Compelling

Character is the type of film you want to see in the theatre or at least with 1 other so you can grab a bite to eat and talk about it. You want to inject yourself into the film to come up with motives, figure out what a character was thinking and why they did (or didn't do) something.

Yamashiro Keigo is a talented artist and assistant to a popular mangaka. He has dreams of publishing and becoming a successful mangaka himself. The only problem is Yama wants to draw horror and thrillers, but lacks the experience in which to make his characters believable. He's too nice to get into the mindset of a villain. While on assignment by his boss, he stumbles upon a grisly murder scene and witnesses the murderer leaving the site. This flips a switch for Yama and he uses it to jumpstart his career. The only problem is the killer recognizes himself and uses the Yama's manga, 34, as a blueprint to commit murders. Inspector Seida Shunseke recognizes the similarities between Yama's manga and the murders and begins using 34 as the basis of his investigation.

The production is splendid. The directing and camera work are very well done. I noticed no continuity issues, but to be honest I was too involved in the story to notice any little issues. Script writer, Nagai Akira, did a good job mixing genres and keeping us engaged. You would think since the police were trying to catch a serial killer it would have been a bit more action oriented or at faster pace. But, honestly, you don't even realize it's character driven and psychological. My only complaint is that we don't learn enough about the killer. We're left only supposition. I, for one, would have liked to have some hint as to his resources. He was able to find things and/or people that he really shouldn't have been able to.

Suda Masaki plays Yama and heads a talented cast. Fukase Satoshi was brillant as the serial killer, "Morozumi." He was just plain creepy. The encounters between our 2 leads were uncomfortable for Yama and the watcher. The supporting cast including Oguri Shun as our intrepid Inspector Seida were excellent.

The music really supported the movie and wasn't overpowering. While I'm not big on re-watching dramas, I do re-watch movies. I can see myself watching this again

Overall, this is a great watch. No perfect but it accomplishes it's goal. It's dark, psychological, creepy, and engaging. A very good murder thriller.

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Exciting from start to end

I had not a great day at work and was looking for something entertaining. I checked Netflix, saw Run for the Money: Battle Royal on the home page, and ignored it. About an hour later I saw it again. I thought that Japanese guy looks just like Choi Min Ho. Turns out that Japanese wasn't Japanese, but it was Minho. I know about Minho's competitive streak and athleticism from his many guest appearances on Running Man so I decided to watch the trailer. Next thing I know I'm at the end of episode 1. Three hours after that, I'm done.

RFTM reminded me of an American reality show from about 10 years ago, that wasn't half as exciting. The concept was 29 celebrities are hunted for 3 hours or until they are all put in jail Each minute they remain uncaught money drops in the pot. They can win up to 5.04 million yen which is roughly $35,000 USD. Not bad for 3 hours work. They have timed missions which can help them add money quicker and lower the amount of hunters. Besides being physical, it's a psychological game. Who can be trusted? Who will betray? In some aspects it's a lot how Running Man used to be.

Over the years I've seen a few Japanese game/variety shows. I rarely stick with them. But this ...I would watch again. The short form made it more urgent. Also, the celebs were entertaining. It was obvious that being in front of the camera was nothing new to any of them. I'd seen a few of the actors and idols (well, I've heard songs by JO1). They were all entertaining and easy to like , even the Youtubers (ganbarre JinJin! "Run Kuro-san!"). I found myself rooting for quite a few by the end. I wish a few had more screen time, but like I said there was 29 of them. Many are dispatched rather quickly. The camera work and editing are extremely well done as is the video quality. Oh and the hunters, nothing to sneeze at. I really wish they had been unmasked at the end. Anyone that can run in dress shoes as fast as they were gets respect!

The music added to the tension. I know the outcome of everything, but if in the need of something amusing and competitive I wouldn't hesitate to re-watch RFTM. That's a a lot coming from me because I really don't re-watch.

Run For The Money is fast paced and marathon worthy. With only 4 - 60 minutes episodes, there's really nothing to lose.

