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A wuxia-ish Republican-era road trip with bold Tarantino vibes
It took me a while to organize my thoughts about this drama, just like it took me a while to watch it, despite despite being only 18 episodes long. But that doesn't mean the drama is bad, slow, or convoluted. On the contrary, maybe it's simply because Fearless Blood is an out-of-the-ordinary cdrama.
It's packed with such intensity, violence, and absurdity, right in line with Tarantino's best films, but it's also firmly rooted in its own Chinese tradition of wuxia and Republican dramas, so trying to sum it up was quite a struggle.
What’s it about? It tells the story of Xu Tian, a young man from Southeast Asia who goes north to Shanghai to support the revolutionary cause and get married. Along the way, he is helped by five distinctive, larger than life characters who structure the chapters or stages of the road trip, while Xu Tian experiences his transition from a naive young man into a fully grown adult.
Built around a road-journey structure set in the Republican era, it explores wuxia themes such as personal growth, obsessions, injustice, corruption, ambition, greed, rebellion, and bonds. Through the parallelism of the journey, that uses every possible means of transportation - from trains to animal-drawn carts, bicycles, and cars - the drama unfolds all kinds of relationships: father and son, frenemies, friendship, romantic love, marital companionship, colleagues, comrades, and enemies.
From the very beginning, nothing is allowed to unfold neatly. Chaos and anarchy run through the narrative via unexpected decisions, sudden turns, and characters who seem to exist solely to complicate plans. The humor is dark and absurd and, together with the storytelling, constantly reminded me of the spirit of Tarantino's films.
It is directed and written by Xu Bing, who was already among my top directors and screenwriters, and this drama only consolidates that position. His work remains bold, creative, and intellectually engaged, supported by solid production values and a star-studded, seasoned cast. In Fearless Blood, my favorites were many: Liao Fan (Old Sun), Zhang Jing Wei (Ma Tian Fang), Song Han Huan (Wu Da or Seven), and especially Wu Xiao Lian as the melancholic gambler Yu Zhou, whom I absolutely loved.
For sure, this is not a drama made for binge-watching; you’ll need breaks, despite wanting to know what will happen next. It’s a story to be savored slowly, from the first scene to the ending credits — and the same goes for the soundtrack. As Yu Yi Xiu, played by Edward Zhan, says: “Let me enjoy a bit longer”
To sum up, this show is violent, absurd, reflective, unapologetically dense, and gripping all at the same time. It won’t be for everyone, but for those willing to sit with its chaos, it offers a uniquely unsettling and rewarding experience in C-dramaland.
It's packed with such intensity, violence, and absurdity, right in line with Tarantino's best films, but it's also firmly rooted in its own Chinese tradition of wuxia and Republican dramas, so trying to sum it up was quite a struggle.
What’s it about? It tells the story of Xu Tian, a young man from Southeast Asia who goes north to Shanghai to support the revolutionary cause and get married. Along the way, he is helped by five distinctive, larger than life characters who structure the chapters or stages of the road trip, while Xu Tian experiences his transition from a naive young man into a fully grown adult.
Built around a road-journey structure set in the Republican era, it explores wuxia themes such as personal growth, obsessions, injustice, corruption, ambition, greed, rebellion, and bonds. Through the parallelism of the journey, that uses every possible means of transportation - from trains to animal-drawn carts, bicycles, and cars - the drama unfolds all kinds of relationships: father and son, frenemies, friendship, romantic love, marital companionship, colleagues, comrades, and enemies.
From the very beginning, nothing is allowed to unfold neatly. Chaos and anarchy run through the narrative via unexpected decisions, sudden turns, and characters who seem to exist solely to complicate plans. The humor is dark and absurd and, together with the storytelling, constantly reminded me of the spirit of Tarantino's films.
It is directed and written by Xu Bing, who was already among my top directors and screenwriters, and this drama only consolidates that position. His work remains bold, creative, and intellectually engaged, supported by solid production values and a star-studded, seasoned cast. In Fearless Blood, my favorites were many: Liao Fan (Old Sun), Zhang Jing Wei (Ma Tian Fang), Song Han Huan (Wu Da or Seven), and especially Wu Xiao Lian as the melancholic gambler Yu Zhou, whom I absolutely loved.
For sure, this is not a drama made for binge-watching; you’ll need breaks, despite wanting to know what will happen next. It’s a story to be savored slowly, from the first scene to the ending credits — and the same goes for the soundtrack. As Yu Yi Xiu, played by Edward Zhan, says: “Let me enjoy a bit longer”
To sum up, this show is violent, absurd, reflective, unapologetically dense, and gripping all at the same time. It won’t be for everyone, but for those willing to sit with its chaos, it offers a uniquely unsettling and rewarding experience in C-dramaland.
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