Reviews

A Wonderful Surprise

I accidentally found this piece of gold, and I am so glad I did. I enjoyed this so much because I liked that they took the time to build the relationship. In my opinion, this was a lot like being able to take a look into the characters lives. Mitsuomi comes off as serious and a bit rigid, while Yamato is a warm and friendly type. Overtime, you get to see different layers of each of their personalities that isn't immediately noticeable. To me, this felt like a very realistic of a relationship developing which was so refreshing. The actors were great and story was great. I was a fan of the music as well, it really fit the scenes well. A++ for this film. I've watched more than once. Do recommend. 💜💜

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an uninspiring political intrigue blended with martial arts elements

note: The Four III might also be have other English titles, such as Kingdom of Blood, The Four: Final Battle

the 1st installment is more of wuxia elements blended with court intrigues, while this 3rd installment is more of court intrigues blended with wuxia elements. this film unveils the conspiracy plot and offers more character developments with a few short light comedic elements. it is recommended that you watch the 1st and 2nd installments before watching this 3rd installment. there is nothing surprising about the storyline and plot which are uninspiring and linear. this final installment is slightly more enjoyable than the 2nd.

generally, the acting/performances of some of the returning casts are slightly better in this film compared to the 2nd installment. for example, Liu Yifei's performances improve in this 3rd installment, though i still feel that she is not the most
suitable actor to play this role/character. there are segments where her performances standout, there are also segments where her performances are unconvincing. in this installment, the chemistry between the two lead characters has improved a bit than the 2nd installment.

in comparison, veteran actor Anthony Wong as Zhuge Zhengwo performs arguably consistently in all 3 installments. Zhuge Zhengwo is easily my favorite character in all 3 installments.

the martial arts choreography is average in most of the fighting scenes. what truly stands out in all of the fight scenes is the string-fu and props. the use of CGIs and special effects are evident in all of the fight scenes. the quality of the martial arts choreography stands out only during the second last fight scene. this film also offers more frequency of projectiles and explosions

i think this film might be for you if,
+ you have nothing better to do, or you want to space out
+ you are a big fan of Deng Chao and Liu Yifei
+ you have already watched 1st and 2nd installments, so might as well, right? :-)

//turnoffs//
- the voice actor for Wu Qing (Liu Yifei) is not the most suitable choice
- although Liu Yifei performs better here compared to prior installment, i still think that there are better actors who can perform this character more convincingly
- storyline and plot are uninspiring and predictable
- dialogues are average
- segments editing and segments flow can sometimes be a bit rough
- minimum usage of natural environments. natural environment as background scenery is more evident in the 2nd half of the film.
- parts of the minor grievances i have with this film and the first and second installments have to do with the director's judgment/decision/vision/approach, and then the director's guidance/direction for/to the actors
- the ending and the ending logic of the main antagonist is lame-o-mo.

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a novel adaptation wuxia film with court/inter-departmental intrigue

this is a wuxia film that incorporates court/inter-departmental intrigues to enhance the storyline. it is recommended that you watch the 1st installment before moving to the 2nd, as the 2nd continues to expand the story and character developments. this film might not be suitable for certain age group as it contains 2 mildly erotic/suggestive scenes.

the storyline, plot, and performances can at times feel uninspiring. the chemistry between the two main characters is not convincing. there are 2 mild erotic/suggestive scenes in this film, but i don't see either serving any purpose to enhance the storyline or further the plot or character development.

the film incorporates limited natural environment as background sceneries, and many are man=made sets and often embellished. the usage of CGIs and the quality of the CGIs can at times be annoying distracting and superfluous. there are certain redundant segments and/or segments that don't make much sense. this is not helped by the bland dialogues and mediocre dubbing (voice-over) quality.

this film might be suitable for you if,
+ you want to space out
+ you are a big fan of Deng Chao and/or Liu Yifei

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a reunion of two individuals who once lost their way

was this cliché? maybe. yes but also no.

i liked the way the story was unfolded, how every object in the house symbolises a valuable memory for the leads and also how the camerawork and aesthetics matches well with the scenarios. the slight comedy fits as well and didn't feel over the top. the way everything was played out in this movie seemed to be carefully pieced together and properly showed how beautiful character development is.

it would've been really interesting for an alternate ending where the two completely part ways as they ended on a clean note. while the ending may seem cliché, it felt fulfilling or like a sort of relief. the chemistry between the leads honestly made this movie a joy to watch and i might start watching more of their work.

overall, what a wonderfully directed and written story of romance where a rough start brought about a hopeful ending.