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Very Entertaining

I will watch anything with Lee Kwang Soo and Yoo Jae Suk together or separately at least once. I love their chemistry. The only times I've ever seen Yuri are guest appearances on Running Man. What stands out is the episode where it was 8 vs 1. I thought she was charming with a good sense of humor. I'm on the fence about her in The Zone. She was bossy, sometimes funny, and at others a little boring. She took the fun out of some scenes. At times it felt like a light bulb went on and realized she had to entertain. However, I do realize being the third wheel on the YooLee (bogosipeo) wagon is a tough job. She handled it well.

The concept is putting mankind's representatives (Yoo, Lee, and Yuri) through 8 challenging simulations in which they had to survive for a specified number of hours. The base time was 4 hours, but in some zones they could accrue or cut their time. If they survive until the end they are given Z coins for a reason we are never told other than it tells you who is winning. Basically, it's the 3 stars against The Zone and each other. They have watches that allow them to quit at any time. Quitting ends the simulation for everyone, but 2 of them need to quit.

The Zones themselves weren't exactly imaginative, but I felt most were presented creatively. Were some Zones more entertaining than others? Heck yeah! I was even bored with one, but that didn't deter me or change my opinion of the show overall. It's just that watching people gamble just isn't fun to me. The best (hands down) was the haunted house because Scaredy Yoo and Fraidy Lee are hilarious when they're scared. Episode 8 is a War Zone, which was edited really well. The tension was great. My zone ranking from best to worse: Z4: Safety, Z3: Virus, Z8: War, Z1: Eye, Z5: Brain, Z2: Water, Z6: Money, and Z7: Fire.

Since it's not a drama, there wasn't music per se. There's an ending theme with our threesome "dancing," which is fun to watch. It has a very high rewatch as I've already rewatched the haunted house.

Personally, I really enjoyed The Zone: Endure to Survive (or Survival Mission). I hope it comes back for a season 2 with the same intrepid trio.

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Gonna Make This Short

Don't start it. The end.

You're still here? OK...here's the deal. If you grew up on American Daytime soaps, especially the half hours from Search For Tomorrow to Santa Barbara, you will get hooked. A/The Secret House fills the 'it's so bad it's good' hole left empty by the slow demise of the daytime soap operas in the US. I specifically mention half hour soaps because if you watched them, you're used to the pace at which ASH moves. I'm not saying it's good or bad, but just typical. Telenovela watchers consider yourselves warned, too.

The writing could, no should have been better. They had too many storylines going all at once . There was no way to satisfactorily handle them and tie it up in a neat little bow as we all know they do. For me the ONLY saving grace was for the character Ham Sook Jin. Oh did I love to hate her! As I stated on the drama's page, I think the writer(s) had a thing for Agnes Nixon's daytime because Ham Sook Jin was like if Erica Kane and Dorinan Lord (look them up if you don't know) had a baby. She's deliciously conniving and unapologetic.

More than half of the 8 points (4 stars) I gave the cast were for HSJ's portrayer, Lee Seung Yeon. In the hands of a less skilled actress the character could have turned into a caricature. This entire drama was carried on the back of the more "seasoned" professionals. The ML has gorgeous teeth and is damn attractive. That's all the good I can say. The FLs (I supposed that's what they were) aren't the best actresses I've ever seen. The 2nd ML was a better actor than the other leads (if you don't count Lee) and he wasn't that good. Although, I will admit, he seemed to get better as the series progressed.

There was nothing music wise that is worth mentioning. The re-watch is zilch. If you catch me watching this again, someone paid me.

Overall, it's a typical revenge plot. Had the writers concentrated on that storyline instead of creating so many other unnecessary ones with obvious conclusions. A Secret House would have been a much better watch.

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Thoroughly Entertaining!

I had a great time watching Mystery to IuNakare. It's a fun ride. I absolutely adored Kounou Toutonou! Japan has done several takes on Sherlock Holmes. Some hits. Some misses. I'm not saying Toutonou is young Sherlock Holmes, but it he reminds me of him. Honestly, to me he's a combo of Holmes and Tom Baker's Doctor Who (the 4th doctor.. look him up). Kounou Toutonou is a college student (as he says many times) with beyond exceptional deductive reasoning and observational skills. His antisocial behavior and personality led him to become the prime suspect in the murder of a former high school classmate. I was hooked from the first few minutes in episode one (finished the entire series in less than a day). Any time a suspect is taken in for questioning and winds up questioning the police, I'm in. Of course he shows off his skills, thereby setting up the rest of the series.

