Looks perfect except that all the female characters dont even play roles that qualify as supporting.
The best is extended cameo. It looks like the female characters are being hurried off the screen.
The strong strength is that it is separated into arcs that are resolved satisfactorily without letting the story get convoluted, but even arcs in which females play important they seemed hurried off (Banruo from the Hua tribe). She is the ever present female character but her story was too rushed.
I skipped over 25 episodes to verify that I would be satisfied at the end and I was.
Its a satisfying story and being wuxia it promotes morals. It very realistic even with the wuxia element, historically accurate too in depictions, sadly it didnt do the women more justice.
Was this review helpful to you?
In saying that, taking this drama at face value as an amazing small screen production, I would give it a 10/10.
Hu Ge as the titular character expresses and exceptional range of emotions and portrays his characters in wonderful detail. Every minute action adds to the storyline and makes his character all the more alive.
Watching this drama, you can see why Liu Tao, Wang Kai, Chen Long, Jin Dong and Hu Ge are so popular these days.
Mei Chang Su is an amazing blend of intellect, restraint and emotions that draws you in not for his amazing martial arts prowess but his considerable ability to remain calm in the face of any eventuality. He has a plan for a plan for a plan.
Some will say that Liu Tao is not strong enough as the female heroine, or that she spends too much time pining after her Lin Shu gege, but I say that she is just the right blend of longing and inner strength for a woman who knows not the fate of her love.
The one thing I would say that I dislike about this drama, is the amount of time Wang Kai spends crying. Based on his character, one would hope for a more resilient and emotionally strong individual (which he normally is unless you start to mention Lin Shu...which considering the drama is about Lin Shu...well...).
Definitely give this drama a go. It's one of the best that I've seen in a long time and the production value ensures that if you're not satisfied with the story, at least you'll be satisfied with it's visuals.
Was this review helpful to you?
The BRILLIANT cinematography and dramaturgy is breathtaking and really pulls you in. There is an atmosphere that is overwhelming and is still with me days after I finished this series. The emotions and feelings came across so well, with a lovely original sound track. There were moments in this drama that were so brilliant that I had to remember to breath. I felt so moved and invested by the end that I cried because I won’t ever get to watch this for the first time ever again.
The actors were fantastic and the directing was wonderful. These characters are not all easy to portrait but they came across so well. The whole ensemble worked very well together. The actors and director set a tone that was intriguing and appealing. How they moved and the mannerism they used were perfect and it was very satisfying to watch how it reflected the way royal court worked in the old days. The costumes are lovely and beautiful. The setting locations, the backdrops and the props were just magnificent!
The main story is very touching and not a straight up revenge story, but instead about fairness, truth and justice. I found that so appealing. Shades of grey of good versus evil. I was so invested in the friendship between the two main male leads, it was beautifully portrayed and involved elements like loyalty and trust. They were perfect together. As the story unfolded I rooted for them, cried with them and cheered them on.
One of the things that made me really interested in this story was the fact that our hero is very sick and weak. His power is not brute strength but his brilliant mind. For me this is the first of watching a drama where the main character is truly dying and very weak, at no time does he pull any superhero stunts. Except when his mind solved problems with impossible odds!
The romance is almost none existent in this drama. It is sweet but chaste and not at all any main focus. I actually quite enjoyed it being so on the low and not in the way for the more important events. You won’t be seeing the hero rescuing the princess from the castle, because she can take care of herself. I do actually think this drama is labelled wrong when the tag says romance.
The story pacing is excellent! The side stories spanned two or three episodes, often overlapping, and were all linked to the main story. The plotting and planning was exciting. I was worried going into this that I would not enjoy or be able to follow the politics, but it was more like watching the detective case of the week and before I knew it I suddenly knew all the characters and was perfectly following along how everything unfolded. Not getting it the first couple of episodes was not frustrating an everything was presented so naturally that I was never confused or frustrated. There was never really any effort.
I am having problems with coming up with downsides of this series. What did I not like, what were the mistakes. But I seriously can’t. It was like it was made for me.
