Not as good as hype
This review is done being 100% impartial, without any personal fan-favor spirit. Everyone has different perspectives, we should not judge each other. I am still very respectful to someone who gave this show 10/10.My review is like this maybe because that I watched this show after watching "word of honor". The BL theme got me here afterwards. But honestly, the two main leads hardly have any chemistry developed almost till the end. Its only looked like friendly banter and wei ying was almost clueless that Lanzhan may have BL type feelings for him. Maybe its because of censor board. From wei ying's point of view : he probably felt through the whole series that Lanzhan is a trustworthy reliable honest friend, but as soul mate? nah. Except that hunting episode a very short vague conversation between them was about "soul mate" thing. At least before death, wei ying was not at all in love with Lanzhan, he was same way playful and loyal friend as he was with other close person, as example to JC or Wen qing. In that case, if u think Lanzhan and wei ying as BL partner, I would say that about 85% volume of this drama Weiying had more emotions for his brother jiang C. And in that context, one can think of them to be BL partner, lol. Or may be straight relation ship between weiying and wen qing? Last few episodes, you can sense that Lanzhan has little one sided feelings for weiying and weiying is still clueless about it. Probably wei ying is not a gay at all.
I am also very disappointed about the fact that how others ( not wei ying, of course) not at all give any credits to the Wen siblings, specially JC. When those Wen siblings helped WY and JC and tried to collect their parents dead body, it was a huge sacrifice made from their side. And they initiated this kindness. WY only tried to return that kindness. They went against their clan and risking their own life, thats a huge matter of respect. They are proper hero of this story. Their loyalty, conscious, honesty no way lesser than WY. They save WY more than once. Like in prison also they helped WY to survive against that wild creature. Honestly, WY owe them his life, his family glory. In the same way, when WY blindfolded aim the arrows to the target without hitting any wen people, was a bit cruel side of him. He knows that he wont hit any but think about those people who were kept as targets and they might have never witnessed anyone to throw a bunch of arrows at a time without mistake? Although, WY tried to show sympathy and righteousness toward any normal people, but I really doubt, if he was not in debt of those wen siblings, will he still try to defend them going against his own clan? In that case, its not hard to say that whoever goes first to show kindness and righteousness is the actual one, and that is those wen siblings.
The story plot is very attractive thats why I watched the Anime version too after the drama, and in anime the BL theme is more clearer than this drama version. Chibi anime version was cuter and little more expressive about BL theme. I didnt have chance to read the actual novel yet, probably that is why I didnt feel much chemistry between main leads in the drama. Obviously, if people start this drama with pre-mind set then they can feel chemistry even in friendly banter. The way drama portrayed the emotions between main leads, if u consider that as BL then I think every guy is gay out there in this whole world. And any strong friendship means gay/ lesbian-ship.
I am not at all convinced with the "BL" tag with this drama, rather I would recon is as a drama of good friendship.
About the acting: come on! be honest: many actors could have done Lan zhan's role with almost no dialogue. Other actors are also so-so. What was the challenging role here to play that no other actor cant perform? On the contrary, Chasing by dog: the screaming acting by xiao zhan was looking soooo "fake", unless you are totally blinded by fandom you can't claim it as " funny" either. That was more or less over acting, i would say. The best acting done by is Zhu Zan jin and Meng Zi yi. Others are replaceable. Its sad that Xue yang's story part was presented so little and vague way that it almost lost the major contribution it had.
In several episodes, I felt that story was going very slow and it was at some point boring me out. Some scenes were not very necessary and draggy.
I loved the music, so 10/10. This is personal taste. So I wont judge if someone rate music 1/10.
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The cast also very deeply fell into the characters of this drama. AN EXCELLENT ACTING FOR SURE!
THIS IS MY FAVORITE THING, THE MUSIC! A drama wouldn't be perfect if the music isn't good. But this drama has THE BEST OST FOR SURE! ESPECIALLY WANGXIAN AND YI NAN PING! OMG, I SUDDENLY REMEMBER YANLI. POOR MY HEART :"(
With this drama's addictive effect, you gonna rewatch this a thousands time for sure.
IT'S A PERFECT DRAMA!
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First Cd i watched
This is the first CD I have ever watched, it's based on a super spicy BL novel. It lacks the spice of the written story but it's still a good story, while i dislike the editing and CGI its a bit crap imo it looks a bit shit.The story is a 6 out of 10 because when you have read the story this lacks quite a bit of things.
Acting is a solid 8 of 10 because while the story lacks the spice the actors are good at what they do.
Music is amazing as always 10 out of 10
I think it's a solid rewatch for me because i love anything based on the stories of the novel author.