The story is great. Yes, the murders may be somewhat common, but the solving of them is not. I mentioned Kounou reminds me of Sherlock Holmes. He has his own Moriarity. Someone who is brilliant, but pushed to the edge due to circumstances and winds up on the wrong side of the law. There's also a common thread throughout the episodes that does not become readily apparent until the end. The writing was done very well as was the production. This is not a gritty crime detective story. Although, somewhat lighthearted in many ways, it's not a comedy either. I'd categorize it as a dramedy.

The cast is great. Suda Masaki is fantastic as our curly haired protagonist. The characters including guests were all well cast. I enjoyed their performances. It took almost an entire episode for me to recognize Eita. When he shaves and covers his ears, he's unrecognizable. LOL

The music was pretty good. I really didn't take much notice of it which means it supported the scenes instead of overwhelming them. Re-watch is medium as I rarely re-watch, but I may, especially if there's too much time between seasons. Hopefully, there will be a season 2 as season 1 ends with a cliffhanger. Plus, there's too much about Kounou-kun that is unknown.

Overall, this is a fantastic binge worthy drama. I highly recommend it.

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Somewhat disappointing

I've been waiting for this movie since it was announced. I'm a big fan of pirates (blame Robert Louis Stevenson). I love a great swashbuckling adventure. I'm still waiting.

The story was nothing new. In movies and TV pirates seek treasure. That's what they do, so I wasn't expecting much on that front. It's in the telling and what happens from point A to point B that makes the story worthwhile. Given the period, they attempted to bring in something(s) about Goryeo, but I didn't find it particularly interesting or believable. The special effects are great. I can't complain about the production at all. It's the lacklustre script, recycled lines, and all around poor writing that I have an issue with.

The cast was good. Lee Kwang Soo (and to some extinct Kim Sung Oh) may have been cast for comic relief, but Kang Ha Neul was laugh out loud funny. I have much love and respect for Lee, Kim and Kang, but this movie did them no favors. I think all 3 are phenomenal actors, however, LKS and KSO's talents were wasted. It seems to me they only cast LKS due to his betrayer character from Running Man. I wouldn't have blinked had Yoo Jae Suk made some kind of cameo. LKS does really well branching out and getting different roles in movies. My fear is that this one will set him back. KSO was just underutilized from start to finish. The rest of the cast including the female lead was fine.

The music was actually pretty good. It led to the suspense. The rewatch is maybe a 4. I'm not a rewatcher, but this is also had English dubs and I may check it out.

Overall, I would only recommend this to someone looking to pass 2 hours. Or just looking at something they truly don't have to think about. Like I said the effects are very good. And it is an adventure (and a comedy). If I had to compare it to another movie, I'd say Pirates of Penzance minus the singing rather than Pirates of the Caribbean (and it's definitely not Treasure Island). I'd say watch it if you love someone(s) in the cast. Watch it if you're just wanting to watch something. Do not watch it if you're looking for a grand adventure with pirates that look more likely to break out into a jaunty ditty than stab and steal your gold.

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Overall? Just not good

Simply put, Jirisan is a murder mystery with a supernatural twist that takes place on a mountain. However, when Kim Eun Hee is your scriptwriter, nothing is simple. I am a huge, I mean HUGE Kim Eun Hee fan. When I see her name as a screenwriter, I'm watching it no matter what. She has 12 screenwriting credits on MDL and I've seen 11. I love her weird twisty mind. This is why I tried my best to like Jirisan. I went out on several limbs. When I fell off one, I grabbed hold of another, but in the end, I just hit the ground.

For about 10 episodes it was one of the worst mystery and/or supernatural dramas I've ever seen (and trust me I've seen way more than my fair share from around the globe). The mains were boring and flat. The cast seemed bored. Their countenances were flat and disinterested. Honestly, it felt like Jirisan was written by someone else or as if Kim turned in a script she wrote as a project in college. Suddenly, it pivoted and became interesting. It was as if another crew took over production including the script. The cast came to life. The twists and turns seemed to have reason as opposed to a writer who says 'let me just do this to throw them off.' It was actually fun to watch right up until the end of episode 16.