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Don’t be put off by people saying it’s confusing.

Don’t be put off by the other reviews. Go for it, and watch this. It’s an amazing movie and will totally put you in the feels. Amazing acting, and amazing scenes. Strangely nostalgic and shows a passionate but short lived and messy romance. The ending is sad, but somehow comforting. Overall think that this movie shows good things don’t last forever. Also shows the female leads struggles with fame and her changing lifestyle, and the boys almost opposite free spirit and deep sense of longing to protect her. Acting is amazing, from both mains and you’ll definitely love this movie. also, search ‘million dollar man drowning love’ amazing video. million dollar man fits this movie perfectly, such an amazing song. if you want to decide whether to watch this or not, watch that video. it has some scenes. Have fun watching drowning love!

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Love Love

This is one of my favorites. I always seem to come back and watch it every few weeks.
There is nothing over the top about this one. I think its subtleties make it lovely and memorable. Even though it takes place over only 7 days, it doesnt feel rushed at all. Love the characters and the subtle building of feelings. One is straighforward and outspoken, while the other is timid and reserved. This creates a beautiful chemistry that I adored. It is cute, but also tugs at the heartstrings a bit as you begin to understand each othe characters. Lovely. I would definitely recommend. 😄💜

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We are like everybody else.

Kudos to Kayama Mei, which did great job portraying Yuma Takada, a 23 years old girl born with cerebral palsy, working as assistant of rising mangaka star Sayaka.

N O T  S P O I L E R  F R E E / N O  M A J O R  S P O I L E R S

Yuma doesn't have it easy because her disability and how everyone treats her because of it. Especially her overprotective mother and her fake snake friend Sayaka, that is just using her.

Tired of everything, she tries to get her own work published, just to be told to get some experience first. The manga is an exotic one and Yuma was never before intimate with anyone.

This starts her journey to getting know herself better. Herself, and her family too.

You don't see this topic in Japanese movies too often and it was such breath of fresh air. Disability in people is often treated the wrong way, people are being used, because they can't defend themselves, often ridiculed and misunderstood for something that is not their fault.

I think most of us witnessed such behavior through our lives, maybe some of us were unintentionally doing some things wrong ourselves. That's up to each of us to decide.

Also, if you are gonna watch this movie expecting something raunchy, then don't. The sex in this movie is being freely discussed, but is really not the main point of the story.

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Did someone say plot twist?!!!

"Sweet & Sour" could have been a better movie but sadly everything that makes it good is packed into the last 15 minutes. If "Got emm" was a movie, this would be it, but don't waste your time trying to guess what will happen. Sadly the twist at the end is the payoff for enduring the rest of the movie, which was a struggle for me. The majority of this movie is about a bad relationship, but we don't get a chance to really fall in love with the couple or the characters first so it was hard to care and not just be frustrated at the repetitive problems and fights. It honestly felt like a waste of actors that I normally really like and that's the most disappointing part.

I am a fan of Chae Soo Bin (since I am not a Robot), but I felt cheated out of getting the chance to actually get to like Da Eun. In the beginning her weirdness is interesting but once the story focuses on the relationship everything is about Jang Hyuk's new job and changing perspective and as much as I like Jang Ki Yong he is not likable in this role at all. Yes, both actors do a decent job with showing a "realistic" relationship but they don't have the chemistry nor are they interesting enough to keep the story engaging. Krystal as Bo Young is meant to add some exciting rivalry and chemistry to the story but her performance was too one note for me. In this case the character seemed better written than acted out. She wasn't horrible but I was far from impressed.

The one high rating I have for this drama is rewatch -ability. Once I saw the end I wanted to watch it all again from the beginning with a new perspective. Unfortunately, the majority of the movie would still be mediocre. The retro synth music makes it even cheesier. Also, it's really hard to make scenes interesting when so many of them require reading text messages.

Overall I get why this movie would be popular and highly recommended but that doesn't mean it's good. There are certain things that are never explained (like why was the mysterious wingman constantly messed with the lights lol) and too many work is sooo hard scenes, but by the end I didn't regret watching it and could appreciate the writing more, plus I'm curious about the book it's based on. Maybe if this was a drama instead we could have gotten to know and like the characters enough to make the plot have a stronger impact but this movie felt like it was rushed AND like it dragged simultaneously. With a title like Sweet & Sour I expected this to be less bland.
Still, maybe with different expectations, this movie may suit your taste. I'd prefer more spice!

