1
A promising story that spans two generations of heroes where their stories interlock and the previous generations choices push forward the new generation as they step in to adulthood. This could have been a truly great story where new heroes unravel past truths and relive old mistakes with new choices but the poorly written script relied too heavily on action and beauty and not enough on plot cohesion and direction.
There is quite a lot I find lacking in this drama starting with the costuming. Some costumes look great while others are just plain silly. Many of the hairstyles, specifically for most the women, I did not like. I also found the lighting lacking. Everything is well lit, yes, but its so monotone and lifeless because it lacks contrast. There are many scenes where the intensity could have been felt more through better lighting choices that allow for mood building. Instead every scene is always well lit, even the dark scenes. It makes the cinematography feel amateurish. The way the scenes are cut together also lacked a proper flow and was often jarring. Overall the quality felt low even though you could clearly see it was not low budget.
The actors did an okay job though I felt they lacked chemistry and the script often let down with obscure truths and fine details just magically being something they happen to know from an old childhood memory. It always seemed like our two leads just happened to know everything at all times. The timeline felt really muddled to me as well because we weren't given enough background about the older generation. It was always snippets and the same flashbacks but little information and even less emotional build up to allow us as the viewers to care about them. Pingshu was often at the center of every episode but barely seen in the series so I found it very hard to connect with the point of it all. She also never aged, even though all her friends did and she supposedly had only recently passed away. So much of the story is built on the older generations choices but we werent given enough information or time to care about them.
There is also almost no world building done. You are told over and over again that Jianghu is a dangerous place but not what it actually is and what the difference between it and the 'outside' world are. The martial arts are great and most the characters are amazing, until the plot needs them to lose. Then simple moves take them out easily. They never really explain the different sects or why they are all even at the same sect to train. And what really let this drama down was the lack of backstory. The older generation is so prevalent to the narrative but mostly ignored, the previous battles are so relevant to the current problems but not explained properly, and then our female lead is set on this impossible pedastool for no reason. In the beginning she mostly comes off as lazy but is loved by everyone, then she shows her skills and she is amazing but narrow minded though the story wants you to think she is broad minded.
Not one character has any growth in this series., thats a lie Lingbo did have some small development. I did not like any of them to be honest though. The 6 sects of course think they are righteous but are really hypocritical. Every person under the 6 sects is completely fine with murdering without evidence, capital punishment for perceived wrongs. Whats even the point of all these sects anyway when none of them are out actually helping people? The entire drama is filled with small minded, greedy, self serving characters.
Overall, I truly liked this in the first ten episodes but as it progressed I found myself losing interest. Even the ending scene lacked any true emotion even though most the new generation was happy and present.
There is quite a lot I find lacking in this drama starting with the costuming. Some costumes look great while others are just plain silly. Many of the hairstyles, specifically for most the women, I did not like. I also found the lighting lacking. Everything is well lit, yes, but its so monotone and lifeless because it lacks contrast. There are many scenes where the intensity could have been felt more through better lighting choices that allow for mood building. Instead every scene is always well lit, even the dark scenes. It makes the cinematography feel amateurish. The way the scenes are cut together also lacked a proper flow and was often jarring. Overall the quality felt low even though you could clearly see it was not low budget.
The actors did an okay job though I felt they lacked chemistry and the script often let down with obscure truths and fine details just magically being something they happen to know from an old childhood memory. It always seemed like our two leads just happened to know everything at all times. The timeline felt really muddled to me as well because we weren't given enough background about the older generation. It was always snippets and the same flashbacks but little information and even less emotional build up to allow us as the viewers to care about them. Pingshu was often at the center of every episode but barely seen in the series so I found it very hard to connect with the point of it all. She also never aged, even though all her friends did and she supposedly had only recently passed away. So much of the story is built on the older generations choices but we werent given enough information or time to care about them.
There is also almost no world building done. You are told over and over again that Jianghu is a dangerous place but not what it actually is and what the difference between it and the 'outside' world are. The martial arts are great and most the characters are amazing, until the plot needs them to lose. Then simple moves take them out easily. They never really explain the different sects or why they are all even at the same sect to train. And what really let this drama down was the lack of backstory. The older generation is so prevalent to the narrative but mostly ignored, the previous battles are so relevant to the current problems but not explained properly, and then our female lead is set on this impossible pedastool for no reason. In the beginning she mostly comes off as lazy but is loved by everyone, then she shows her skills and she is amazing but narrow minded though the story wants you to think she is broad minded.
Not one character has any growth in this series., thats a lie Lingbo did have some small development. I did not like any of them to be honest though. The 6 sects of course think they are righteous but are really hypocritical. Every person under the 6 sects is completely fine with murdering without evidence, capital punishment for perceived wrongs. Whats even the point of all these sects anyway when none of them are out actually helping people? The entire drama is filled with small minded, greedy, self serving characters.
Overall, I truly liked this in the first ten episodes but as it progressed I found myself losing interest. Even the ending scene lacked any true emotion even though most the new generation was happy and present.
Was this review helpful to you?