Our leads, Jun Ji Hyun and Joo Ji Hoon, were awful. Simply awful. Their characters were idiotic. I love strong intelligent female leads, but Ji Hyun's Yi Kang was not one. She was needlessly stubborn and wreckless. She angered me in almost every episode. Ji Hoon looked like he was sleepy. Like he was thinking of napping in almost every episode. I don't know if he was filming something else at the same time, but he definitely didn't seem to be getting enough rest. The stellar supporting cast held Jirisan together. Veterans like Song Dong Il and Kim Yong Ok (both of whom I adore) can turn sh*t into sunshine and that is exactly what they did in every scene they were in. Right behind them was Oh Jung Se, one of my favorite scene stealers. If it hadn't been for the 3 of them and a few of the other rangers, I would not have made it to episode 5 let alone 16!

The music was actually pretty good. It went especially well with the cinematography. My rewatch value is less than 0. I'm talking a large negative here. I can guarantee you that I will never voluntarily watch Jirisan (any piece of it) again.

Overall, I can't recommend it. The story isn't told well for more than half the drama. The production is haphazard and lacking. With that being said episodes 10/11-15 are excellent. I won't say they save it, but the saved me from giving a Kim Eun Hee drama 3 stars or less.

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Absolutely Loved It!

I haven't liked a female driven (investigative) Korean drama this much since Mrs. Cop. Inspector Koo is an ex-police officer turned insurance investigator that no one really wants to work with. The thing is, she's the best, and if you want results, you need her. She's sees things others don't and can connect the dots like no one else. As a person she's slovenly and plagued by her past, but her mind sharp. Along with 2 insurance investigators and her favorite fellow gamer, she uncovers and solves crimes. At issue isn't the who, it's the why and how.

The story sounds absurd. In fact it is, but it is well crafted and written. The crew including the director were very good. The action and fight sequences have great choreography. Our two female leads, Lee Young Ae (Inspector Koo) and Kim Hye Joon, were excellent. They had great chemistry with each other and the rest of the cast. Actually, the entire cast worked well, which is rare. I think it's probably because there was no forced romance, which I liked. There is a romance between an atypical K-drama couple that was handled very well.

The music was really good. I especially enjoyed the theme along with the animated credits. The re-watch value is high for those that re-watch dramas, I don't, but I can see this one being on one's list. And I can also see me re-watching if there is a season 2 that comes out years later.

Overall, Inspector Koo is fantastic. I wish there had been a little bit more background on our major characters and that certain things (ok 2) were handled differently, but it's one of the best I've seen in a long time.

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Wasn't Expecting Much & Not Much Is What I Got

First things first, this is my genre. All things supernatural, horror, and psychological thrillers are my jam. They make me happy. Somehow I knew from the trailer that Hellbound wasn't going to make me happy, but like a moth to a flame or a cat to a shiny thing... well you get the picture.

The story had potential. It was obvious from the trailer that the supernatural was going to be on the back burner and the story was going to be more humanistic. It's a slice of life with CG monsters. In a series this short either the story has to develop quickly and you forego character development or your characters have to grow by leaps and bounds. Neither happens in Hellbound. The fault lies squarely on the shoulders of writer/director Yeon Sang Ho. The first 2 or 3 episodes are spent setting us up the characters that disappear by the end of the 3rd episode. You really only know what happens to one. Unless I dozed off, you get no closure on the main character in the first few episodes. I mean none. He's just gone. Then the story jumps 4 years and the 2nd set of characters are tied to the first by the only character from the first 3 episodes to still be around.

The writing was disappointing. I felt like Yeon was trying to preach, but couldn't figure out how to start his sermon. So he floundered, changed his mind, and started again. I don't know if he wanted to take on zealotry and idolatry or religion in general. It really did seem like he was trying to sneak in a message. Yeon also fails at directing. It's a dark series and I don't mean the subject matter. Even when the characters are outside on sunny days, the shots were dreary. We get it. Bad times ahead. Honestly, some scenes reminded me of film school projects. I'm starting to feel the same about Yeon as I do about M. Knight Shymalan, concentrate on the writing son, leave the directing to someone with more talent. Train to Busan may have been a happy accident because of the cast not his talent. But, hey, the visual and sound effects were great!

