A Winning Formula
Every now and again you get these feel-good underdog stories that are executed so well. After watching, you sit there for a moment satisfied like you just finished eating your favourite meal. Inspired to take on tomorrow's challenge.Your stomach is full and your heart is warm and content.
You don't need to know about the sport Rugby to enjoy this drama. The characters are relatable and the story imparts life lessons, while cliche never get old and stay true throughout life.
It's Okay to Fail, Don't Give Up, Learn, Grow, Pick Yourself Up and Keep Moving Forward.
Better to have Tried and Failed than Never Tried at all.
So go ahead and give it a Try!
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Guilty Pleasure
Light-hearted Transmigration Story.Where MC utilises his modern knowledge to improve his situation and combat corruption.
Even though it has the usual tropes, it is executed well and is a very fun and satisfying watch.
Hope more of these stories are produced in full length format.
You will also find a contender for the most SHAMELESS character in all of Drama in this one too. LOL.
Like this review, Short and Sweat, give the show a watch, you won't regret!
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John Wick Inspired.
While watching this, could not help but think, John Wick.An infamous figure in the underworld, brought back for revenge.
Replace guns with melee weapons, replace a dog with a brother and set it in Korea.
Add more layers of story and emotion and you got Mercy for None.
If you are a fan of the former, you will enjoy this one too.
While the mastermind was pretty predictable, still entertaining till the end.
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Minor Spoiler? Doesn't Make Sense to me. Episode 1 - A Questionable Request.
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Even though a reasoning was given.
The request at the very start that started off the story just doesn't make sense to me.
Why did Chairman Gu Bongsan ask Chairman Lee Juwoon to help clean up after his Son?
Why ask a rival gang to help discipline his Son? Even Chairman Lee questioned it.
It's begging for something to go wrong. LOL.
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Suffers from Poor Writing/Script
From the Plot description I was expecting something similar to Nirvana in Fire.While it started promising, what develops is largely disappointing and unsatisfying.
MC apparently trained for 10 years, (yes not completed), still, a WHOLE decade under SEVERAL "Masters".
You would think in all that time, they would be setting up networks, collecting information, and preparing and planning ahead.
Nope.
For someone who is built up to be an intelligent and meticulous strategist who has the support of "Masters" in their craft.
Zang Hai is consistently under prepared, consistently underestimates his opponents. Consistently is bailed out by other people. He does not seem to plan out anything meticulously, and it is more like MC's winging it as he goes. And is surprised when someone pulls one over him. LOL.
A naive, ignorant, uninformed, arrogant, righteous without power MC who shows flashes of brilliance.
Writers really let this one down.
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Missed Opportunity
What starts off as a promising Wuxia Revenge Story falls flat in the second half.It had the makings of a great story similar to "Nirvana in Fire."
A Strong MC in Mo Qing Chuan, interesting characters, Great Wuxia Action scenes, in an interesting backdrop with fantastic costume and colors.
Unfortunately, the story is let down by:
- Lack of Action Scenes. The scenes were executed quite well, however they were far and few between and short.
- Lack of attention on Wuxia. Rather focusing more on politics.
- Forced Romance in the 2nd half. For someone reason they decided to force some sort of romance that was nonexistent to begin with. Alot of the plot in 2nd half revolves around the weak ML and attempts to save FL due to his selfish feelings. Prioritized over the FL's schemes which fall flat and felt rushed.
- Weak ML. Character and Actor.
- Overall seemed to have lost focus on the title's character.
Everything else was positive especially:
- Cristy Guo as Mo Qing Chuan carried this show.
- Yang Fu Yu as Jiang Kui was great too.
Side Note:
Some of the BGM is the same as another title "Noble Aspirations", which i enjoyed. Haha.
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Guilty Pleasure
I am sucker for transmigration + cultivation + zero to hero stories.Especially ones that are executed well with this type of plot.
As a mini drama, it gets into all main points quite quickly.
While it has the usual troupes, it's still very much a fun and satisfying ride!
Even though it has a smaller budget/production, the SFX is done well.
Wish it was a full length with more details fleshed out.
While there are many stories like it found in Webtoons/novels,
there are not many live action/adaptions that follow this kind of plot.
Hopefully this gets a sequel!
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One other example of this type of plot is - > Dominator of the Martial Gods. Full length but also on a small budget.
