★★★★★
The 2016 Chinese epic fantasy drama, starring Feng Shao-Feng
as Ka-Suo, Victoria Song as Li-Luo, and Ma Tian-Yu as Ying Kong Shi.
Brief synopsis: The world exists in three realms- the mortal
humans, the immortal gods, and the spirits. Ka-Suo is the crown prince of the
immortal Ice Kingdom, which currently rules over the three realms, but he wants
nothing more than to disinherit his title and live freely. Ying Kong Shi, his
younger brother, wants that for him as well. When the Fire Kingdom suddenly
attacks Snowblade City, Ka-Suo is forced to flee to the mortal realm. There he
meets the Envoy of the Guardian Li-Luo, as well as other leaders of significant
tribes of the mortal realm. Their objective: find a way to restore power to the
Ice Kingdom and establish peace across the three realms once again.
This drama has the characteristic marks of an epic- it’s
long, heroic, and filled with sub-stories inside the general plot. The theme
seems to be a medley of elements from Thor, Avatar: the Last Airbender, and
Disney. Moreover, it’s difficult to
predict the ending according to popular standards. The plot twists really
surprised me, although the characters weren’t that emotional or humanistic to
really bond with.
However long and complex the overall story is, I really
enjoyed it! It kept me interested and entertained.
I was very impressed with the performance of Ma Tian-Yu as
Ying Kong Shi. He seemed more expressive than the other characters- that is,
you could read his thoughts and emotions by his acting. I’ll admit, with other
characters it was a little difficult sometimes, but I liked Ma Tian-Yu’s style.
Don’t get your hopes up and ships sailing in this drama.
It’s just unwise. Enjoy the epic for what it is!
I should remind my readers, though- Chinese dramas have
different elements of construct. They use voice-over a lot more, slow motion
action, and the occasional computer-generated graphics. It’s probably better
for your personal experience to enter watching a Chinese drama expecting it to
appear more like an animation than a refined product of live-action filming.
But all that being said... 5/5 stars! Enjoy! :D
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