The cast does a good job with the material given. However, there is no character development. Park Jung Min gave a solid performance. Overall, his character may have been the best written or well rounded followed by Yang Ik Jun's character. Kim Hyun Joo was window dressing. Her character was a caricature of a strong female lead instead of actually being one.

I scored the music high because it does a great job supporting and setting up scenes. The rewatch value is 0. If you have ever read any of my reviews, you know I almost always say I rarely rewatch a drama. I can tell you with absolute certainty that unless inebriated, paid, or under duress I will never watch Hellbound again. Mind you it ends on a cliffhanger so I may watch part 2.

Overall, it's a 5.5- 6.0 primarily because the visual and sound effects and because there is something there. I like the idea of the story but it's just not told very well. I'd only recommend it to die hard supernatural genre fans like myself. For the average viewer I'd say skip it or at least wait to see if there is a season 2 and then watch them together.

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Lost Steam Towards the End

Law School game out of the gates like a prize winning horse that nobody could catch. It was fast paced, witty, interesting, and mysterious. In a word.. THRILLING. Then somewhere around episode 12 it started losing it's way and failed to cross the finish line. Set in a prestigious law school and Korean court this drama gives us and the students of Hankuk University Law School some classroom and practical lessons in Korean civic and criminal law.

It just so happens that all the students that have past trauma caused by 1 man (whether they know it or not) are all in the same classes and taught by 2 of the professors who also have trauma. Ok that's farfetched, but you go with it because it's fun. Every thing is fine and dandy until you realize the drama has no intentions on addressing some points they brought out earlier in the show. One student has a major emotional reaction to a visitor to their class in episode 1 or 2. I spent the next 14-15 episodes waiting to find out why. The drama is over. I'm still waiting. I'd like to say the writing was great, but nah. Only one person is credited with writing, but it seems like 2. The writing is stilted and disjointed. The production is very good with great sets and camera work.

The cast is a good one. I think most of their talents were underused. I wonder how they talked Woo Hyun into taking his role, but I'm glad he did. This is my first time seeing Kim Bum since he finished his military service. I feel like his talent was underutilized. The obvious attraction between his Han Joon Hwi and Ryu Hye Yong's Min Sol-A was left smoldering on the ground. I enjoyed the entire cast. They were very good. Moreover, I liked their characters and would have liked to know what paths all the students took at the end.

The theme song was driving me ah crazy. I couldn't stand it. I would have loved it had the singer not sang "it's driving me ah crazy." Honestly, I know where the song writer got it from. It's misappropriation of the African American vernacular. That in and of itself ticked me off. So, yeah, didn't like the theme and I don't recall any other music. I'm not a rewatcher. Very few dramas get me to take a 2nd look. This will not be one of those dramas. Rewatch value is honestly 0.

For me Law School started fantastically. I love it when I get to learn something about another culture and how their law and politics work. I really love it when I don't have to find my entertainment around an utterly unnecessary and pointless romance. High 5 for Law School!! Had it not started to rush leaving questions unanswered, it easily would have gotten a 9-10 from me.

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Copped Out At the End

Super Me has a great premise and it starts off great. Sang Yu is a young poor writer that learns to harvest his nightmares for big rewards. His greed and desire for the woman he's been pining away for gets the better of him. Sang Yu learns taking short cuts to achieve ones desires can come with a hefty toll.

The writing for the most part is good. Everything was going along fairly well until the end. The writer fell upon cliches and contrivances to move the story forward. The story is whitewashed leaving you with a happy hopeful ending then it takes a slight turn. I'm guessing the turn is supposed to spark debate and conversation, but, to be quite frank, I just didn't care. The CG effects were great.

The cast did their job. Darren Wang did a good job as Sang Yu. Everyone was just... good. They weren't bad. They weren't fantastic. They were just good. Actually, the pancake salesman, who was in the movie all of 10 minutes tops, gave the best performance out of everyone. He's a veteran actor and it showed. Cao Bing Kun's Sang Ge was also fun to watch.

