WARNING!!! Scathing criticisms in this review THE BAD NEWS.....Okay, first up front, I liked this series of the Condor Heroes BUT, and that's a big BUT?....being a westerner writing this Im reviewing this with what I believe is an open and objective opinion so dont take offence. When I clicked onto watch this series I was engaged, and I mean for 2 days it was my entertainment fodder, by day 4 and at about the 30's episodes it went downhill for a while. Here's why?

Some of the storyline absolutely went into stupids-ville for content and left me cussing and swearing at the tv asking WTF, use your head, or could have written in something better than that. It was little things I cant recall now, but I know it left me cussing. Writers be C-O-N-S-I-S-T-E-N-T with your plots and subplots and dont assume we the watcher/audience are idiots cos we aren't. One of the reasons I watch Chinese Histo-dramas is for the history, the stories are sometimes great and the actors are gorgeous and handsome. That said, there's more to develop by writers in being consistent with logic, intelligence of the story, I guess a skill Western movie makers get right like Jerry Bruckheimer, he's the grandmaster of box office movie making and storyline development, anyway. I have had that gripe and offloaded. The disconnected and pace of the series quickened from ep 29 onwards that I felt like I was on a rollercoaster going in and out of plots and subplots so quickly, like OMG???...anyway by EP 40 there was a kind of settling down period and the seriees resumed its credibility.

THE GOOD news, YUP there is some good news really loved the series and enjoyed watching characters like Wuji and Xie Xun grow and reunite. There were some tender and endearing moments that almost removed all my growlies about eps 30-40 and so the series redeemed itself well.

This is a delightful and light viewing series about a young boy who is raised in an icy mountain region, is taken back to the mainland. He travels throughout the 'Central Plains' mainland meeting all sorts of people and learning all sorts of skills and knowledge to make him a leader of a cult. The content of knowledge he learns is especially interesting, like the 9-Ying or 9-Yang techniques, or the Heaven and Earth Shift Martial Arts moves. The presence of a Grandmaster made this show also as some kind of supervisor of develoment of the boy.

It's a slightly complex series with intricate and sometimes unnecessary sub plots that really took away from the main storyline,. like just when a baddie is going to get his comeuppance bam the scene goes totally the opposite, like WTF why do that????....made no sense really so got me frustrated.

Ultimately, tho he learned and understood what was best for him as a person and goes seeking out the love of his life, and they ride off on their horses across the Mongolian plains...mmm nice ending. The scenery was magnificent and beautiful in this series and added more appeal for me. In the end I am pleased I watched this series, I am broader for it.

Lire davantage

BUT and its a big but.....i was gripped by this series from start to end however theres some flaws

Plus - storyline pace kept me engaged and wanting to see the next episode [induced binge-watching all 66 eps)
Thats a good sign of a good series

Minus- inconsistencies with the logic of some plot storylinex - there were better options for some actions to follow in a story

Plus - costumes and scene sets elaborate, ornate and intriguing .... great portrayal of asian culture

Minus - the lack of detail to the main characters origins and purpose from the beginning to set the context
Plus - Main lead female was par excllence Yang Mi is an outstanding actress who i hope well see in western movies and same with ethan Juan both characters filled the screen with mean as emotion theyd rock in western movies

“Minus - the lack of connectedness from the opening scene to the ending and the way the ending was executed the main LETDOWN for me was the ending it had no connectedness to the opening scene out of the millions of ways this series could have ended this one did not do justice to Fuyao’s journey and achievements or to Wuji’s role in her life either....i would have given 2 episodes to lead in an epic ending instrad was left hanging and wondering why that ending

Overall im a fan of this movie but the ending spoiled it for me

Lire davantage