This review may contain spoilers
Ridiculously Entertaining.
It is incredulous. It's ridiculous. It's totally fictitious. It is also absolutely entertaining. Leave rationalising at the door, enter and just enjoy the actions and emotional ride.
It is a period drama that draws on elements of the times. Yet the story line thrives on much of modern dramas' draw factors. Let's start with romance. It is unabashedly romantic in a way that would never happen in ancient China. No apologies. The amount of lips action would literally paint blushes on on every cheeks pink until no makeup is needed. If this is a more liberal production, the throes of the heart would not stop at the lips. If you are a romantic and somehow make it to Ep 24, there is no way you can stop there. Its kudos to the script that beyond action, the continuously smouldering romance can be ignited into a flame, and re-ignited time and again.
Did I mention modern? It is so modern that CPR is a key element of plot! Initially the plot gets more and more obtuse. It will not make sense until you hit Ep 30 and beyond. Just enjoy the human drama and action sequences until then, of which there is ample. The cinematography is good and at points stunning. Even the use of AI is so much more fluid than recent dramas. Compare the birds in this and "Legend of Shen Li"; a world apart.
The FL is a total class act. She is all big eyes, all class act as the butcher girl and so totally bad ass. I am still wondering, fr Ep 1, whether she actually handled the pig herself. And the humans subsequently. Totally the best of Tian XW. On the other hand the ML is rather nondescript except for all his enviable lip actions. I enjoyed the interactions of the Pig Squad more than the more substantial maneuvering of the nobles.
The narrative was more gripping from the village of Linan to the battlefields of the NorthWest. Once it reached the Capital, and our little butcher girl got more genteel, the drama lost some of its appeal and it became more of filling up the plot holes. Portrayal of the Capital and the court was underwhelming. The roles of our butcher girl and Marquis were equally lackluster compare to when they were out defending the Northwest. The Emperor was irritating, with the villains equally so, and rather than being actually heinous, they were just tiresome.
It is a period drama that draws on elements of the times. Yet the story line thrives on much of modern dramas' draw factors. Let's start with romance. It is unabashedly romantic in a way that would never happen in ancient China. No apologies. The amount of lips action would literally paint blushes on on every cheeks pink until no makeup is needed. If this is a more liberal production, the throes of the heart would not stop at the lips. If you are a romantic and somehow make it to Ep 24, there is no way you can stop there. Its kudos to the script that beyond action, the continuously smouldering romance can be ignited into a flame, and re-ignited time and again.
Did I mention modern? It is so modern that CPR is a key element of plot! Initially the plot gets more and more obtuse. It will not make sense until you hit Ep 30 and beyond. Just enjoy the human drama and action sequences until then, of which there is ample. The cinematography is good and at points stunning. Even the use of AI is so much more fluid than recent dramas. Compare the birds in this and "Legend of Shen Li"; a world apart.
The FL is a total class act. She is all big eyes, all class act as the butcher girl and so totally bad ass. I am still wondering, fr Ep 1, whether she actually handled the pig herself. And the humans subsequently. Totally the best of Tian XW. On the other hand the ML is rather nondescript except for all his enviable lip actions. I enjoyed the interactions of the Pig Squad more than the more substantial maneuvering of the nobles.
The narrative was more gripping from the village of Linan to the battlefields of the NorthWest. Once it reached the Capital, and our little butcher girl got more genteel, the drama lost some of its appeal and it became more of filling up the plot holes. Portrayal of the Capital and the court was underwhelming. The roles of our butcher girl and Marquis were equally lackluster compare to when they were out defending the Northwest. The Emperor was irritating, with the villains equally so, and rather than being actually heinous, they were just tiresome.
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