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everyone is so hyped about this movie, and if ur only focused on the humans, then yeah very entertaining. but i can't - i get that in most if not all Asian countries let alone whales - almost every kind of living creature, can and will end up on a food menu. so maybe cause of that, the travesty against a "mother and its child", ain't no big deal to anyone who has watched this. And YEAH Get that THIS is ONLY A MOVIE - still not for me.

as is this was one idiotic move after another, like Mo Hong Gap killing his subordinate cause he defended Jang Sa Jung, who's only fault was that he dared to voice his opinion, that contradicted the high commander.

then we have that f*cker that commanded the soldiers on the ship, carrying the seal. he is in the whales backyard and he feels affronted that the baby whale came up for air in the path of the ship?!? "oh what audacity". as if they're even a blimp on that creatures radar. of course the mother defended her baby. show me a mother who wouldn't?!?

from there the ball of idiocy just intensified. yeah there were funny bits and tried to ignore the anger and frustration. cause knew this sh*t would end up as a whale hunt.
even Yeo Wol "folded" after Mo Hong Gap's threat, all her talk about the whales being angels of the sea turning into B.S. - cause human life is worthier then an animals. can keep going but pretty sure whoever reads one of two line knows i didn't love this plot.

but have to say this - the end showing the baby still alive - what the f*ck was that?!? a sec before it was harpooned So Ma told Mo Hong Gap that is was a newborn, ain't no new born gonna survive alone without a mother in the vast ocean, with giant whites and load of other dangerous creatures swimming in the deep, not to mention the f*cking humans. plz that was a load of b.s.

not blaming the actors, everyone did a bang-up-job, but the story was SH*T!

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agree with most of the commenters, this is a much better movie (story wise, heck even the violence was toned down and what there was of it, wasn't slasher-movie equivalent) then the first "The Divine Move" with Jeong Woo Seong, here cause of the back-story. and when u "use" kids, poverty, add in physical and sexual violence. how can u not identify and root for the main character?!?

but have to say a description like the one above is miss leading - cause it makes one think Heo Il Do was some kinda saint, that took in a homeless orphan boy off the streets and out of the kindness of his heart taught him not only Go, but how to survive in this world... which nah - not even close.

the side story, with Loner was redundant, as is there was more than enough meat here without that unnecessary add-on. why they had to add his story. donno. plus his wanting to take revenge on Heo Il Do - acceptable, but why Gwi Soo?!? he as a kid and when Loner watched them, didnt he get that Gwi Soo was against duping his father and wanted to return the money? guess after watching his father go up in flames he got kind twisted. but his killing that poor store-keeper just cause he was around was illogical. unless he is so unhinged and on a rampage - killing anyone and everyone who plays "Go" - if so, why aint he a notorious serial-Goplayer- killer and wanted by the cops?!? just doesn't click.- even his death scene was left open... was wondering if he gonna pop-up at the end or after everything ended... just weird.

plus - and a huge one (for me) thank god there was no romantic B.S. it wasn't needed and given the tone of the movie is would feel strange. so glad. the other plus was that the kid survived. didn't want this to be the typical K-movie ending where its either left open to ones interpretation or u cry ugly tears, cause they kill off the lead.

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u have to really like/enjoy action, and not mind violence - this was over the top for me. first off that brother, what cause he is ur big brother, u just follow blindly?!? and when u get its gambling, u stay?!? that was kinda asking for it. what i really disliked was the bad-guys then beating the sh*t out of both brothers, like weren't y'all doing the same thing?!? heck y'all worse, as they had two people working the board. yeah i know i'm the weirdo that is looking for logic and fairness from "bad-guys" but there u have it.

stumbled upon this as saw a new update here for "The Divine Move 2: The Wrathful", and as also watching "Mystery Queen" with Kwon Sang Woo was gonna check it out (as total enjoying him), but as the movie was the sequel though better start from the beginning. not that i know what to expect even after watching this.

Jung Woo Sung is hot and saw somewhere a comment that he looks like Tom Cruise - like Noooo he way hotter. but beside looking good - he a great actor. even though this isn't my cup-of-tea. it wasn't boring.

but wondering why Tae Seok chose to befriend Navel, cause she the only female in this movie of legal age (that he could get down and dirty with?) cause she was with the bad-guys and she was the one that brought them down?!? the fact that she wasn't down with the others beating them doesn't make her blameless... of course u can say she was forced into working for Sal Soo... donno that just felt like filler, so we would have a romantic moment. which wasn't needed.

the other point that bothered me was his not taking his nephew with him, as he was living with the grandmother - and she didn't seem kind and cozy plus her threat, so he wont play the game that destroyed her family - painted a bleak pic of this kids life (maybe i'm reaching) but if he already got a kid, he needs to look after why not two... ah whatever...