Over all i recommend it but i have my grievances with it as its deviating a lot from the spicy novel
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Cette critique peut contenir des spoilers
Wajib nonton
Ini benar-benar sangat menarik untuk di tonton, semua yang di tampilkan benar-benar luar biasa. Dari cerita nya ini di adaptasi dari beberapa novel, salah satunya ada dari novel BL. Wei ying dan wang ji benar-benar memerankan peran nya dengan sangat baik. Wang ji yang sangat dingin sikap nya membuat dia berwibawa dan berkarisma. Namun saat berhadapan dengan wei ying dia selalu menurunkan pandangan nya, terlihat bahwa wang ji menyukai we ying, dan ternyata mereka saling menyukai. Wei Ying yang sangat aktif dan humoris membuat cerita ini semakin berwarna. Berharap mereka bisa bersama selamanya dan hidup bahagia.. Musik nya sangat bagus, feel nya dapet banget..enak banget di denger nya. Overall sejauh episode yang sudah aku tonton sangat menarik dan aku akan menonton sampai habis. Terima kasihCet avis était-il utile?
Acting - Young actors new at their craft.
Directing - Low budget and it showed. Sloppy editing/timing/acting where the director clearly cut corners and let it slide. Scenes that needed 5 seconds drawn out to 30 seconds or more. Rather than a buildup of tension, it dragged the scene down. This happened many times from even the earliest episodes - which does not bode well for the series.
Screenwriting - Too much filler, cliched conversation. Bickering - this was cute maybe the first half dozen times, then it became tedious. The characters were a bit superficial in development - especially the side characters. The usual character archetypes but it gave the sense of being 75% done and could have been refined in presentation. Very odd choices - action/dramatic scene interspersed with casual conversation or obvious exposition.
Storyboarding - A bit confusing and disjointed. Starting at the middle, then going back to the beginning makes a bit more sense if there was some storytelling device that needed this artifice. But the way it was done detracted rather than added to the story being told - why not just do it chronologically? And the decision to cut back from the confrontation scene (ep 4?) (and this is a LOOOONG back story) left me confused. A poor choice - maybe driven by inexperience.
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Such a drag
Exceptionally boring for all the hype and awesome reviews. I was trying to find something to watch after Love and Redemption and after receiving multiple suggestions decided to watch it. While I was trying my best to stop watching and taking a rest with L&R, this one I've had to force myself into watching until now. No point going into detail, when the 99.9% reviewers think it is the best creation after loaf of bread. I hope the next 27 episodes prove me wrong. The story maybe good but the CGI is terrible, and so is the action choreography. Nothing keeps you glued tbh. I wanted to like it so bad, seeing how everyone seem to love it, but this one is just not cutting it.Cet avis était-il utile?
An Engaging Story Spoiled by Bad Acting
I understand the hype around this series. Its complex, well-written, and twisty storyline draws the viewer into the cultivation world. For those who are not familiar with the genres of wuxia and xianxia, watching it will be a unique cinematic experience. I am sure that there are plenty of competent reviewers who have underscored the many things that The Untamed deserves praise for, though, so I will not expand on them. Instead, I would like to address its biggest weakness – the acting.Let's start with the lead actor, Xiao Zhan.
His character, the witty rulebreaker Wei Wuxian, drives the plot forward from start to finish with his tragic story. He is the core of this series – a young man who inspires with his bravery, resilience, and kindness. He is the one who intrigues the viewer and draws them in. He is the one who should make them laugh, cry, and care the most. If he fails to do so, this series will lose its charm.
Xiao Zhan did not manage to become Wei Wuxian. His unconvincing acting failed to convey the charisma, the quiet power, and the complexity of this remarkable character. His Wei Wuxian is shallow and difficult to sympathize with. His tears look fake and so do his smiles. I believe that if the production team had chosen an actor who could handle the role, this series would have been a ten out of ten only because of Wei Wuxian. They did not.
My next problem is with actress Meng Zi Yi, who played Wen Qing, the skilled doctor of the Wen Clan.
Wen Qing is the only notable female character in this series, which suffers from a scarcity of interesting female characters – Jiang Yan Li, the other female character that the viewer will be seeing a lot, embodies a collection of stereotypes about women. This is why Wen Qing, who, contrary to Yan Li, is strong, independent, and not obsessed with cooking soup for her future husband, had potential to be memorable. However, Meng Zi Yi's lackluster acting constantly made her character blend into the background. She is a pretty actress, which might have been a factor in the production team's decision to cast her, but I think that her role demanded acting skills and facial expressions other than a deadpan more than beauty.
The third actor who demonstrated unconvincing acting is Wang Zhuo Cheng.
His character is Jiang Cheng, whose complicated relationship with Wei Wuxian is one of the central themes in the story. Jiang Cheng is notoriously bad-tempered, and his personality constantly clashes with the more easy-going Wei Wuxian's. Their interactions, which are meant to illustrate sibling love and rivalry, should have been moving, but instead bordered on the comical because in no given moment did Wang Zhuo Cheng managed to convince me that his character is actually angry or upset.
