Dance of the Phoenix (2020)

A top-watch series with a few flaws

I judge a C-drama on whether I can watch the entire series without fast forwarding. This is one of those dramas where I was entertained throughout without the need to hit the FF button.

The acting was on point. The main couple was well matched, as was the secondary couple. The side stories and adventures were interesting and you could tell the main group cared about- and supported- each other and their Kingdom / people.

The bad guy who wasn't all bad and, along with the main FL, had the most growth throughout the series was just as interesting to watch as he was in the Untamed. I'm in agreement with other reviewers that he should get a ML role soon.

Spoiler Alert:
Now, here's what I think is lowering the ratings for this series. In the last few minutes, the main FL is collected to go from where she came, wherever that is, with no explanation. The ending was so abrupt, it defied logic. Why let her get married only to "collect" her before she can even celebrate her wedding day with friends and enjoy her wedding night with her new husband. It was just a ridiculous plot scenario. It also left you to wonder what that meant for the second couple, who were revived and tied to the main FL through the spirit ring. There was zero closure on where she came from and was returning.

Another area that could have been better: The ML came in to save the day at the end, dispatching the Demon Lord. With the FL having shown tremendous growth throughout the series with her defensive abilities, we are left to wonder if she could have handled the Demon Lord without the ML. With her Master enhancing the ML's abilities so he could help at the end, it would have been more dramatic if he zipped around at lightening speed to turn the tide against the people fighting right outside and then showed up just as she was dispatching the Demon Lord, or both of them dispatching the Demon Lord at the same moment, proving that the series' focus on her struggle to regain her abilities paid off in the end.

Even with its flaws, the series is a top watch for me. Perhaps they will have a second season to give closure to the story.

Read More

Simple But Quite Important To Be Ignored

In the synopsis it is written that a woman from the modern world suddenly enters the body of a woman who lives in another world. But until the end of this series, I did not find any explanation, scenes, flashbacks or anything related to this woman's life in the modern world. In my opinion, this is necessary to build the audience's imagination to enjoy this series.

I quite like the storyline. All problems are solved over time. In terms of acting, each actor is able to get into the character they play, especially Yang Chao Yue as the main character. She acts as if it is her own life. She is able to position expressions and emotions that match the storyline. And for the background music aspect, honestly I don't find the right moment with the right music. Every time an episode ends, I even forget whether there is an important moment in the episode accompanied by background music or not.

After all, I quite like this drama. I will rewatch this drama only when I miss Yang Chao Yue and the other cast.

Read More

Great Series

my first review , before watching each series , I tend t o check out the reviews but I also take note that each and every review is based on personal preferences so....

PRO
1. I love the actors , especially the ML and FL , their chemistry is great and I really feel that.
2. I love martial arts so , a plus for me , the action scenes , very satisfied.
3. I love the scenes , the flying , fight , feels right and not too much
4. The story is good except the end part

CON
1. feels like sad ending , I don't like to watch sad endings BUT as the FL said , it's not really the ending that matters but the journey.....so in a way , I am satisfied , better if there is a season 2.

So if you like romantic , wuxia , a little comedy .... this series is for you. try it

Read More

Enjoyable drama

I enjoyed this Drama. I did feel like I watched it before especially towards the end. If you like adventure and excitement this is for you.
I did feel like there was no answer to certain parts of the drama especially the beginning and endings. They really never explained how and why she crossed universes. I expected the ending to be more accountable to answer these. Maybe a part2. I am still lost on why she was sent there and how come is had to leave.. Unless she was a heavenly spirit that fell from heaven and when feng wu was pushed off cliff(I had to rewind to. Beginning) you see both body connecting

Read More

Watch this with a open mind

I don't really know what to talk about for this show. It was decent, like any typical Wu Xia/Historical drama with the sword fighting, pretty sets and costumes, complex plot for power etc. Nothing really surprising or different.

Story :
First the story was good, the way the female lead came into this world and entered some random girl's body(nothing new) big change in personality, lost memories, etc. The story was good and very engaging, kept me hooked for some episodes. The ending was really confusing and didn't make sense. Once you get to the middle of the drama, the plot gets a lot more confusing and a lot of unecesarry events start taking place, which just creates more problems. I couldn't understand what was going on. Nothing really fit together and it feels really choppy, it was either they ran out of money or got lazy and gave up because the start was really good and intriguing, where you can actually understand what is going on, but as you approach the middle everything goes downhill.

CGI:
Not a lot to comment on for the CGI but it was ok. Definitely felt more real and you can't really tell there was any CGI used as it was pretty flawless. Some scenes looked a little fake, like when the main lead flew up a mountain high in the sky with like cherry blossom trees or something. Nothing really special.

Music :
Boring intro music, didn't show much clips of what will happen in the show. The song used for the main leads was nice but nothing really moving. The OST was boring and didn't really provide much.

Acting:
The main leads acting was pretty good, the male lead having more experience in this field did ok, nothing too special, but at some points felt really stiff. The female lead is relatively new, so some of her acting didn't seem right or was just cringy? Especially the parts when she would make up stories to the male lead and like start to act sad and pitiful, it just made me cringe. The chemistry between the leads was nice, I love how the male lead fell in love right away and couldn't even hide it because of some disease or something which prevents him from feeling affection, I don't really know. The second lead was also pretty cute, didn't ever need to confess their feelings with each other but they knew which is so sweet <3 Man give my man Feng Xuan a lover too, he fifth wheeling but he's so cute and obsessed with Feng Wu.

