Novoland: Eagle Flag (2019)

This show is epic and deserves better reviews!

Super high budget, the settings, costumes and cinematography are outstanding, a visual pleasure.

Liu Haoran is fantastic in his role I have no idea what people mean when they complained he wasn't good enough for the part he's perfect! Chen Ruoxuan is the best Ji Ye you could ask for and while Song Zuer's Yu Ran does start out as very childish and immature at the beginning her character development is very satisfying and she grows into a well-rounded character who knows how to accept responsibility and the importance of sacrifice. Most importantly, this love triangle is far from conventional and I'm very grateful for that.

It's a slow-burn plot, but not in a boring way! The production team takes their time in unfolding the mysteries and every question has its answer. There are a few subtle plot holes that could have been handled better and taken this show from epic to truly legendary but they have no effect on the main plot.

The first half of the show is by far the most light-hearted and the second half is gritty, bloody and full of suspense! Once again I don't know what people meant when they said the second half of the show let it down, the second half is where all the excitement is!

I give the music and rewatch value just a 8* each because I wish the show's OST had been used more often but when it is used its spellbinding, and the rewatch value simply because once you know the answers to the mysteries it removes a lot of suspense. I wish I could watch it again for the first time.

Give this show a try it deserves your attention!

Read More

What was that the ending!

The Drama Series was supposed to be 68 episodes long, China's central government wasn't going to give permission to show this drama but gave in so what they showed was cut it down to 56 from 68. So, what we have seen at the end was not really the ending. I feel that the ending of Novoland Eagle Flag is that Asulé planned the town to be empty because the Drama didn't get completed! I guess we can make up our own... ok... let me see. How about Asulé winning the war, he leaves his homeland and finds the Princess who now is the Emperor and he becomes Emperor Consort. Ji Ye finds his beloved the Goddess of War and they get married and he becomes the God of War. Suma goes into seclusion for her sins and crimes to re-cultivate herself and is still the Queen. Everyone lives well and moves on! DONE! ha!

Seriously, Turbo Liu who plays Lu Gui Chen / Asulé was awesome. TL was very believable and took this character and owned it. Chen Ruo Xuan who plays Ji Ye was sensational and very believable. CRX also owned the character he played. Lareina Song who played Yu Ran had me laughing all the time. Hope to see her in future dramas. With the music in the battle scenes, you can actually feel like you are watching the battle on the sidelines in person. The visual effects were on point. Those wolves though, oh my gosh, the graphic animations were on point. I just wished that the great scenes were not mostly night scenes and that is why I rated it a 9. I loved the little town the four were in. They were happy with no worries and living well. It always seems that brothers kill each other for the thrown. I'm glad that the writers didn't make the character of Asulé be part of sibling rivalry. I also loved Asulé's pet squirrel.

Read More

Plenty of fighting scenes and amazingly well produced

This is an amazingly well produced fantasy drama. I am surprised it did not get better rating on mydramalist. Story was original and difficult to predict - there were some resemblance to the style in Games of Throne or Lord of the Rings (not quite in that league yet but very good). I would say it is as good as Nirvana in Fire 2 but fighting scenes were more intense and with the same lead actor. Battle and fighting scenes were well filmed - for this I think it would appeal to the male viewers - plus actresses were all very pretty. Acting was very good as well.

The opening theme song was eerie; I watched it at night and had to skip it, although the ending theme song was good. There were a lot of gloomy night scenes. So you know what mood it is set in.

Some parts were abrupt - there was some trimming down of the length of the drama it seems. These might have affected the rating.

Although the romance of Ji Ye, Asule, Yu Ran and Xiao Zhou were well acted out but the romance between Xi Yan and Su Shun Qin were more memorable - these two more mature actors showed more intensity in the demonstration of emotions. However few could match the heart rending scenes between Hu Ge and his female counterpart in Nirvana in Fire 1.

At the end all were victorious in their political ends but not in their love life. If you are a romantic, you may not accept this ending.

Read More

With each episode, this series frayed my nerves and induced a massive headache.

For a drama that started off with much potential to become increasingly nonsensical within the first quarter was painful to watch; of course, it's not unusual for some dramas to take a circuitous road to the core of the story, however, it's insulting to the viewers when this is done through obvious plot holes and several deus ex machina. For instance, why oh why did Baili Yin kidnap Yu Ran before going to the mausoleum if not to ensure the presence of Asule who we ALL knew would eventually inherit the sword? The writers couldn't have made it more obvious that Asule would inherit that stupid sword had it been tattooed on his forehead. Not only did they give us a main character who was inconsistent, they even made him the purveyor of all relevant key developments. Magical powers? Check. Can be sickly one moment and then go off into battle without sustaining any serious injuries? Check. A resurrected magical sword chose him as its owner? Of-bloody-course. **Laughs maniacally**

Separately, I'm not averse to character building but it becomes excessive when every supporting character gets as much screen time as the supposed hero. No, I don't care if General Xi and Lady Su have a back story and for the writers to focus on them for so long was a foreshadowing that didn't need to happen. Also, Su should have been one of the main characters because she was just so badass and dare I say it, almost carried the first quarter of the series on her back.

Now, on to our hero. How do you cast one of the most promising young stars in C dramaland and then make his character so insipid? He had minimal screen time and even then, his story got interwoven with Yu Ran and Ji Ye that it never felt as if his character had any agency. I enjoy bromance and friendship as much as the next person but not at the expense of having a complex, fully-developed hero.

Lastly, and with some due respect, Song Zuer needs acting lessons. A few days ago I watched The Dark Lord and cringed at her portrayal of the heroine, then to see her just saunter through NEF without any strong moment was exasperating.

Read More

This is an epic drama with one huge flaw. The second fl was killed in episode 2 and the ml was over it by episode 3.

Why is this a problem? The second fl is deaf and the male lead is written as being dead from birth, but somehow still living amongst those who have actual beating hearts.

This kinda ruined the entire drama because it sends the message that in popular Chinese dramas, viewers prefer watching a female lead who is not handicapped. Even though the male lead is walking around without a beating heart, the second fl is still not good enough for him simply because she is deaf. She is brave, beautiful and kind, but she is still killed off because she has one flaw.

This is how patriarchy oppresses women. Men are allowed to be imperfect and women cannot be less than perfect.

I actually like the female lead character very much, but the fact that she is used to replace the second female lead whose inly mistake is being written as a deaf person, ruins the love story for me altogether.

I am upset because i expect more from a Chinese production. Chinese people are polite and this starting storyline is a mistake and unnecessary. If the script writer wants to show the male lead is compassionate and caring, then Suma's chracter could have been replaced by a best friend or sister.

Read More