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Finished it... sacrifice type movie - plots are a bit infuriating
The fighting scenes are good. No slow motion torture like Sword Snow Stride. Fighting is pretty good for the most part. A lot of wuxia chi power and flying swords, and flying, etc.The weakness are weak character development and plot. It does progress nicely though. You dont get torturous ending like end of each Sword Snow Stride episode. Pacing moves quickly but the thing that bugs me is the ML and his PERFECT personality and morals. It's just infuriating. His dad treats him like crap and he would never defend himself. Everything is about sacrificing yourself for the state. It's almost like propaganda and written by someone who works in the government and created this story to brainwash people to sacrifice their lives for the State.
The pureness of the ML and constant sacrifices makes me puke at times. If you like characters that's constantly sacrificing themselves for the good of the state or the people.. you will love this drama.
I love Zhao Lusi and it's not her best work. She's so much better in Love like the Galaxy. That type of role fits her so much better than playing the heroic wuxia hero.
I still got addicted and finished it all in 3 days. So it definitely drew me in and entertained me and got me addicted to finish each episode.
Ending was OK...
There was some stupidity by characters. Like obvious things such as knowing the identity of the main villain but not telling anyone and resulting in their own death as well as people around them. Yeah that kind of stupidity.
Still... it was filmed pretty well.
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Lots of fun! Done well and the story ended properly too
So i started off watching this while being a little wary that they'd mess it up (again) by the end of the story. Been having bad luck with chinese series ending in a really incomplete and haphazard way lately, but they didnt have a weak ending so i was pleasantly surprised about that. I enjoyed the plot quite a bit and the characters were played well but there were some parts i skipped through a bit with the villains constantly lying to people (and cmon. it is 40 eps long).overall:The production, martial arts, and acting were done well. The imagery was nice and the romance was at a realistic level that was cute and not annoying. i.e. They'd flirt and spend time and all that but they wouldnt pretend like they dont have their own desires and responsibilities that must be taken care of as well.
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Worth The Watch...
Without revealing too much about the plot/ending, I thoroughly enjoyed this drama. I would say that the first half is better than the second half (all that drama with the director/production team is definitely noticeable), but Zhao Lusi and Yang Yang's acting (as well as all the other actors) performance was superb throughout. Their chemistry was amazing.Typical political feuds and scheming but nothing too frustrating, did feel a bit dragged out at some points. No script/plot is perfect and while there are moments where you think "How could they not know?!", a story is a story. Loved all the fighting/battle scenes, even though I wouldn't classify this as a full Wuxia. Love story was a bit of a slow burn, but the leads portrayed the feelings well.
My fav drama of 2022 so far.
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PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST WUXIA DRAMA
I'm not really a fan of Wuxia Dramas, its not because of the old stories or whatsoever, but mainly because i'm not familiar with the Chinese old settings. Reading about WRTW before it was released, I was actually interested to watch it. Yang Yang and Zhao Lusi both are good actors, not to mention the other casts. The storyline, for me, is incomplete. Probably these drama deserves a part 2, but because of the controversies, I hope other production would take it. For the summary, it's both a happy and a sad ending, but its definitely worth a smile and a tear.Was this review helpful to you?
Who Rules the World Indeed...
WHO RULES THE WORLD was a top notch, high quality, super fun C-Drama, one I watched with family over the course of a few weeks. It was pretty entertaining, filled with drama, adventure, intrigue, action, mystery, romance and a little comedy. And of course, some outlandishly fantastical wuxia fight scenes as well, because what would a fantasy martial arts drama be without some good wuxia mixed in?Who Rules the World is the story of two highly cultivated master martial artists, known as Feng Lan Xi and Feng Xi Yun, who join hands together to travel the world and fight off an evil clan that seeks to dominate the world. They are opposites of one another in many ways but work well as a team.
Although this series was a bit slow at times, overall the story was interesting and the cast really likeable. Everything was quality, to the complex plot to the breathtaking background scenery to the intricate indoor settings. Very beautiful and visually stunning. The music was pretty good too. I enjoyed the two main characters and how they interacted with one another. I do feel like more time could have been spent truly developing the characters deeper instead of flirtily eying one another endlessly, but even still, it was a great show and the family enjoyed it. I'm glad we gave it a try. Would probably rewatch down the road.
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Story went down the drain at halfway point
Heard there was a lot of production issues with the drama, and it really shows nearing the end. First is how ridiculous the plot points are being tied up and many are forgotten because they have to start touching on the main plot which has barely moved till nearing episode 30. Then every episode from 30 onwards is so rushed with many scenes just randomly cut into without much explanation, and the finale was just disappointing felt like a waste of time sitting through all 39 episodes just to see how 40 ends. Poor adaptation overall the actors and actress honestly are the one that carried the show and why most people finished this series anyway.Was this review helpful to you?
Love Love Love - Who Rules the World!!!
"Who Rules The World," I have been anticipating and waiting for this drama to air, and it is finally here.I have already watched up to 12 episodes and love, love, and love it. I am a fan of Zhao Lusi, so anything, she is mostly good. Pairing her with handsome Yang Yang not only boots up the hype, but it is lovely to watch both of them on screen.
