Zhong Qi Zhi Shen Yuan Yi Zhong (2022)

This movie is up there with TLT2 (the Neo Hou/Cheng Yi outing) as my favorite DMBJ thingy. No silly het romance of an unnecessary insert (I'm looking at you, Providence), just good old tentacles and Bromance - with the B being very silent.

Till this movie, Heihua did nothing for me. It didn't ring any bells, it left me cold and shrugging on the outskirts of this fandom. But Ji Chen and Ji Xiaobing as Hei Xiazi and Xiao Hua, respectively, did A Thing(TM) to my perception of this pairing. Like... wow.

This movie was everything I hoped for. Yeah, yeah, grave robbing (sorta), tentacled Cthulhu wannabe, that was all nice and whatnot. But the relationship between Hei Xiazi and Xiao Hua? That was perfection pure.

Like...

- when Xiao Hua first came to Hei Xiazi and Hei Xiazi learned why Xiao Hua was headed into the jungle - and then he stole Xiao Hua's ugly statuette and threw it into the pond to protect him.
- when Hei Xiazi paid the armed wannabe bandits to let Xiao Hua's expedition pass but he placed himself right next to Xiao Hua, just in case, to protect him from bullets.
- when Hei Xiazi was told that the cops found a dead body and he feared that it was Xiao Hua, remembering his words, "Are you not afraid that we will all die?"
- when Hei Xiazi immediately packed his things and ran to Xiao Hua's rescue.
- when Hei Xiazi realized that Xiao Hua was poisoned - well, the rest of the expedition too but them folks could just keel over and die for all he cared - and kept on checking on Xiao Hua for the rest of the movie every time Xiao Hua was sick or dizzy - Hei Xiazi's Look(TM) when he saw the insect sores on Xiao Hua's arm!
- when Hei Xiazi decided to open the sarcophagus, not really caring what was inside, just so Wannabe Cthulhu would stop killing Xiao Hua.
- when Wannabe Cthulhu smacked Xiao Hua off the platform and Hei Xiazi screamed with rage!
- when it looked like they might die after all and Hei Xiazi simply lay down next to Xiao Hua, fully intending to just expire together with him right then and there.
- when they escaped through the river and at some point, Hei Xiazi let his young fellow of a friend go, despite the boy being knocked out, to drag Xiao Hua up.
- when Hei Xiazi's young friend told him, "Why don't you go with [Xiao Hua]? He obviously cares about you a lot."
- when they then ran off together, doing unseemly things in Russia.

This movie just pushed all the right buttons when it came to whump. There wasn't just a lot of hurt, there was so much care on both sides. It's the most lasting impression of mine after watching this movie: they CARED for each other. They cared so much. You could truly feel the depth of affection they had for each other. Smitten, I was smitten!

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The Lost Tomb - Bromance edition.

Yeah, I know, the whole Grave Robbers’ Chronicles is one big bromance party, but this one truly relies on the bromance a lot. The bromance is literally the reason the plot exists here.

It’s a simple, fun and well executed short side story. Most of the characters have valid motivations that justify the risks they are taking. The visuals were surprisingly good. After seeing quite a few tomb dramas/movies I am honestly not sure, but I think the wacky fighting scenes are wacky and questionable on purpose - this seems like a stylistic choice and not the lack of effort on the production team side.

I also appreciate all the deaths. The Tomb installments never shied away from killing side and supporting characters, but here I appreciate that they actually showed the kills.

Acting was great, dubbing - not so much. The line delivery was great, it just barely matched the movement of the mouth. At times it became distracting.

Overall, a quick and enjoyable watch. For sure it serves as better entertainment if you know and like the characters.

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Love it!

Ji Chen alias Mr Blind Man. Ever since the Tomb of the Sea series, he is my favourite character.
I've seen the Reunion: Sound of the providence and the Ultimate Note series as well and out of all these Glasses characters, Ji Chen's is my favourite.
I was so happy when I found the Reunion: Escape from the Monstrous Snake, that is an excellent movie. After that I was so much waiting for another film with him and ta-da here comes this one, yeahhh!
I loved this movie. He is so cool. I had to watch it twice. First, I actually read the subtitles. Second time I was just staring at him all the time!
He is so damn hot! I wouldn't mind more films with him. I want more, more, more, more :) Sorry, but seriously he is my ultimate favourite!

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Not bad

Since this one came out straight from the author's studio, it's closer to what the author wants to convey, still a bit OOC though. Not a shipper of this duo but this movie is probably better the previous one, vfx and acting wise. The movie also expressed the bromance better than the novel, mainly because of the OOC parts on each character, maybe the staff have to change it to get the results they want.

For the ending teaser on "Flower Night" you can go read the novel and be surprised how Black Glasses is even colder and more ruthless. It doesn't have as much bromance because more than half of it was Black Glasses's solo mission but the story is very good.

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