This review may contain spoilers
The majesty and cruelty of Life ... inseparably intertwined
:･*:･ 10/10 MAJESTIC･:*:･ﾟThis movie was based on a true story written by Yang Liu Song. He was the first person to ever attempt to cross the Qian Tang uninhabited zone horizontally by foot. Zhao Han Tang plays "Yang" and Jiang Yi Yan plays "Lan Tian", who is also a real person who runs an inn in Lhasa. The scenes from the Qian Tan uninhabited zone were actually the real deal and my god, the cinematography of them was absolutely magnificent ... it was mind blowing awe inspiring. The landscapes, the vastness of land and sky ... some times you could not tell where one ended and the other begun ... the colours and the majesty of it all WOW ... profoundly beautiful, rugged and harsh and so 'true to itself' at the same time. The score matched the majesty of the vistas and the human struggle ... it was so in tune with it all ... magnificent and hauntingly beautiful ... such a visual and auditory feast╰(*´◡`*)╯
The story itself was very thought provoking ... human existence ... what the hell is it ... why do we exist in the first place, for what purpose ... how long should a person 'keep trying'. Some dialogue that I thought was thought provoking ...
All my life I've wanted to do something that I actually want to do. Just like the old saying, many people die at 30, but they aren't buried until they're 80. I just want to feel like I'm still alive.
(Yang)
I have nothing, but I still have to give those inspirational speeches. I have to pretend to be optimistic! I know I am lying to myself, but what else can I do?! What else can I do to move on in life? ...I'm so tired of living. I'm just so tired ... ... You should have let me end my life, not help me achieve my dream. I've tried so hard in life, but I'm still full of despair. I can only use death to defy my cruel destiny. What's wrong with death?
(Lan Tian)
Lan Tian's spirit could survive and thrive in the wild but her body found it very difficult ... her body could survive in civilisation but her spirit found it really difficult ... what a sad and tragic contradiction ... Yang knew what she was going to do and I think he wanted to help her achieve her dream before she took that path. Lucky he did because it was a path she did not end up taking.╰(*´◡`*)╯
Yang later reflects: Why cross the wilderness? Perhaps I have been searching for what is right in front of me. In this vast universe and in this short life, building up the courage, doing what you want and becoming the person you want to be.
It is an amazing and magnificent story ... I whole heartedly recommend you give the movie a go, even if it is only to behold the magnificent vistas that were so beautifully filmed. Watch to the end for some interesting behind the scenes shots.
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