The on-screen chemistry is undeniably good, and their BTS interactions make me want them to both dates in real life.
They are so cute and adorable, and Zhao Lusi is a better actress than Yang Yang. I would love both of them to cooperate again in a modern drama where they play doctors.
Historical/Costume dramas are not my genre, but I am a fan of both, so I am watching it. The flow of the story is good, and so are the costumes, cinematography, and OST of the show.
I love this drama, and I am giving it 9.0 out of 10 ratings right now and may change it after I have finished the drama.
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rushed ending
I really love this show. from the first episode, I fell in love right away. love the fighting scenes. But the story revolves most in ML hometown politics and family drama revolves in there but not in FL hometown. but what gets me so sad is that whats the point for them fighting over when huang cao and in the end they just gave it up. they just cost thousands of armies lives and poor hand up.the story has the potential to carry more story and feature other states but its kinda disappointing the ending. and the rushed last 4 episodes.. that's all what I didn't like.i love lusi character. i hope shell get more role like this. it suites her.but i will still recommend it to my family and friends to watch it. but its just kinda disappointing for me the rushed 4 episodes.Was this review helpful to you?
The universe conspired in favor
The script is pleasant, the writer created very well-elaborated characters, was careful not to leave loose ends in the story and developed a romance without misunderstandings, with complicity and full trust in each other.The cast is superb, with convincing performances. Rarely do you have a supporting cast of such quality as this drama. Seeing seniors Wang De Shun and Carman Lee in the same drama is a delight for lovers of masterful performances. The protagonists Yang Yang and Zhao Lu Si gave a show of interpretation and interacted with each other in a graceful way, both consolidate themselves as actors of the first magnitude. Actor Fu Bo Han, despite being very young, had a charming performance.
Director Yin Tao did an excellent job, he knew how to take advantage of the great cast he had in his hands. He had a keen eye to capture the best angles of the scenes and, with that, intensify the emotions of the actors. The action scenes are impeccable. The editing was zealous, without making mistakes that compromise the sequencing, perhaps the ending was a little rushed, but it didn't take the shine off the work. Certainly, with a cast of the gods and a captivating script, it must not have been easy to choose the cuts of scenes for the editing of the drama.
The costumes are exuberant, one outfit more beautiful than the other, accessories that fill the eyes.
The special effects were used to the right extent.
The soundtrack is pleasant.
This drama is the fruit of the hard work of everyone involved who did their best.
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So Incredibly Promising, If Only Production Had Gotten it Together.
Since it started filming, this drama has been on my radar due to the main leads. Yang Yang's return to costume dramas, and Zhao Lusi's first serious role, I had very high hopes. The premise of the story is also very intriguing, and even with all its flaws I still think the story itself was well thought out, and the looks from the trailers showed off a high production value. Visually speaking, this drama delivered. The design of BFX's character was absolutely gorgeous, I loved seeing ZLS as a character known to be beautiful, and HFX's black robes and ponytails were to die for, I wish we could have had more of that. The set designs for all the palaces and such were also just beautiful, truly captivating visually.The acting from the leads was also fantastic, ZLS and YY have fantastic chemistry, and although there aren't many kiss scenes, the romance between them blossoms so beautifully and naturally, it's the best romance I have honestly seen all year in the Chinese entertainment world. From beginning to end, YY and ZLS did a fantastic job, as well as many of the secondary characters. For me, the acting was truly well done.
If you judge this drama from the first 10-12 episodes, it could've been the best drama of the year. HOWEVER, and I emphasize this strongly, the quality of the drama fell through towards the last 10 or so episodes. Generally, throughout the drama, there were many small details that did not make sense. For example, why was there a bed in that cave the BFX was in after HFX saved her? Why did BFX so strongly dislike HFX at the beginning, saying he was manipulative and such, when we only see him doing good things? How did Han Pu recover so fast after his entire family was wiped out? Little things like these are found throughout, but they weren't the things that really bothered me while watching.
However, there were too many problems with this drama that I can't forget about. My big issue was how dragged out Youngzhou's court politics drama was, and how it ate up time into what could have been a more resounding ending. The ending was so incredibly rushed, scenes were just randomly cut, and we weren't seeing many of the important developments happening in the war. Like literally, one second BFX was talking to her master, and in the literal next scene, everyone was at her sect accusing her of killing him! Like It was so abrupt I thought it was a dream sequence or something! And don't even get me started on that final fight scene between YWY and our leads, what was that CG?? This drama had a huge budget, some of the most beautiful sets, and in the last episode, they showed some of the most choppy and horribly done CGI I've seen in a recent drama! I also hated how BFX become almost a secondary character during the Youngzhou court drama, her character is so interesting and powerful, I wish there was more of a focus on her. There also should have been a more satisfying reaction to people finding out BFX's identity, like it was not revealed until episode 35, and we didn't get to see how it went down amongst some key characters, like Chancellor Ren and literally HFX himself. Like. I think a big portion of these issues, however, can be attributed to drama restrictions. Honestly, they should have done 2 parts like with the Blue Whisper, because this is a story that needed at least 50-55 episodes to tell, and with the cap of 40, I'm afraid the production team bit off more than they could chew. Don't know how to excuse that horrible final battle CGI though.
