Rainforest Passions (2024)

Started like a spy movie. Ended up like a romance with the vibe of an oldschool Harlequin Novels.

An heiress travels to a tropical banana republic to look for her missing brother. On her way she gets involved with a bodyguard who becomes her husband on the very day they meet.

To be honest I watched this drama because of the cast and the setting. It was refreshing to see such beautiful setting in a mini drama. Any scene in this tropical forest would be romantic. It was a feast for the eyes.
This drama also gives a oldschool vibe. It reminds me of those drama I watched when I was little. With those great heroines lost in a savage land and struggling to survive and make justice. I liked that feeling.


Pros:
- Dai Gao Zheng is very handsome and manly as a bodyguard.
- Zheng Miao is cute and charming as a sassy heiress.
- Amazing settings. This forest make the romantic level of the show explode.
- Acting is good.
- Fighting scenes were good. They managed to use believable accesories ( sticks and batons were not folding on impact , so good point) and the stuntmen did a great job.
- Harlequin romance oldschool vibe.
- The pacing was fast and a lot of twist and turns in the plot. So I was never bored.
- Great characterization. The costumes, make-up, hairstyle ... Everything was beautiful.
- Good morals : the antagonists face retribution. And the heroes know the value of forgiveness.

Cons:
- Full of tropes and clichés but beautifully executed nevertheless.
- The gullible Female Lead trope as always. It can spoil your fun.
- No character development in this drama generally speaking. Except for the Second Female Lead.
- Stupid breakup trope. Why again! Frankly, after all this turmoil during all the show, the writer could have saved it. The main couple went through so much in all the show. That break up is too much in my views.
- Amnesia trope... No really?
- Starts like an an action / spy drama and becomes a romance. But they kept some action scenes though. So that's good. I would have liked more.


Overall :
I liked it and it was a peaceful and easy watch. I felt that something was missing and I don't know what. But still appreciated it.
I recommend it if you like romantic sagas in beautiful setting with an oldschool touch.

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