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This review may contain spoilers
I went in thinking its an independent story and only found out its a sequel almost half way through. Never watched Princess agent nor have I read the book. The start was really rough but I pushed through because the visuals look absolutely stunning. You can see they had a vision before going in. The story takes place in 4 different countries and each have a different aesthetic unique to them. The settings, the outfits and the stylings are gorgeous.
The snowy mountains, the horsemanship, the palaces, the muted orange and jewel green dresses on yenbei people, the brutalist style jewelry etc. All looked amazing.
As a whole the striking visuals is something to die for. I wish I could put it all into words but unfortunately Im not that great in describing imagery. The only thing I didnt like production wise was that it had too many close up shots where actors were looking straight into the camera. That was weird. But outside of that, loved everything else.
The script just sucks. Most of the time you're going to see main leads in the middle of the chaos, eighter fighting or operating a mission without seeing them actually sit and plan for it. Like what was the thought process? Why we always have something to do? It doesnt help that you never see them move to places. You just see them while they arrived. It almost feels like chu qiao and juge yue are teleporting ten times per episode. One minute in biantang, next in ximeng, next in some jungle. The pacing is really weird. The story just keeps jumping rather than flowing.
Chu qiao is a stubborn perpetual damsel in distress. She ALWAYS act alone all while making stupid and dangerous decisions that almost get her killed like a hundred times. Her only redeeming quality is the fact that 3 powerful man are in love with her and do everything in their power to keep her alive despite her best efforts. And how do these man always manage to find her at the right moment? what tracking device are they using?
At some point I accepted she is an idiot with no common sense or strategic mind but I hoped she can find it in herself to develop some surviving skills.
She is also emotionally stunned. When it comes to romance she get to the point years after everyone else got there. Its hard to watch her struggling to understand her own feelings because girl.. we have more important things to do. You're a general. People depend on you for fuck sake. Her "romance" line with all 3 man is horrible. I dont have the energy to go into it but all 3 pairing were toxic just in different directions. May love like these never find me or my loved ones
She is never believable as a general or a lover because 1. The script doesnt act like it 2. The actress playing her was 17 at the time and very obviously so. Im not blaming her or considering her acting ability. She is simply a miscast that never had any chance to work.
Juge yue is an elusive character with an unwavering devotion to chu qiao. Both qualities get annoying real quick. He is so mysterious that you dont know what the hell this guy is even about outside of his love for A chu and trying to survive. More than half of the story gone and we come to know he also dreams of a free world just like chu qiao only because supporting characters talk about it. Oh really? How convenient. because thats not what I saw from him till now and we are well into the story. His endeavors are mostly not related to this supposed dream of his. His devotion to A chu annoyed me too. He was putting in his 100 and 101s while chu qioa would give an occasional 20 if she felt like it.
These two were so boring for me that I couldn't care any less about their part of the story whatsoever.
Yan xun was the reason I kept watching. His past is so heart wrenching. His spiraling into madness was fascinating. He might be obsessed, morally corrupt and unpredictable but you cant help but to root for him. He is unhinged in a delicious way. Then you come to find out that many of characters future depends on him getting a redemption arc. People such as Helian, Ye chen, general Huan Huan etc. All of which were far more engaging than the main leads in my opinion. I loved the chaotic insanity Yan xun brought to my screen but I wish he pulled his head out of his ass sooner. Like a 2 or 3 episodes sooner. I shiped Yan xun and Helian REAL HARD. my manipulative unhinged loves could've done so much if they fell with each other considering that they had the same goals in life, but the story went a different direction I wasn't really a fan of.
The ending wasn't the best. Wasn't the worst either. In one hand Im happy that yan xun got his head out of his ass. Long live yen bei people and all. Loved that bittersweet wedding scene for yan xun and helian. It was beautifully shot.
On the other hand war is inevitable and while Its nice to see everyone let go of their resentments to unite against one big evil, its terrible seeing almost everyone in the cast die. Who pissed of the writers? Also hated those hallucination scenes. We didnt need a few different endings for Juge yue and Chu qiao. Why not show helian?? The woman needed some appreciation in my opinion. She saved the country and lost 2 most important people in her life for it but she is not in the ending scenes? Did they have a kid or nah? Who is yen bei crown prince?