My views on this is as a total beginner of this type of drama (Wuxia drama that is, though I am a fantasy lover and watch loads of Korean drama). I usually avoid fantasy with too much “flying” fighting, because it breaks my immersion, and go for the more realistic (haha…) fighting style productions. But before I watched this I stumbled upon a short description of the typical standard Wuxia world building and I suddenly understood that things did not work as they do in our “world”. As a nerd I filed some of the information away as totally legit and comparable to a D&D rule set.
Shallow as I am I also need to address the two male leads again and their "bromance". Hu Ge who is playing Mei Chang Su/Su Zhe took on a role I think is very difficult to portrait without coming across as fake. He is supposed to be very sick and that is easy to overdo. With just his body language and demeanor he made me feel his pain. There was no room for overacting. Still he was very sexy. Because a brilliant mind is something extremely attractive.
Wang Kai who plays Prince Jing played a more rough cut type of role. Even so when he broke into emotions it was heart achingly good. I could feel his sorrow and believed the emotions he displayed. Also, the very dark voice he has is something of the sexiest I have ever heard. I am just that shallow I guess. :)
These two together were amazing!
I loved this! I can’t recommend it enough.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Not My Cup of Tea
I'm one of the few who is not in love with this drama. I was thinking to drop it around episode 21 or 22, but others on MDL said it picks up around episode 35. Well, the lie detector test determined that that was a lie. It was boring to the bitter end. It is a political drama filled with long, drawn-out dialogues and in some cases, very questionable logic. If you feel that you should drop it, do not doubt yourself because of what others say, listen to your gut and drop it. I am not mad that I watched it, but I should have followed my intuition and just read recaps.What I liked:
-Fei Lu- Yes, the boy who spoke the least and loved eating and fighting was my favorite. He was adorable and extremely loyal.
-The Emperor, Jing Rui, Yu Jin, Lin Chen, Prince Ji, Meng Zhi, and Gao Zhan- These characters added some comic relief to a very serious and boring drama.
What I didn't like:
-Mei Chang Su- Yes, I know everyone loves him, but I didn't care for him. He was very smart, but he had a sanctimonious air to him. I lost all interest in him after what he caused at Jing Rui's birthday party. He wanted his revenge but often didn't take into consideration the feelings of people he was using as stepping stones.
-The keeping his identity from Prince Jing storyline was annoying and drawn out for too long. Prince Jing didn't find out until episode 48 or 49. I also didn't like that when Prince Jing was very close to figuring it out, the ML, the princess, Prince Jing's mother, and General Meng would consistently lie to him and insult his intelligence by gaslighting him. I don't know how he was able to trust any of them after that. I don't care if it was for the greater good, these are not the actions of trustworthy people.
-This drama lacks an emotional connection. I could not connect with many of the characters, especially the ML. They tried to make us feel something between him and the princess, but we never really saw any romance between them. We know they love each other, but I couldn't feel anything for them. Everyone raves about the bromance, but it actually didn't do anything for me. In terms of bromance only, it doesn't compare to Cross Fire, Ouroboros, Handsome Sibling, or Inseparable Bros, in my opinion. The only times this drama elicited feelings from me was when Prince Yu was pleading with his father while he was in the cage after his rebellion (he acted really well in that scene) and Tong Lu's little love story.
