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TanushreeDuttaS282

TanushreeDuttaS282

Island korean drama review
Completed
Island
1 people found this review helpful
by TanushreeDuttaS282
Feb 20, 2023
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 6.5
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 6.5
Rewatch Value 6.5

This show seriously has no business tagging Horror as one of it's main gener

I've got zero idea what pot the VFX and makup department were smoking on when designing those "Lust Demons" i am telling you (if you are reading this, the ISLAND creative crew) if those honestly least-terror-inducing demons are your definition of 'SCARY' then ya'll clearly need to rethinking your understanding of the whole term(word) itself.
There's definitely snippits of GORE throughout the season but seriously no horror

I've never read the original source material, the WEBTOON (nor do i plan on reading it) but I can tell why most of the reading fanbase won't be happy with this live action adaptation

Before I being my rant, let's open-up with the positives.....

♤ The ACTION ..I'd say it is well done.. Van is a supernatural being with superhuman strength and in the action choreography that is potryed really well.. even though there are lots of cuts in a particular action sequence but it has been edited really well.. so it feels very smooth flowing ( in short the action is definitely NOT a sore to the eyes, in fact I'd say it's one of the best I've seen comming from fantasy-k-content in past 4-5 years)

♤ The ACTING department- majority of the characters are seriously paper thin.. but the actors that play their respective roles did all they could with the script they where given... the guy who suprised me with his improved skills was undoubtedly Cha Ewn Woo as Yohan.. I hadn't expected much from him going in considering his previous roles... but he did well here given that he is a rookie in a cast full of veteran actors...I'd say he did really well..

I've got no complaint from Kim Nam Gil in the acting section.. the man knows how to do his job well...Ohhky it might bit of a stretch but trust me Nam Gil is the only thing that's saving the show for me at this point.. he's literally carrying the whole show entirely on his shoulder...
Lee-Da-Hee's acting is as moderate as ever I don't think it has changed at all in the past 4-5years.. I am tired of alway seeing play the same type of chracters and it has become very boring not to see taking up fresh original roles..

♤ The CHEMISTRY / RELATIONSHIPS
◇ Van and Granny- honesty the most most wholesome relationship in the entire show, its a pity they don't have a bunch of scenes together in the 1st part..
◇ Van and Miho - ( I know.. i know the show is not said to have any romance and the source material doesn't have love-line as well) but Nam Gil and Da Hee as Van and Miho definitely have fire flickering on n off... (the showwriters are definitely hinting on it). I will fool myself and hope for a romance in S2 but will also try to keep my expectations tamed cause i don't wanna be dissapointed and give myself a terrible heartache if the creators don't give me a romance sub-plot in S2 (reminds me of my dissapoinmet with Bulgasal.. jezz)

The COMEDY- it feels very sublet.. very fitting and blending in pretty naturally into the story... without being overly on your face... it adds much needed mirth to the dark-enigmatic atmosphere of the show..

♤ The CINEMATOGRAPHY.... the show has hit a jackpot in this department... there are certain aerial drone shot.. that are just wallpaper worthy..



NOW LET ME RANT......

The STORY- It is always mind boggling to me that when Tv script writters have the benefit of a full fleged well written comic as source material how can they miss the mark when it comes to adapting it in Live action (the show has certain changes that I heard are not in the OG comics.. which I don't honestly mind.... but the overall presentation of the story is very flimsy)

2nd is the CHRACTER writtings , besides Van there's not a single well written character, not even 1

Let's start with WonMiho/Wonjeong (the female lead who's character is supposedly to be crucial for the climax). All I saw her do was wear really preety clothes and fall into the arms of her potential lover Van every now and then, like isn't she being hunted by demon.. shouldn't she be learning how to operate guns or do Karate or stuff.. I don’t know but learn something for self-defense (Yehh I'm well aware that she hires Van to protect her from the same.. but still).

Yohan - The writers tried giving Yohan some emotional depth and complexity (showing us his relationship with his brother in ep 6) but it simply wasn't impactfull... the writer/director never really gave the two brothers enough time to bond with each other or with the audiences. So me as viewr never fully understand the psychological impact the final act of ep 6 might have on Yohan...

Gung-tan is the most one dimensional villan EVER...

The only saving grace is VAN- This guy is decently written and impressively acted and brought to screen by Kim Nam Nam Gil (the actor has become so good in playing these 'cold emotionally-distant tormented guy' role over the years)

The CG and VFX is very Mehhhhh.......(but i am hopeful about it seeing the trailer for 2nd part) apart for the vfx of the 'energy barriers' of blue and oranges colours created by Van and Guntan respectively.. everything else is very forgettable

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