This review may contain spoilers
Very Fast Paced Adventure—Should Have Been a 3 hr Film Instead
The first official Mystic Nine anything I've watched; prior to that it was only "Ultimate Note" that I saw and loved. ZZJ was the reason I was watching because I wanted to see him in another badass role since his breakout in CQL and he didn't disappoint.Pros: Loved the characters though the development was really fast. Usually it takes forever to develop a character but here in the hour and fourteen minute movie, they went wham bam boom. The backstory of this Zhang family member was heartbreaking though he got his retribution and justice in the end; his martial arts skills were always on point especially when his tattoo showed through. EYH was the ultimate duality; Beijing Opera performer/kickass martial artist in one jump.
I enjoyed the martial arts in every aspect. The main villain was impressive too because you were able to hate him after the first 10 minutes of watching. Special effects and CGI were where and when they were needed; nothing extra. Suspenseful and the franchise's main gambit of mask removal a la Scooby Doo was also a good way things stayed relevant. It had a lot of sides to it; like Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde meets the Incredible Hulk with Kung Fu and fantastical elements.
Cons: Everything felt rushed. This could have easily been a 3 hour film. Then every point would be understood and characters properly flushed out. Though the pair had a great friendship, it seemed to develop out of thin air. How they located the tattoo-face guy was random as was how ZQ found that fire breather in some random bathhouse in his first attempt to get revenge.
I wish there was more explanation on the monster before it showed itself in the literal final 10 minutes of the film. The pace was way too fast. The special effects on it were great but everything else was done at supersonic speed. That's literally the largest lack of cohesion in the movie. More time, slow the pace down, and properly flush out the characters and plot.
Would I recommend it? If you like this franchise, are into great martial arts, are a fan of ZZJ or any of the other actors, and want something supernatural to chew on, then yes. But buckle up because this film moves at breakneck speeds and you may not always understand how you got to a particular point in such a short time.
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Zanzan, good to see you again
I admit, Zhu Zanjin is the only reason I watched the movie for. The dramas he is in aren't airing, the last thing he was in was "Miss the Dragon" which as fun as syphilis (but he was hot in his role). I went in without watching ultimate note or the original series.I think the movie had potential. It was fun, I liked the action scenes (may I say ZZJ looks so good and manly while fighting even when cross dressing). I think the plot is interesting too. There is one bod problem with the movie that makes it a kinda good movie instead of a great movie- it is too short. Fast pacing isn't a bad thing, but I feel the story and charcters weren't flashed enough. The short run time does make it rushed rather than fast paced plot. I wish they added more scenes and run time. I would gladly watch more scenes with ZZJ! and the others too. As someone who doesn't know the general story, I didn't feel like I needed a background, so it's a shame that the movie is short. Even without ZZJ, this movie could be much bigger.
Do I recommend it only because of ZZJ? Actually no, I it was a pleasent surprise and it is only one hour long, but at least it was a fun time. If it were longer than I would still enjoy it and feel the story progress in a much natural manner. Heck, if you're a fan of any of the actors I think you would enjoy this movie.
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