Others on much larger budgets have been disappointing.
-> Martial Universe, The Great Ruler, Fights Break Sphere, Douluo Continent, Burning Flames.
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A Cultivation Extravaganza!
Majority of productions that tag cultivation, focus more on the Romance/Political side of things. Not this one!Follow MC with his medicore talent as he fights fate through sadness, laughter, defeat and victory on the road to Immortality.
Martial Arts, Magical Skills, Alchemy, Sects, Factions, and Epic Battles galore!
This is how i'd imagine a full length/live-action Cultivation Story to be depicted, and it nails every aspect!
Highlights
- Cinematography that shows how vast the world is.
- VFX / Battle scenes that are as martial, magical, thrilling and impactful one would imagine reading a cultivation novel.
- The most fitting OST for every scene, whether it brings a tear, or gets the blood pumping.
- A strong lead actor and supporting cast.
All the above combined made every scene a treat for the senses!
Even scenes with minimal dialogue, reminded me of the saying "a picture is worth a thousand words".
There are some minor plotholes here and there, but nothing that affects the overall product.
With a market oversaturated with Romance/Detective Stories, this is a refreshing change.
Cannot wait for Season 2!
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Action Scenes strung together....
The only redeeming quality of this movie, are the action sequences and production value.Watch it once if you can pay attention for that long and move on.
I have no prior knowledge of the novel this is based on, nor watched any of the previous adaptions.
These series of novels are famous and very popular supposedly. Based on this and another adaption of a different novel from same author, they just seem like badly written webtoons. Makes sense if these are what inspired all the badly written webtoons... lol. I am a fan of Wuxia, but so far these adaptions of these popular novels are not it.
The way the story is told, pacing and unlikeable characters presented you left with the feeling of indifference and confusion. The way ML is setup/found multiple times in the same way, was almost comical. The romance seemed forced, and many of the characters introduced are rushed and thrown in from out of nowhere.
The ending is rushed with a few flashbacks causing more confusion rather than completing the plot holes. You don't make a standalone movie expecting your audience to have knowledge to fill in half the story.
It just feels like this movie was just to showcase Donnie Yen directed action sequences. Which was great! Except the final fight, too much telekinesis ki power maybe? Every time ML fired off his ultimate move, i heard the T-Rex from Jurassic Park. lol.
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Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Sabre
1 people found this review helpful
Great Story Ruined by Un-likeable Characters.
Don't bother. Save your binge time on something else.I have not read the novel this is based on. The only other adaption i have watched was the incomplete Jet Li movie - "Kung Fu Cult Master". Which was lots of fun. Sad there was no sequel with same cast.
Everyone likes an underdog story. It what makes shonen manga so popular. You have a weak character who goes through hardship, grows, powers up to become strong. You can't help but feel, relate and cheer on these characters.
This one however, by the halfway mark, felt like punching the ML in the face. lol. He is SOOOO very un-likeable.
He becomes powerful through lucky encounters only to show no growth or character development. In some cases, forgetting he was that powerful. Naive to the end of days, never learning a lesson or listening to his supposed trusted companions or parents. Only listening to the antagonist who happens to be a pretty girl. Before you can you blink, she has him eating out of her palms. Proper whipped. Out of nowhere lol. It's not even a fun time, as they are unlikeable.
There are other un-reasonably frustrating characters and developments, (omg head nun) but we won't go into them.
Be it, the original story, adaption, acting, cast or a combination of all, this is a wuxia story that i imagine inspired countless others, that just disappoints with un-likeable characters.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Script of Nonsense.
In just the first few episodes you can kiss any sense goodbye.ML#1 (Wei Zhao) attempts to kill FL (Jiang Ci) 3 times and ML#2 (Pei Yan) saves FL 3 times.
ML#2 is trying to catch ML#1. FL can help easily but decides not to.
They not even in a close relationship at this stage.
In FL's perspective there is a clearly defined good guy(saves her), and bad guy(kills her).
FL knows if she wants to leave the protection of ML#2, she needs to say what she knows and help catch ML#1. But she doesn't.
She has every reason to be against ML#1. Every reason to help ML#2.
FL can even setup a trap with how frequently ML#1 likes to invade ML#2's Home. LOL.
Setting aside the bizarre notion to romanticize "Stockholm syndrome" and manipulation/torture of FL, the script just doesn't make sense right from the beginning.
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