My recommendation is if you want to watch it, then watch it; if you want to drop it, then drop it.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
Meh
I had full expectations for this drama going in but now I fail to see the genius. the characters seem very forced to me. It feels like they had certain features they were determined to convey but forgot to add the little things that make characters come alive. And really Liu Tao is such a bore to watch. The writing is also very basic, I don't follow the logic. They're trying to set up this really clever strategist protagonist but his setup is unrealistic. For lack of a better example let's say this really smart guy predicts there'll be a rainbow in the morning following the long and hard downpour at night according to this drama there's always a rainbow in the morning. But we all know it's possible it doesn't stop raining throughout the next day and there might be no sun and the real prove of ability is being able to quickly change course under such circumstances. Things like this aren't only unrealistic but they're boring to watch because everytime something comes up you know the ML has "foreseen" it and planned accordingly, so the balance is lost and there's no climax. The emotional aspect is also lost on me. The story revolves around very tragic events from the past and the ML's revenge, however, the writer didn't deem it fit to reveal the thoughts, feelings and emotions of the villains surrounding their wrongdoings.They also skipped all the complex emotions you'd expect from the protagonists considering all they've been through. For example how did it feel to not be recognized by loved ones or to live with the realities of a new and fatal illness as a former soldier. Hu Ge is also not very good at conveying this hidden anger and boiling need for revenge while maintaining a facade upfront. The fire is just not there. There are no engaging devices employed in this drama, no real chemistry between the main characters ( be it bromance or romance) and no interesting plot twists. Events just unfold one to another, the next being more boring than the former. To summarize my feelings by the end I'd say it ended without ever starting. There's really no outstanding aspect to this drama for me and it'll always be mystery why it's so highly rated but to each their own.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Gold Standard for C-Dramas
Its 2023, years since NIF has been out and I STILL have friends who have not watched despite hearing rave reviews. Please give this drama a chance. At first glance it might not have the pretty young faces of idol dramas but what it does have is a deep and intricate plot, good overall pacing and a stellar cast.Story - It might start a bit slow as it lays down the groundwork and setting for the story, but quickly gets more interesting after 6th or 7th episode after you get a feel for the context of the story. Its a battle of wits and smarts, righting old wrongs, enduring friendships, and betrayals by those you thought could be trusted. And its about an unfavored prince who, with the right advisor, grows the motivation to also fight for the throne with his brothers.
Acting/Cast - Wang Kai and Hu Ge were amazing as the main characters. Wang Kai as that unfavored prince who transformed in the story from someone resigned to being unfavored with no shot at the throne, to someone who is determined to fight for it for the sake of the people and for the sake of those wronged in the past. Hu Ge did great as that mastermind manipulator navigating all the political schemes like a chess grandmaster, while at times showing some regret/sorrow for who he needs to manipulate to accomplish his plan. I also loved the supporting cast, especially Liu Min Tao's character as Jing Yan's mother. There really was not a single character from the main leads to the minor characters that I was disappointed with. Even supporting characters who only showed up in a few episodes a small handful of times, I remember their backstory well and what their role was and was invested in what happened to them--even the supporting cast was memorable. I wish I could thank the entire cast and crew for creating this wonderful drama.
I've rewatched this drama a couple times already and while I don't usually enjoy stories with power scheming and the backstabbing/cunning of harem politics as much, I really loved this drama. As far as pacing and storytelling, fleshing out the characters, finding the right cast for the roles INCLUDING the supporting characters, I hold this drama up as the gold standard for other dramas to aim for.
Was this review helpful to you?
Best C-Drama of the 21st century
I watched this drama later than everyone else; 16 months after the original TV broadcast. I watched the entire drama in three weeks, staying up until 3AM, to watch episodes.Nirvana in Fire is a TV drama masterpiece, that was brilliantly written and produced. All the actors in the primary and supporting roles, gave exceptional acting performances. Hu Ge and Wang Kai were the perfect casting choices for the Mei Chang Su and Prince Jing Yan roles. The costume designs and the set designs were flawless, and the music soundtrack was perfect. The directing and editing were very good.
The intricate plot flowed like an English Literature textbook. Hai Yan's novel, "Lang Ya Bang", deserves recognition in the Asian and Western literary worlds, and the TV drama deserves honors in the Asian and Western entertainment industries. All TV production houses should use the Nirvana in Fire as the benchmark for their dramas.
This is the first TV drama that I awarded 10 points across the board.
Was this review helpful to you?