If I could rate this drama as two separate pieces, one with the first 30 episodes and one with the last 10, I would have given the first portion a 10/10, and the second a 6/10, truly this is how sharp the differences are. This drama is my biggest 'if only'. If only production had done a better job. If only the director/producer drama hasn't happened. If only the restrictions weren't so strict. Alas, what could've been the drama of the year, packed with a star-studded cast and huge budget, was sabotaged by messy writing and post-production mistakes.
But credits to YY and ZLS for being the only reason I would rewatch this, you two are truly some of the best actors in the industry.
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The ending.... Is bitter sweet.....
To be honest, I originally was ready to give this drama a 9/10, but after watching the last two episodes, 1 point was deducted from it...Why? Well, spoilers.... First off, I didn't like that Pu-Er was killed off... I mean, I kind of have that feeling when Pu'Er and BFX was talking about what they will do after the war ended, and I am like... "Omg, this is hinting to something bad is going to happen... right???" And then the whole ambush, my feeling got stronger, and then I was really hoping that it is just me being over-sensitive... but then BAM! I was right!!! I really cried when Pu'Er died... We knew him since he was a boy and then 6 years past (6 years!!!) and then he's grown up but was killed off!!!! T__T , that I am telling you, I am deducting 0.5 points from the story...
Second 0.5 point deducted is... Omg, why why why!!! Can I ignore the fact that HFX only have 10 years to live at the end?!???!?! Can I?!??!?!? I mean, I DON'T like that fact, but I can't really ignore it, because it's kinda 'in your face', and I am JUST SAD! I know it shows his deep love for BFX, and which I love him for that, but at the same time, the writers is just too cruel.. This is why the ending is 'BITTERsweet' to me, It is bitter because I know (and don't like for a fact) that HFX only have 10 years to live at the end T___T but the ending is depicting them enjoying the peace they have with each other for the remaining count-down to when HFX die... I really wanted them to hint there's a way for HFX to be save and that he doesn't have to die, so he and BFX can live for a long time, for the rest of their life, but nope!!! (Another drama I know where the ML sacrifice their life-force for the person they love and where their hair goes white)....
But that all aside, I did enjoy the story on my end, although I will be honest is that I rather they focus more on the Jiang Wu (Martial Arts) side of the story, because I love seeing them as Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi. I love and reckon (and fangirl) when Feng Lanxi have his hair down, when he's 'Hei Fengxi', because I reckon he looks more nicer/handsome that way. I wish he's more like that 'style' throughout the drama like the poster advertised LOL. I am not that interested in the state/government/political plots as they bore me, but since I've come to like the characters, I decided to stick with this story on my end.
I love the characters, Hei Fengxi, Bai Fengxi, Pu'Er, Zhong Li, Huang Chao and Feng Chang.
I love the brotherly bond between Feng Lanxi (HFX) and his elder brother, Feng Chang, I am glad that these two brotherly bond/love for each other didn't disappoint me in the end.
HFX and BFX really have chemistry, and I love their romance together, one thing good about this drama is there's no LT, and unnecessary misunderstanding, so that's a plus, although right now (and will always be) I am disappointed and forever bitter that HFX only have 10 years to live at the end...
Rewatch Value: I guess I will rewatch some scenes I love, especially those HFX and BFX scenes, since they're my favourite, but I will skip all those political plots etc, since I am not that interested in it.'
Music: It's nice, there's 1 or 2 song I love, and will download and listen to it again.
Ending: Don't ask, I already stated my feelings... Bitter-sweet, I can't ever get over the cruel fact that HFX only have 10 years to live at the end!
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Perfect lead characters whom many of us hope to be and be with
It’s hard not to like this drama. It’s a cocktail of wuxia chivalry x political power scheming, topped with two perfect leads, Hei Feng Xi and Bai Feng Xi, whom many of us hope to be and be with: Gorgeous, smart, chivalrous, skilled in martial arts, and of royal blood or noble background, fighting evil to bring peace to their people.While i thought Yang Yang and Zhao Lu Si befitted their roles, Zhao Lu Si wowed me more with her versatile acting – from the damsel in distress Princess in The Long Ballad to the sassy kickass Princess in Who Rules the World. Oh, and not to forget Xuan Lu also transformed from the best, gentle and kind martial sister in The Untamed to the best, hardy and no-nonsense general here.
It’s a one season drama that is not overly difficult for a rewatch when i need to relive being a perfect being with my perfect half.
What i felt could be improved
1) Hei Feng Xi is too perfect to be real – how can anyone not bear any grudge against his father who has never cared for his mother and him?
2) The two near-death experiences of Bai Feng Xi is so overdone. I get that the first is really so that Hei Feng Xi can also recover and regain his martial skills, but while the destruction of the cannons is necessary, using one’s life to save the other and the mane of white hair on a face that has not aged a single day are too over-cliched.
3) Ending scene with little Hei Feng Bai Xi cutting in the main leads’ brow moment would have provided a perfect ending for the perfect lead couple.
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