These actors' mediocre performances made me indifferent to three important characters, whom the viewer has to care for if they are to be invested in the story – and do not even get me started on the villains, both the major and the minor ones. I could not take any of them seriously despite their sinister deeds because their acting ranged from mediocre to bad.
Overall, the actors in this series, with the notable exception of Wang Yi Bo and Ji Li, delivered unconvincing performances. I could not force myself to care about their characters and eventually stopped being invested in the story. The production team should have been more selective during the casting. Such a long series that relies on its characters to drive it needs an exceptional cast.
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Is This A Chinese BL Drama?
Many people have asked about the extent of the BL factor in The Untamed. Some prefer more explicit romantic scenes between the 2 male leads while others don’t. To me, the BL scenes are very subtle. All you will get are just longing stares and teasings. Unless you have read the novel, you probably won’t even get the love message behind some of these conversations and scenes featuring Wuxian and Wangji. I guess they did get the balance right. It doesn’t offend those who are more conservative while it still has enough subtleties to excite fans of this novel. If you can’t get enough of them, you can also listen to the theme song, Wu Ji (无羁), which they sang as a duet.The Acting
Xiao Zhan is a joy to watch as he managed to bring the Wuxian character to life. Wuxian is a pretty well-developed character with a wide range of emotions. He can be cocky, playful, sweet, and dark. You can see his change in demeanor from his body language and facial expression that it is very easy to become invested in this character.
On the other hand, Wangji’s personality is very reserved and expressionless. Hence, I feel it is a much more challenging role to assume. But thanks to the great chemistry between Xiao Zhan and Wang Yi Bo, they managed to show that Wangji is capable of deep emotions although he might look cold.
I have not much to complain about regarding the rest of the cast. Some are great such as Paul Yu Bin who played Wen Ning while others are passable. But the highlight is still the 2 main leads and this is what I find pushes the drama up a notch.
Overall Verdict
I have to say that The Untamed can be a bit difficult to follow especially for those who have not read the novel. There are plenty of characters that somehow tie up to one another to create a chain reaction that can be confusing in the initial stages. There is also a lack of explanation on certain important aspects such as the flute that Wuxian wields and the Stygian Tiger Seal. The ending is open to interpretation and viewers are never really told how and why the ultimate mastermind arranged the whole scheme. The clues are there but you would have to piece them together and make some guesses.
However, I wouldn’t say that the whole drama and its ending are disappointing. In contrast, it is very much worth a watch. You just have to be patient to gradually pull off the layers and understand the full picture. After all, about 30 episodes are flashbacks to give viewers the back story of Wuxian. It is certainly not as straightforward as TVB’s Deep In The Realm Of Conscience or so heroic like the Heaven Sword And Dragon Sabre.
My overall verdict for The Untamed review would be to watch it for the plot and chemistry between the 2 male leads. Be patient and after about 10 episodes or so, you will be able to get into the story and can’t let go from there. The BL factor is not as strong as the feeling of brotherhood which supercedes any romantic notions to me. While others might interpret it differently, it doesn’t detract from the overall plot and enjoyability of this xianxia drama. So, go and watch it!
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Side note: I didn't know that Yibo is from a Kpop group Uniq so now, I'm checking out Uniq.
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I usually never binge shows like I'm binging this one! Everything about this drama is amazing. The beautiful scenery is just amazing, it takes you to a fantasy China world, and you can really feel like you're there.
The story is so captivating. Although I have to admit that the start of this show was a bit bumpy/hard to understand, by around episode 10 I was completely hooked and wanting to find out more. There is so much mystery, so much "Why did this happen?". They reveal things not too much, but not too little. I'm always wanting to watch more and find out more.
The main characters are to die for. They're people you can cheer for. Their personalities are unique. They have their own quirks. The character relationships are deep, it makes you attached to them even more.
The actors and actresses are all so good! They portray emotion so well, stick to their role so well. They are able to move you.
This is the best Asian drama I've ever watched, and I'm not just saying that!
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I don't know what happened but...
I'm probably in the absolute minority here but I did not like this show. It did start off interestingly enough and I was digging Xiao Zhan as Wei Wuxian but something (I can't even put my finger on what it was) didn't appeal to me. Maybe it was the plot as a whole or perhaps the fact that I wasn't as invested in the side characters as they wanted me to be, but I had to drop this drama, as hard as it is to admit. I also wasn't a big fan of Lan Wangji since all he did was looking at people with contempt or arrogance and it bored me after a while because his emotions were pretty much nonexistent or at least weren't plain enough for me to recognize. Overall I was bored of his emotionless face and the same expressions. I'm sure it wasn't even Wang Yibo's fault because I've seen snippets of his other dramas and he was REALLY good so I'm guessing it's the way his character had to be portrayed that didn't move me in the slightest. Too bad because I really tried liking this show :(I don't remember anything about the soundtrack so it's not worth mentioning unfortunately. As for the rewatch value I wouldn't dare recommending this since I haven't even finished it myself but due to its popularity (internationally) I won't be too concerned :)
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