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So far this movie has been released in China and Thailand and I fervently hope it will stay that way.

The Chinese PR machine presents this production as UN approved and "based on true events". It was launched at May 1 in local theaters as a tribute to Chinese blue helmets who once rescued citizens from the clutches of some real nasty Africans as you can see on the film poster that looks like a apocalyptic zombie movie.

Of course this isn't the first time that the Chinese government presents us their own version of reality but really, this artist impression of the Chinese Savior Complex comes with a new low: they use blackface to infiltrate and fool the African people.

Apart from that who in his right mind can think that Africans would see a bunch of Asians with black face and dreadlocks as their own people?

In short, this movie is in a league of its own, meant for Chinese entertainment only. Don't see it.

What can I say? I really wanted to like this movie. It has an interesting topic but the minute the runtime was over I already forgot what I was looking at.

Agreed, it is difficult for Chinese producers to get their movies pass Chinese sensorship without becoming too regulated or boring, and they really tried their best. Perhaps they thought one way to do it is leaving out the text, accentuating on the costumes, mood, look and feel like we're just looking at one long fashion commercial.

There's nothing wrong with that but Hidden Blade pushes it too far to the point of becoming artyfarty. I won't spoil the plot but I can tell you that this movie is a depressive tale with dark camerawork, a waste of good actors and a script that has no other message than that there are patriots hidden everywhere willing to die for communism.

Three points for styling.

Going through Li Hong Yi's playlist I stumbled upon The Legendary Life of Queen Lau. What a find! This is so much more than a story about a country bumpkin girl meeting a preppy flower boy.

Summary

Liu Jin Feng (Jackie Li) is living a simple country life with her mother until she's summoned by her father, the Grand Chancellor Liu Xie (Wang Dong) who lives at the imperial court as guardian of the late emperor's son, Duan Yun Zhang (Li Hong Yi) He forces a marriage between his daughter and the young heir apparent, and Yun Zang plays along under the motto Keep Your Friends Close, Keep Your Enemies Closer.

As he meets his bride on the wedding day Yun Zhang is surprised by her appearance. Liu Jin Feng turns out to be a small but sturdy country girl, courageous, spontaneous, easily fooled by the courtiers. It beats him why Liu Xie chose this unrefined girl, Liu's lovechild, in stead of Liu's official daughter who's famed for her finesse. The Grand Chancellor claims it was the dying wish of Yun Zang's royal father. So Yun Zhang decides to share his sleep quarters with his wife meanwhile observing her and testing her loyalty towards him and her father.

Jin Feng is oblivious to all of this, and completely swept off her feet by her husband's looks. She's putting all her energy and focus in meeting his standards, and she's stubbornly blind to his passive aggressiveness. Wreaking havoc with all her good intentions she angers Yun Zang in such a way that he spills the ugly truth. Heart broken Jin Feng leaves him alone and demands a legal separation. Now that she's gone Yun Zang begins to miss her. Can he re-evaluate his priorities, and will he finally win the power struggle for the throne without losing his wife in the process?

Acting/cast

The strongest point of this production is the cast. The role of Yun Zhang fits Li Hong Yi like a glove; I like his Soft Ice look in contrast to the Powder-Your-Face-With-Sunshine, Jackie Li. I hope she sets a trend with stars like Wang Peng. They are the shining examples of authentic looks that may become mainstream. A breath of spring in the land of mass plastic surgery where faces scare the hell out of me, or become indiscernible at best. Take Li Hong Yi's face f.e. Compared to Wang Yibo's. That brings me to the subject of The Untamed and two actors who play in this series as well. Guo Cheng (Lan Lingyi) is the crown prince's brother who's interested in the other Liu sister, and Qi Pei Xin (Jin Ling) is guest starring as the imperial physician. Kudos for Wang Dong as Grand Chancellor Liu Xie who maintains a believable balance between the dark and good sides of his character.

The Bad

Although the cast performs well, I see some flaws in the production. F.e. There are too many storylines, repetitions, slowing the flow of the story and leaving loop holes in the plot; there's a misbalance between romance, slapstick, and sentimental scenes; serious dialogues are abruptly followed by odd social media sounds that are somehow deemed appropriate for romcoms. Also the emphasis is on looks and appearances, in stead of character traits and inner growth.

The Good

Still, the emphasis on authenticity vs duplicity is a very good one, especially in the character writing of the leading couple. It gives this light romcom a deeper layer and some food for thought. Yun Zhang and Jin Feng get some real life lessons along their way.

Overall

So, if you like romcom combined with a coming of age story, this is for you. Enjoy the legendary life of the cinderella queen and her prince, searching for a heart of gold.