krystellaris (kryst)
average low-budget drama
Story/Production:I'm actually a fan for historical comedy dramas. This one couldn't win me over. The problem wasn't it's low budget, but it's script-writing. The comedy wasn't my taste either. The stronger point is that it stays most time on the comedy route til the end unlike some other production.
Actors/Characters:
All the characters are very flat and stereotypical imo. The actors are trying their best and I would say they actually fit their roles. But at the end the average to good acting couldn't rescue the drama. Bai Lu is actually very suited to act in such historical comedy dramas. Imo her potential got wasted here.
Overall:
An very average low-budget historical comedy drama. Bai Lu fans can have a try.
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wasted too much potential
Story/Production:The drama has many interesting characters. I think the reason why you most time felt the story being realistic is due the fact, that the persons really existed in history. The plots are entertaining and could keep you til the end , but it could have much better with such historical personalities as model.
Characters/Actors:
Besides of the 2nd sister and her husband (both acting were kinda too exaggerated), all actors were actually quite solid with their performances.
Out of the three sisters. They tried to make a strong female lead, who felt a lil bit flat. Due the story telling couldn't grow and build a connection with the characters growth at all. If I would have to choose out of the three sisters, the oldest sisters has more depth and the best actress.
The main lead fits very well as well.
Overall:
It was a drama, which had a lot of potential story wise, but got wasted despite having the budget. At the end it's an average drama in the higher budget segment.
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has troubles with story telling
Story: The story actually has some potential. I like it that it's not those dramas, where it's painted just in black and white, but with grey tones . Positive to me was, that the drama could hold it's mystery and plots until quite far. But the story telling is a little too slow and unclear that I nearly gave up already at the beginning already. After 35+ episode, it really reached the point, where there's not much to hold you to the drama anymore.Acting: The acting is very average in my eyes and the female lead might need more experience imo. But in general none of the actors really stood out to me. Only Mingyifeng left more impression.
If you are into dramas, where you can't guess everything right at the beginning, you might like this one. But you also would need some patience for the first few episodes. Unfortunately the quality drops later.
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average low-budget drama
Story and production:A poor girl is forced to marry an "ugly and monstrous" general, but the marriage turned out to be a blessing. It sounds and is a very typical teen aimed drama imo.
It's a very average and low-budget comedy love historical drama. There's not much substance to review. Neither the love story or the comedy scenes have left an impression to me.
Acting: Average. Nither ML or FL have stood out to me.
There's really not much to tell imo. If you want to watch something without a lot of expectations or thoughts and you are a fan of historical drama, you might have a try.
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wasted potential
Story/Plot: One of the more rare serious time travel c-dramas. I think this is actually the segment, where the drama could have shine. It had an interesting and mysterious start, but unfortunately couldn't maintain it.Acting/Cast: The cast was kinda average and bland acting wise. Especially the female lead was lacking with face expressions.
OP: For time travel or historical drama fans, it might be worth to have a look into it. The drama really had some potential, but too many weaknesses either in production or cast. So you might drop it after few episodes.
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decent actors but way too slow and dragged
Story/Production: The major problem I got with this drama is that it's way too slow paced. Those + episodes could have been cut into half probably. I'm not joking that I watched many episodes literally with 1,25 to 1,5 speed and it was still feeling slow.Cast/Characters: I personally like the FL character the most, she's very realistic and strong, which is not that easy to be found in dramas imo. All the other actors are doing a decent job, even though I did feel Luo Jin felt a little bit old to act as an teenager.
Overall: I just think the drama had decent actors, a very average script writing. The length should definitely cut into the half.
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Ok start and good cinematic filters
Story a d Production:While the beginning it was somewhat interesting, it kept getting worse with the plot and script. I personally liked the cinematography or the filter style, but that's it. Besides of that everything was kinda underaverage to bad imo.
Acting/Cast: The cast felt fairly young and doing an OK job. But they never felt emerged into their characters imo, but it might be due the direction and writing. The characters are pretty flat, so no one left a deep impression.
Overall: Had a good start with it's own style, but the flaws stood out too much.
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Actually one of the better Chinese dramas, but still in my eyes not one of best of its best.
Story/Plotline: The first half of the storyline was kinda slow to draggy, while the second half was much more interesting and fast paced IMO. Personally I'm positively surprised about the holding back of romance in background, while there's the focus more on the political intrigues, revenge, struggles and war. Also loyalty and ideals seems to be more significant than love (feeling wise of the whole series).Characters/actors:
Chu Qiao/A Chu/ Xing'er is finally a heroine, which is not naive and helpless and fighting for her ideals either physically or mentally- Personally the actress did a solid job but looked kinda fragile that I wonder if it's suitable to portrait a female fighter (problem lies by the director though).
Yuwen Yue: Couldn't understand this calculating character and the actor couldn't shine because the lack of character development in comparison to the 2nd male lead.
Yan Xuan: The most outstanding actor because of the tragic of his character. I think one of the most interesting char because the the drama is showing a gradually change of Yan Xun to fall into the depth revenge step by step.
I couldn't feel the chemistry of all main cast neither between YWY with CQ or YX with QC (but I might be the only one ,who thinks like that).
The supporting cast was fine as well, I really liked the Prince of Liang, who was actually a great comedy relieving char.
