I liked the motion capture, the faces and gestures are just great. And the characters are presented and developed without over explaining, anything BUT the classic Hollywood style.
There are several plot twist and, depending on the translation project you're watching, you'll understand more or less so I would recommend you to pay attention to the subtitles.
The ending comes with several revelations, and a closing that suggests a second movie. I hope it comes soon because I had a great time with the characters and I'd love to know what happens next.
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Likes:
~ It takes Hollywood at least 3 movies to fully develop 7 characters. Asians only need 1 movie to do it. By the end of L.O.R.D., you knew something about every single character in the characters roster poster above.
~ Top notch CGI environments. The fireworks and flying scenes were really well done.
~ The funny parts were actually funny and neither slapstick nor corny.
~ I'm a sucker for any J.R.R. Tolkien LotR-inspired Asian fantasy work, and this movie is one of them.
~ The story is actually pretty good bordering on ingenious. But it was executed rather poorly b/c the screenplay/script felt like something between a first draft and polished version, probably b/c the writer and director (both the same person) had to meet deadlines.
Dislikes:
~ Weirdest parts were the eyes and facial expressions. Look in the motion capture clips, they hired a bunch of White guys to create this part of the movie. China should learn to develop their own facial and eyes motion capture tech. Put 'em Whities to shame... Like how they did with their own 5th gen stealth fighter, which is in many ways superior to the American one.
~ Music was unmemorable. I didn't remember a single tune from the movie. Oh well, music score was done by a Japanese guy actually so that might explain why it sounded so generic and uninspiring like every other fantasy anime themes out there. They should have recruited a Chinese composer instead. Just look at DragonNest: Warrior's Dawn, all composed by/with Chinese talent and probably the best LotR-inspired Fantasy movie soundtrack I had heard in years.
~ Male nudity (CGI William Chan, I'm looking at you), and attempted female nude in-bed scene at the end. Please can we just have a good fantasy movie to enjoy w/o too much CGI sexy?
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This is the review I wrote earlier:
I didn't like the male nudity and attempted sex scene. But other than that it's pretty alright. (There's a better Chinese produced CGI movie out there called Dragon Nest: Warrior's Dawn.)
STORY: The script felt rushed like something between a first draft and polished version. As a result the plot seemed very confusing until almost fully explained towards the end. Thus this movie warrants another rewatch to fully get the story.
ACTING: Motion captured acting was pretty alright. But there were moments that felt flat or boring, probably b/c the director was concentrating on the 3D environments or effects rather than the motion acting. But this only probably b/c I watched the 2D version.
MUSIC: Pretty standard fantasy chorus music. I didn't remember any particular piece b/c none of it was memorable.
REWATCH: Of course b/c of all the wuxia action sequences. BTW, I think this movie probably looks better in 3D. Gonna find the 3D version to rewatch later...
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Story:
Reminds me a little of Lord of the Rings with a mix of Final Fantasy. You dont know, besides the protagonist (Qi Ling) who is good or bad. You have to watch the entire movie to discern the aspects of the characters. Everyone has a dark side here and that is one of many good aspects of this film. The plot is well paced and answer all of the questions and the final leaves a margin for sequels. The story rounds for four chars (Bing Bing, Kris Wu, Cheney Chen and Lin Yun's Chars) even if the others have good attention to their sides of the plot.
Acting/Cast:
Its the most strong point of the movie. Cheney Chen and Lin Yun surprised me (Cheney Chen really does well naive characters and its good to see Lin Yun in a more strong female lead instead of the ingenuous character that she played in Mermaid). The rest is no comments. Fan Bing Bing, Kevin Yan, Yang Mi, Willian Chan... Its a wonderful sight. And if you wonder about the CG, you can recognize the actors even with the CG. The unique caracteristics of the actors are well represented.
Music:
Its good. Well placed in the moments.
Rewatch Value:
The plot is kinda ingenious. You have to rewatch a few times for better understanding because, as i said, the aspects of the several characters is hidden even after the ending. If you miss something, you will be pissed off with the ending.
I will wait for the sequels (if they are in planning)
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The characters, cinematography/animation design, and landscape were all beautiful and wonderfully done. I absolutely loved the expressions of the characters, making them lovable and believable. The costumes, magic, monsters, and landscapes were awesome, although not anything new. The musical score seemed almost nonexistent; besides the theme song, which had multiple versions sung by different artists, whatever melody was played throughout the movie was not memorable at all. The major drawback of this film is the story, particularly how it was told. It might have been the translation/subtitles that threw me off and didn't explain the story well, but I want to blame it on the directing style. The beginning and middle were interesting. At times a solid, linear story was given, then confusing, but still very compelling, subplots and foreshadowing were thrown randomly into the mix. A fast-forwarding time skip (at least that's what it felt like to me) happened and suddenly the main characters and ambiguous new characters are in an epic battle with awesome beasts. Sides are drawn, and strange and unnecessary sacrifices were made as characters try to explain their actions, but a big blob of a cliffhanger is what is left at the end. It had so much potential, but the main plot was not revealed in a very detailed and clear manner, and a few subplots were thrown in there that left a lot of unanswered questions.
I just hope that a second film will follow involving more world building, character history, and relationship insight that will answer most, if not all, the questions that rose in this film.
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OH! L.O.R.D.
Many years ago, I stumbled upon LORD2 without any prior knowledge of its characters or lore. I was instantly mystified and awed—drawn into its mysterious world, its stories, and the aura surrounding its characters. Only after finishing it did I realize that what I had just watched was nearly the ending of the series.Curious, I looked up LORD1 and was surprised to see many familiar faces. I saved it to watch later, but the right time or mood never came—until today, almost three or four years later. In the meantime, I had seen the drama adaptation of LORD, which offered a more drawn‑out view of the story. Yet my fascination with its universe never faded—the seven dukes, the silver priests, the four kingdoms. These elements strike a chord with me in ways I can’t quite explain.
Watching LORD1 now, I came across reviews calling the story messy. Personally, I didn’t feel that at all. Some say it’s meant for those who already know the tale, and I agree to an extent. But even setting aside my prior knowledge, LORD1 felt well‑paced, well‑written, and well‑executed. In just two hours, it managed to cover a compelling arc with the right balance of mystery and the freshness of a beginning legend.
No complaints. Next weekend I might revisit LORD2 to quench my thirst for mystery—hopefully it won’t take me another couple of years to return to it.
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Better Than the Sequel, But Not a Win
Between the two movies, I enjoyed this one more. I thought it was funnier, the character development was more engaging, the story took time evolving and it didn't feel like we were thrown into a never ending fight between two camps, which is how I felt about the sequel. However, overall, the narrative is still confusing and doesn't have a firm foundation. It seemed like the story started well before the movie did. I had to consult outside sources to understand the stage setup and the conflicts, as this is based on Guo Jingming's novel under the same name, Línjiè Juéjì (临界爵迹). Only then did I appreciate the events as they unfolded. So, I suspect to appreciate this movie would require reading it first.Was this review helpful to you?
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