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Brilliant and Phenomenal Movie

This was a simple story of serendipity, perhaps fate, and/or destiny. You choose. This was mostly a story with, for, and about teenage boys who fall in love with teenage boys and they alone must resolve their own dilemmas. How this story ends is, for me, a cinematic triumph and has to be experienced personally. So, I leave that up to you. The brilliant mixture of the Catholic Church with fortune-telling and destiny is brilliant and makes this movie so special and unique.

If yo want to read my full review of this exciting movie, please visit my site at BLBliss.com.

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this was the freaking bomb!! freaking roller coaster seeing each turn and twist this story took - loved it!!
i so get Hwa-Yun she didn't want any of it, and she is the one that survived, pretty awesome. love strong female characters, and as much as the men r dangerous and manipulate, u just don't f*ck with women. pretty bad-ass.

period pieces r intriguing as is, but the complexity and how freaking hard everyone had it just adds that extra bit of kick to any story. add the love story and how that ended, sprinkle in unrequited love and on and on with everyone adding their own personal agenda to the plot, and how can u not love it?!?

...and anyone going on about "boo hoo why did she have to kill King Seong Won, cause he was really infatuated/in-love/lust with her. and she could've lived happily ever after..." - be dreaming. given the court-politics and backstabbing going on, sooner rather than later she and more importantly her son, would lose their lives. the fact that the King wanted/loved her didn't mean sh*t - she was still his sister-in-law and with no real power. pretty sure he couldn't make her his queen, one which he already had...
and unlike his mother, who may have started her plot with the objective of securing the crown and safety for her son, once she poisoned her, Step-son the reigning King - she got power hungry.
what Hwa-yun did was so she could survive and safeguarded her son, guess that's why she has a terrified look on her face at the end, cause now that she achieved monetary safety... wtf now is waiting around the corner - was what the look on her face "said".

phenomenal acting, and story - wholeheartedly recommend.

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as someone who has "come" after watching Bad Guys the drama series (season 1) this was wack... and dunno if the vid that was uploaded was the prob or what. cause there were scene that just jumped from one to something else and maybe that was also the problem in me dis-liking this.
i guess the movie was made cause the series was such a success, if so why they rewrite so much?!? they completely deleted Lee Jung Moon's character as if he didn't exist. which given as he was one of the favorites (going by all the commenter - me i favored Jung Tae Soo, the Hitman lol ) was a WTH moment. mentioning Jung Tae Soo, he found religion in prison, so saw him for a shot or two, not enough but - it is what it is.

they also changed the original story, revolving around the big bust of the human organ trafficking not the sick, nut-job Prosecutor (i would think that was a way bigger story, but again whatever).

Mi Young also got a mention, and ironically her she was supposedly one of the good-guys that kicked-ass in the drama - total B.S. but i guess if u r already rewriting "history" why not go all out. and as she wasn't a favorite of the viewers, she was injured at the beginning and that was that of her.
instead of her we got vixen Gwak Noh Soon, a.k.a Jessica the annoying. her sexy seductress ass was freaking annoying, so glad when "sh*t hit the fan" she acted like a normal human, without all the femme fatale sh*t - that got old fast.

even Oh Goo Tak, another annoying f*cker from the series, was way toned-down. that's cause he was sick - B.S. lol

the story is what it is, bad-guys killing other bad-guys, the cops unable to do sh*t. so we turn to the notorious 4 to save the day - which they do and then get sent back to prison. not boring but not better then the series, and that's saying something for me, as it wasn't my fav.

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enjoyed this as much as i did the first one, not as funny but wasn't boring, the plot was different and good. wondered why Dae ma's childhood friend and Tae Soo's partner from the previous movie weren't around...

Lee Kwang Soo as Hopper was a nice addition, didnt add much to the hilarity, but was fun all the same, and enjoyed his part in this movie.

Dae Man's wife was as annoying as the first movie, and that's saying something given there was a lot less of her. even the part where her kid almost gets kidnapped was more on her, and her childish games then on Dae Man. same with the physical abuse - who finds this sh*t funny in this day and age?!? cause i didn't/don't.

anyway the main story was good, just wondered where the adoptive daughter of "venom" went - was she also captured or she disappear?!? cause didn't see her being taken in by the cops at the end. was this intentional or i miss her?!?

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