Ending:
The ending, I cannot. The most confusing ending I have seen. I don't even know what happened. The battle between the good and the evil, the main villain not even battling the heroes but having other people who work for her to?? Like girl is useless. The second female lead doing everything to impress the male lead just to find out she never liked him but only liked the power and title she will be given(not surprised). There was no big battle, the main villain just said to the main leads, "you win" and kills herself?? After the big fight, if you would even call it that, the main leads get married, with the whole ceremony and everything. Everyone happy just for the WEDDING TO NOT EVEN HAPPEN, and her master comes from no where and says girl I'm talking you back, like after all that we don't even see them happy together. We don't even know where the female lead came from so like there's no point in going back, and when she goes back what happens to the body she was in before, because that person died long time ago. Doesn't make any sense. Then the audacity for the female lead to say, "you don't need to worry what happens next, just remember the memories, laughter and love we experienced" like tf you mean. Then she looks up to the sky and the show ends. Like ain't no way you make me watch 30 episodes just for that ending.

So if you wanna watch it, go ahead but don't expect much.

Read More

Beginning

At the first episode the story was very promising and intriguing but there was to many loopholes and leaks in the storyline towards episode 20.

Acting
For me the support role did a lot better than the main characters I mean after all the hate she had she never gave any hints of being in love all of a sudden she's blushing and asking her self if she's in love with him.
Secondly the second male lead was the one who challenged JL to date FW after he allegedly claimed to love her.

Ost
Ok there was no real ost

Storyline
First she is told that she isn't FW she didn't any one then she is told that she is FW she tells everyone that she isn't FW . Secondly how can ZG speak and understand the language of the beast . After her shifu releases miss wolf how can her destiny be to die instead of giving birth to her pups .
Thirdly how can her shifu come back with out the third piece of the shard

Ending
One why did her shifu give his powers to JL yet he didn't do anything with it.
Two what with it clothes change to match hers after he gets the powers.
Three how did ZG know how to use the red sacred bead when she heard it that day.
Four why was nothing said about the second male leads ending .
Five how did ZG and XY come back after they died.
Six her teacher just comes saying on her wedding day he's here to take her to where she belongs without a word to the others she follows after giving a speech I mean what the hell.
Seven why was the first male lead not shown again there was no word from him and the other characters no future and no past .
Will there be a season 2 because I am truly dissatisfied and disappointed with the movie .

Read More

No chemistry between the FL and ML

The story itself is not so bad. It's an idol drama, so don't expect so much from the plot. It's a very generic plot with a very similar twist and character development.

I do like most of the actors and actress. There are some very good scenes but there is nothing very special. I do enjoy the characters interactions with one another. I think it is very cute.

I do however, have one complaint, and that is the chemistry, or better yet the lack of chemistry between the ML and FL. They just don't make sense together. I understand why he like her, it is because she's cuter and smarter than him but I don't understand why she like him. I feel like the relationship is still very forced and not natural. There nothing special about him that make him attractive. I don't understand why someone like her would fall in love with someone like him. He's not very supportive of her character and he doesn't bring out the best in her. He is also not helpful at all to her.

The ML is this very BORING character who is suppose to be a very talented martial artist but yea. URMmm that's all that he got going for him.

The FL on the other hand is a more three dimensional character. She funny, sweet and driven. I love how she tries her best to do whatever it is that she is doing.

I do like the FL with the second ML more because he supportive and upfront with her. I think naturally and progressively if this was the real world, then she would have fallen in love with the second lead organically. I love how supportive he was of her when she entered the small fight competition. He gave her advice and his support. I also love, how he told her that she was not as beautiful as her ugly alter ego because her alter ego had a beautiful heart unlike her, but that was only after she had called her alter ego an ugly woman. I just think that he is so sweet to her.

But sadly we all know that the second lead is not going to get the girl.

Read More

........

Acting:
I hope to see more improvement in Yang Chaoyue's acting skills. I thought the male lead did ok. However, I do like the character that Fu Jing played even though she was the antagonist.
Storyline:
The storyline just wasn't as captivating as the description made it seem or the trailer I saw.
Visuals:
As for the cast visuals, I wasn't disappointed but wasn't super excited either. I've seen the Manhua version so the cast visuals was alright. As a xianxia drama, the production team did do a good job with the effects and all.

Overall, it just wasn't it for me...

Read More

this is what happen when the leads have no chemistry and poor acting!

watch 10 episodes so far.

1. This drama looks like one with budget, since the CGI is beautiful. Scenery is breathtaking. Pictures are awesome
2. That's too bad we dont only live for that.
I like Xu Kai Cheng in well intended love and even Moonshine and Valentine! He really clicks with simona the female lead!. I guess that's whats also making the drama get its 2nd season and attract viewers. the Acting and Chemistry
here: oh my... the acts are sooooo horrible. I know the female lead is pretty, but she definitely needs to learn.
She's main component in the drama, and when she sucks, she drags the whole cast.
Xu Kai is talented and handsome actor. He just didnt nail in here.
The chemistry is so poor, I dont feel sad when I had too, happy when i supposed too, or got buttefly in stomach when the scene is intended too.
3. Saying that I have just finished romance of tiger and rose: Xu Kai, might have to learn from Ryan Ding in term of chemistry?
4. I just finished love by hypnotic, see how Allen Ding act as cold leader? see how he transformed? even the second male lead as Yun Xi. done a superb job eventhough he's a newbie
5. Have the director watch Hua Rong from Romance of Hua Rong? see the acts? see the chemistry? and it doesnt even have the big budget or stunning CGI Dance of the phoenix have, or Eleanor Lee from Fake Princess??
6. story is weak.
I continue watching hopinng that just might (even slight) change in story or chemistry,
sadly not until episode 10

ps. I like Wang Hao Xuan acts. He delivers. also Caesar Guo.

Read More