For a xian xia drama lover, The Longest Promise is really a treat. This drama is made with utmost love and sincerity. The 2 years preparation before shooting made a big difference. Each scene is like a piece of art. Everything is perfect from cinematography, CGI, storyline, casting, songs and costumes. The effort that the production team took is evidenced by shooting underwater. I mean most drama would just CG it . You will appreciate it more when you watch all those BTS. There were too many memorable scenes.
Xiao Zhan's acting is exceptional. Besides the fact that he looks like an immortal, his acting in emotional and fighting scenes are on point. His role is a priest raised in seclusion so he had to be serious and restrained most of the time. But he managed to display a bit of naughtiness and playfulness especially when he interacted with Zhu Yan. I like the fact their romance is subtle and gradual because it is more believable that way. You cannot expect a priest to be suddenly all passionate right? I grew to like Zhu Yan's character because throughout the drama her character showed growth. This is my first time watching Ren Min so I am pleasantly surprised such a young actress can display a solid acting skill as unrestrained courageous princess of the West. The supporting actors, actresses and even the child actors were good too. I love the non conventional story line with the open ending that stimulated so much of discussion online. The pace might be a bit slow in the middle but the last quarter of the drama is explosive. I super enjoy the fighting scenes which were very well shot and choreographed. This drama will remain unforgettable for a very long time and I will rewatch again for sure.