an amazing series. Maybe not that much rewatch value since it lives off the plottwist. Truly could've been a 10 star if they'd kept up the theme with the last episodes.

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I really wanted to love this show...

From the first 5 episodes of this show I was HOOKED! The acting was great, there was a mystery element, and also crime. I was very invested in the characters and their relationships, and wanted to see how they progressed. The villains of this show were also great. Like I genuinely hated them. Not to mention that the cinematography is great. The show is just really visually pleasing and has a great vibe.

Then all of my interest started to turn into confusion at episode 6. The whole what-if 4 minutes thing started to kick in and I was really confused. When I figured out what was going on I was like "okay, I think I get it," but then each episode just got more confusing. They got you hooked in with the first 5 episodes just to reveal that none of that actually happened, and that the reality is much more disappointing. Like the whole 4 minutes idea was interesting, but I don't think it was executed very well.

Maybe this is a show that'll hit different on the second watch, but the first watch just left me kind of confused and disappointed. I'll probably rewatch this at some point because I do like the actors and the overall vibe, and want to give it a second chance.

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