All actors did a solid performance but not outstanding enough for me though.
editing/directing: was kinda average for such a high-budget production if I had to compare it with some recent dramas on the same segment.
All in all a good average drama on international terms, one of the better chinese ones. 7/10 to me.
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This review may contain spoilers
interesting heroine with a view from a different angle
Story/Production: different view + too many episodesMany historical dramas are telling about the fights in the harems to gain the emperor's favors, where the heroine is slowly climbing up to the ranks of an concubine. There's a lot of killing, conspiracies, betrayal etc. The drama got all of this, but the thing, which they did different, is actually to focus it with the view from the losers side walking the opposite way. I think that's one of the things, which do stick out and keep the interest of the viewer.
The production is decent for the budget, but imo they could have condensed it much more into less episodes.
Characters/Cast/Acting: miscast
The character of emperor I felt is probably the more realistic approach. Did he like Ruiyi? Yes, but does he love her unconditionally? Nope, he's an emperor and he got many wives. I actually prefer this over the fairy tale image, which could find in many other emperors from other historical dramas.
The FL character is depicting someone, who wants to hold on their own morals and beliefs despite being in such a gruesome palace. And unlike most happy go lucky fairy tale ending, it showed a more realistic, what you sometimes have to pay as a price.
I actually like the characters and I would say that both FL and ML are actually competent actors. BUT I felt they didn't completely sunk in their characters and blend in completely. Wallace Huo couldn't convey the emotions completely imo. And he somehow gave an aura more like a master from a rich household than an emperor. Zhou Xun is having a too mature vibe and acting, for such an innocent or even naive character. Not her fault and probably the stylist's, her lips were also very distracting due the make up.
All the side characters and actors weren't every oustanding in my eyes, so there isn't much to say from my side.
Overall: A drama with a more realistic approach and focus on the "loser's" side, but could have done better with different main leads and shortened amount of episodes.
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This review may contain spoilers
when you got the money, but fail in every aspect
Story/Production: I always do consider the budget of the drama and imo this drama probably is not the highclass ones, but it had some money for sure if u look at the action scenes. The script is one of the worst I have seen, it's not entertaining and the conspiracy palace fights are awfully written. There's unexpected random couple change, I didn't mind the random but the unexpected part. I don't have anything against couple changes, BUT it was so badly writtenActing/Cast/Characters: All the characters are very flat and the actors are doing the best an average job imo.
Overall: Would not recommend this drama to anyone, even as a historical c-drama fan.
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had some potential, but failed through post production and story telling
production/story: I think the story would be interesting, if it was told better and them having put more effort/money into the post production work. But it didn't happen and for a viewer it was very confusing. Especially the beginning with the sudden character changes. Besides of that I felt they should have invested more into the CGI.acting/cast/character: Both leads are actually decent, especially male lead was interesting, but that's all the impression I got from the whole cast.
overall: If you are a fan of Zhao Lusi or male lead you could give it a try, but imo this drama got too many weaknesses.
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classical historical palace drama
Story/production: I'd say this drama is a very classic historical palace drama, without super plottwists. And those are absolutely not needed at all, since the production is doing a good job with it's story telling about seeking revenge and harem fights. It could hold the quality till the end with exception of the last episode, which felt really rushed and sudden. I really didn't expect the end. The drama reminded me a little bit of Yanxi palace, with a more comedic, but at the same time less exaggerated approach (The main heroine would be having more funny moments with male lead and other less high powered characters imo).Acting/Cast/Characters: I think the whole cast is doing a good job, either support or main leads. I personally liked both lead characters, especially the female lead, who is entertaining and being able to protect herself. You got enough with those naive crying female leads? Then this drama got the perfect female lead for you.
Overall: A nice drama with a very classical approach and being successful with it, except the last episode.
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one of the best comedy C-Dramas
Story/Production: I think for a novel adaption with limited budget, they did a good job. Story is compared to the overused time travel plot through the opposite power for the genders very entertaining with it's comedy. After all there's nothing much to criticize, the producers even tried to keep the drama part in check compared to the average works imo.Cast/Characters: The main leads have great chemistry and are very natural in acting. They stood out the most to me. The side cast is doing fine imo, nothing outstanding nor bad.
Overall: One of the best Chinese dramas with the comedy genre imo, worth having a try. Entertaining with great leads but without too much bad "drama".
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very low budget idol drama
Story/Production: The story quality is really bad imo, I understand that the target audience is teens, but this felt like a fanfic written by an intern. Budget wise it's very obvious that it's very low.Acting/Cast/Characters: I don't know if it's due the directing, but the cast was pretty young and felt inexperienced like an idol cast stereotype.
Overall: One of the worst C-dramas I have watched. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, even Xiaozhan fans should stay away from it imo, it's really not worth it.
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interesting start + young cast
Story: I think the story did have some interesting start with many questions regarding those slaughtering and revenges for the Wuxia world. But continuing with the drama the plot is getting less appealing with the revealing of some answers. So it couldn't hold the interest of me.Acting/Cast: Personally I feel the cast was actually still very young and felt somewhat that they might still need more experience. So that's why probably the 2nd leads stood out more to me than the main ones. Especially the female lead was kinda lacking with her face expressions.
Overall:
The drama could captivate one's interest at the beginning but couldn't hold it till the end.
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