Aside from the lead female singing (she was so unimportant and truly unnecessary in my opinion), the music was ok. It supported the scenes. I have no reason to watch this again unless I skip from dream sequence to dream sequence. I can't say I wasted 90 minutes watching it, but I do wish I'd had watched something else.

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Yeeah .....naw!

Sisyphus started out strong and fizzled like firecrackers in a hurricane. I am so disappointed. It had everything going for it. A solid cast, a damn good story with imagination, MONEY!! They put some money into the Fx. It grabs you from the beginning with a interesting characters in an equally as interesting premise. Then it humpty dumptied itself. And for what reason? To satisfy needy romance holics? My one wish for SK drama makers is that they stop forcing romance between characters, especially when there is no chemistry. I mean zip, nada, zilch. The romance isn't the only thing that went wrong. It's not even the biggest, but it helped lead the story down the path of boringness. For an action there was no tension throughout and the urgency seemed to ebb and flow.

Visually, it's great. The cameraman, editors, and cg specialists did their thing. The directing and script? Well, if you like a timey whimey mess, then hey, you're in for a treat. But, if you're a fan of time travel stories and movies, you'll be thinking 'wtf are they doing.' Why did that person disappear and not that one? Why did time change for a and not b. How many timelines were created and screwed up?! Don't even get me started on the last scene in which we see our 2 leads. Can you say nonsensical? It doesn't feel like it belongs. It feels like a scene someone with power demanded be put into the show because concubine #2 or their mom didn't like something. Seriously, it was just unnecessary. There are so many unnecessary scenes and happenings. It's my opinion that Jo Seung Woo's Han Tae Sul and Park Shin Hye's Kang Seo Hae made a great team. They were good partners like cops. It's fine if they care for each other because they have each other's backs, but no romance. It just didn't work. They could've also spent a little more time in the dystopian future. It seemed interesting. Horrid, but interesting.

The cast from supports to the leads were great. Actually, I think Kim Byung Chul stole the entire show. He was great. I've never seen him smile so much. He's scary when he smiles. The child actor that played him as a boy was excellent as well. He's got a career in crazy if he wants it. I didn't realize Jo could be funny, but he had a few scenes and looks that made smile. I triple checked his filmography because he didn't seem like the same guy that plays Shi Mok in Stranger and Stranger 2. Han Tae Sul was a great character and he played him well. As for Park, she's really settling into her action star role. She was believable handling the handguns. The AKA's and rifles not so much. She runs well with them, but she's always been a good runner. She held her own in the fight scenes. I was impressed. If Kim stole the show, Sung Dong Il stole all of his scenes (as per usual). I really just enjoy watching him act. He always looks like he's enjoying himself even when he's yelling or killing someone.

The music was alright. It supported the scenes without being overpowering. The rewatch is my usual 0.

Overall, Sisyphus isn't a bad drama (no where near it), but it wasn't what I was hoping for. It's not really binge or marathon worthy. You may marathon it to get it over and done with, but not because you just have to get to the next episode.

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Wu Xie Belongs In Slytherin

I loved it. It scratched all my archaeologist Indian Jones wannabe itches. I love adventure, thrills & chills, mixed with a little bit of mystery and murder. Tomb of the Sand Sea has it all. The only reason I'm not giving it a 10 is because the end seemed rushed and there are unanswered plot holes that will probably go unanswered unless I find a translated version of the book series or they make a prequel or a 2nd season of Mystic Nine. Although they have MN listed as a side story, you will probably want to watch it first just to know some of the background of the 9 families.