The standard by which I measure all other dramas
It's been 5 years since this drama came out, and still there is almost nothing that compares to the magic of NIF:- a focused, structured story that is well-paced, doesn't have any filler content, and also doesn't think of its audience as idiots
- strong, intelligent characters that are unique and lovable (or at least understandable), both male and female, with character arcs that go somewhere and feel earned
- natural, expressive acting where you feel the full personality and history of each character
- beautiful costumes, settings, and scenery as befitting a historical/costume drama
NIF has the clear elements of good narrative storytelling, which seems rare in dramas nowadays - setup, rising action (with each step a necessary piece of the plot and building up the tension), climax, and resolution. Most other dramas that I've seen fall into a trap of just having things that happen one after another, with nothing to link them together and no clear advancement or tie to the plot = it's less a story and more just a series of events.
The only criticism I might have of NIF is that I felt the resolution was a bit rushed, but otherwise this is the drama that I measure all others by, and the vast majority of them fall short.
Was this review helpful to you?
Not even exaggerating, by the way.
1) The reason I watched this :
if you’ve poked on my dramalist, you would probably know that I watch Korean dramas almost exclusively. It’s partly habit, partly soft spot, and partly the excellent production values that kdramas tend to serve up. Coz I do like pretty things, as you very likely know.????
Still, I like to keep an open mind, and when something that’s not within my usual wheelhouse gets a lot of buzz, the curious cat in me can’t help but want to see for myself what the fuss is about.
That’s what happened here.
2) background and cinematography :
A LAND OF FAIRYTAIL, its a world in itself , a unique story plot fantasy world , full of twists and LOVE , the scenes itself , are original .. The production values of this show are so high that it often feels more gloriously cinematic than modestly small screen.
Everything is carefully, lovingly, beautifully shot, and it is a literal feast for the senses. From the amazing landscapes, to the loving camera angles and every meticulously-framed shot, to every deliberate, painstaking detail in set, costume and background music, everything is precisely, just-so perfect.
*The cinematography is great , which is one of the strong points of this drama
3) Acting
Our principal cast does a tremendous job of bringing their characters to life, and even the baddies are excellently and believably portrayed. Layered and nuanced from the big moments to the quiet, subtle ones, every major character is delivered with an admirable level of mastery and commitment.
10/10.
4) The writing
Its all about the writing ... this show wouldn't have been a success without the great mind of the writer,As excellent as the production values and acting are, the writing is truly the star of this entire show. Mad, mad props to Hai Yan, who not only wrote the original novel, but also penned the script for this show.
ONE WORD " General brilliance "
5) My impression (How did it affect me):
Its like I lived in the world of FANTASY and dreams for a short period of time :)
*Is the drama memorable: YES
My impression: 9/10.
6) Overall: 9/10
Was this review helpful to you?
The ONE Chinese Drama, Everybody should watch! Instant classic! Masterpiece!
This is MY FAVOURITE ASIAN DRAMA SO FAR!This is one of the Best Chinese Dramas ever produced. A MASTERPIECE!!
A story about revealing the truth. About Revenge, yet it's much more than that.
The Main Male Lead is one of the smartest written characters ever.
The story is Excellent. It's about a quest to make things right. (Justice)
That is the goal of the main Character, Mei Chang Su.
This story brought me to tears, tears were shed for the romance moments,
the bromance between Mei Chang Su and Prince Jing.
Even shed tears for Prince Yu and Emperor.
I loved all these characters, like they were real!
The Characters were very much alive, and they had reasons for their actions good and bad.
Also the characters motives was very reasonable, with a lot of depth.
Most Characters had Depth and were smart. The Martial arts scenes was amazing too.
All the Actors were amazing and really did a great job.
Especially Hugh Hu, Tamia Liu, Wank Kai, Victor Huang, Ding Yong Dai and Leo Wu.
The Music was amazing in this show, I loved the main instrumental theme.
A theme that perfectly fits this Drama.
I have already watched this again. So definitely want to rewatch this one in the future.
Overall one of the best and most moving stories I have seen and experienced.
This just shows, how incredible Chinese Dramas can Be!
STILL THE GREATEST CHINESE DRAMA EVER, In my eyes!
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