The snowy mountains, the horsemanship, the palaces, the muted orange and jewel green dresses on yenbei people, the brutalist style jewelry etc. All looked amazing.
As a whole the striking visuals is something to die for. I wish I could put it all into words but unfortunately Im not that great in describing imagery. The only thing I didnt like production wise was that it had too many close up shots where actors were looking straight into the camera. That was weird. But outside of that, loved everything else.
The script just sucks. Most of the time you're going to see main leads in the middle of the chaos, eighter fighting or operating a mission without seeing them actually sit and plan for it. Like what was the thought process? Why we always have something to do? It doesnt help that you never see them move to places. You just see them while they arrived. It almost feels like chu qiao and juge yue are teleporting ten times per episode. One minute in biantang, next in ximeng, next in some jungle. The pacing is really weird. The story just keeps jumping rather than flowing.
Chu qiao is a stubborn perpetual damsel in distress. She ALWAYS act alone all while making stupid and dangerous decisions that almost get her killed like a hundred times. Her only redeeming quality is the fact that 3 powerful man are in love with her and do everything in their power to keep her alive despite her best efforts. And how do these man always manage to find her at the right moment? what tracking device are they using?
At some point I accepted she is an idiot with no common sense or strategic mind but I hoped she can find it in herself to develop some surviving skills.
She is also emotionally stunned. When it comes to romance she get to the point years after everyone else got there. Its hard to watch her struggling to understand her own feelings because girl.. we have more important things to do. You're a general. People depend on you for fuck sake. Her "romance" line with all 3 man is horrible. I dont have the energy to go into it but all 3 pairing were toxic just in different directions. May love like these never find me or my loved ones
She is never believable as a general or a lover because 1. The script doesnt act like it 2. The actress playing her was 17 at the time and very obviously so. Im not blaming her or considering her acting ability. She is simply a miscast that never had any chance to work.
Juge yue is an elusive character with an unwavering devotion to chu qiao. Both qualities get annoying real quick. He is so mysterious that you dont know what the hell this guy is even about outside of his love for A chu and trying to survive. More than half of the story gone and we come to know he also dreams of a free world just like chu qiao only because supporting characters talk about it. Oh really? How convenient. because thats not what I saw from him till now and we are well into the story. His endeavors are mostly not related to this supposed dream of his. His devotion to A chu annoyed me too. He was putting in his 100 and 101s while chu qioa would give an occasional 20 if she felt like it.
These two were so boring for me that I couldn't care any less about their part of the story whatsoever.
Yan xun was the reason I kept watching. His past is so heart wrenching. His spiraling into madness was fascinating. He might be obsessed, morally corrupt and unpredictable but you cant help but to root for him. He is unhinged in a delicious way. Then you come to find out that many of characters future depends on him getting a redemption arc. People such as Helian, Ye chen, general Huan Huan etc. All of which were far more engaging than the main leads in my opinion. I loved the chaotic insanity Yan xun brought to my screen but I wish he pulled his head out of his ass sooner. Like a 2 or 3 episodes sooner. I shiped Yan xun and Helian REAL HARD. my manipulative unhinged loves could've done so much if they fell with each other considering that they had the same goals in life, but the story went a different direction I wasn't really a fan of.
The ending wasn't the best. Wasn't the worst either. In one hand Im happy that yan xun got his head out of his ass. Long live yen bei people and all. Loved that bittersweet wedding scene for yan xun and helian. It was beautifully shot.
On the other hand war is inevitable and while Its nice to see everyone let go of their resentments to unite against one big evil, its terrible seeing almost everyone in the cast die. Who pissed of the writers? Also hated those hallucination scenes. We didnt need a few different endings for Juge yue and Chu qiao. Why not show helian?? The woman needed some appreciation in my opinion. She saved the country and lost 2 most important people in her life for it but she is not in the ending scenes? Did they have a kid or nah? Who is yen bei crown prince?
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