Let's get the issues out of the way. I thought I was watching the Tomb releases in order, but turns out I watched Tomb 2 too early. That's where part of my personal confusion came in. (1) There is an actor in both series but he's not playing the same character. (2) Wu Xie is much older. He is not the 20 something naive kid from Lost Tomb or Lost Tomb 2. And that's fine. What's a little off is that he's some kind of mystic able to accurately predict people's actions 5 moves ahead in order for his crazy elaborate plan(s) to work. He's a master manipulator, hence the Slytherin reference. (3) Lt. Zhang Ri Shan from MN is also in Sea with no explanation as to how. I thought they were using him to replace Zhang Qi Ling (and in very many aspects they did), but Qi Ling makes appearances, too. (4) The families have apparently intermarried and there are last names that are unfamiliar. They really needed to include a family tree instead of the outtakes. (4a) Where are the Hongs? There are no Hongs in Sand Sea, which leads me to (5) Lay Zhang. Lay plays a main character in MN and a minor supporting one in Sand Sea. The issue I'm having is who was he really. Is he Er Ye from MN, a reincarnation, or just a look alike? I just couldn't figure him out. The issues I've listed may seem like a big deal, but really they're not. They easily become unimportant.

The story is about a kid trying to pass his college entrance exam that is attacked, kidnapped, and forced on a whirlwind adventure. It's kind of a coming of age story with a few masterminds and a lot of guns. The production is fantastic. The stunts and fights are well done. The script and direction were pretty solid. At times I did feel that the editing was a little off.

The cast is great!! I'm not much for romance, but even my heart was fluttering in the last few episodes thanks to Lt. Zhang's actor, Zhang Ming En and his sexy self. woo * clutch the pearls * He's not just a pretty face either. There were tell tale signs of his age in his mannerisms, the way he stood and walked, and sometimes in how he spoke. He had on one outfit that looked like they stole off an old man in the park doing Tai Chi. The entire cast has a lot of chemistry.

The music was good. I don't tend to rewatch things, but I can see myself rewatching this to find clues I may have missed.

Overall, it's a really fun watch. Does it have some problems? Yah, sure you betcha! But they're minor. You just need to tell your left brain to shut up and go for the ride.

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Er Ye Knew Nothing About Chen Pi

It wasn't his love and admiration for Ya Tou and Er Ye that drove Chen Pi to the extremes found in Mystic Nine. He was always like that.

This story deals with Chen Pi prior to his meeting Er Ye and joining his clan so it has nothing to do with Mystic Nine. The only connection besides Chen Pi himself is the dilapidated temple where he lives. That temple is the same as in MN: Side Story 3 about Huo Ji Xin. In this movie Chen Pi becomes the avenger of a family after being paid by one family member. They should have named this MN: Grim Reaper because that is what Chen Pi was. It's most evident in the after credit scene.

The story is not new. It's been seen before. It's been done better and worse. There is a whole thing about human experiments that has no explanation. That may actually have tied in with the Mystic Nine series, but I don't know. There's absolutely no character development whatsoever. I mean like NONE! The crazy people are just crazy. Why? They just are. The cast and the acting were good.

The music was supportive. As always the re-watch is n/a.

Unlike the other movies I'm not sure this prequel was worth watching. You learn nothing new. Chen Pi is a killer! Big deal. We already knew that. Honestly, if you just go by the look and flow of it, this is the better of the 4 specials. For me it's the 2nd most entertaining. It's an example of a good story that's poorly executed.

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No Clue What the Ganges has to do with it

I expected the movie to take place in Hindustani or something, but nope. It's right there on the outskirts of Changsha, China like the other movies. * shrug *

Anywho...

Like Tiger Bone Plum Blossom, this is not a side story. It is a prequel. It's the story of how Huo Jin Xi became clan head just like TBPB is the story of the Xie's head. This movie was kind of good. The story was fairly solid and interesting. Members of all the Mystic 9 families were trapped and are being murdered and they don't know why or by whom. It's up to the remaining members to solve the riddle to survive. That's a pretty good premise for a web movie.

The production was good. There weren't a lot of sets nor characters. It was better than I would expect for something that was aired online. Don't expect the quality of a theatrical release. It was as good as a tv movie. The acting was so-so. Some people could act and some couldn't and it showed. Wang Mei Ren was impressive as Huo Jin Xi. Too bad they didn't let the character show what she could do in the Mystic 9 series. She was pretty pathetic and conniving in MN, but here she was kind and a bit of a badass. I guess they wanted to show her real personality and why she perhaps changed.

The music supported the movie. It was nothing special. My rewatch, as always, is 0. I guess I should say n/a. I'd say it's worth watching if you watched MN.

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