Zhao Yao

Sometimes I really need some hardcore romance besides the rom-coms I usually watch with their tongue-in-cheek love. This is one of those moments, and I am really satisfied with The Legends. This series has it all, outstanding headstrong characters, their own private history, High Fantasy, the Great Battle between Good & Evil, and beautiful chemistry between the main couple, that starts unconsciously, shy, sweet and fizzes on the screen at times.

Summary

This drama has been adapted from a popular novel about divine sects who fight for the power in the pugilistic world. The main story is about Lu Zhao Yao. Her grandfather's sect is responsible for the guarding of the demon king's son. This mystic person, later called Li Chen Lan, is unkept, covered with magic runes on his face. He lives chained, hidden and abandoned in the mountain because of his incredible evil powers he hasn't mastered yet. No one is allowed to see him. One time Zhao Yao meets, and saves, the good looking Luo Ming Xuan, the divine leader of the immortal ten sects. He becomes her shining example in life. She adores him and promises to live and fight for the good cause, using her powers to protect the defenseless. Later she's really shocked to find out Luo Ming Xuan is behind the nearing execution of the demon king's son. True to her word she comes to the rescue of the demon king's son, because he is defenseless and hasn't done anything wrong (yet). So after a huge fight, that kills her own grandfather, she instantly becomes the arch enemy of the whole Good Sect Alliance, swearing she will be evil henceforth, if those hypocritical leaders call themselves good. She hides away in the mountains, together with the very shy demon king's son who adores her from now on, giving him the nicknames Mo Qing/Little Monkey-Monster. They set up their own sect, the Wanlu sect, that leans towards unconventional sorcery and devilry to make it possible for common people to live a happy life without the bigotry of the so-called Good Sects. An all consuming war is the result, with many events that lead to wrong assumptions about love, good and evil for everyone involved.

The Good

One of the big cons of this series is the achievement of the cast. Not only the main actors, but also the other actors act very naturally with the exception of Zhang Xin. She plays the role of the lively Lu Shi Qi who has a crush on the aloof, holy Qin Qian Xian (Li Zi Feng) tending too much towards the archetype frolic Chinese girl, but I forgive her because she's a funny sidekick. Bai Lu shines as the kick ass heroine with all her moods and flaws. Never did she outplay her co actor Xu Kai. He skillfully navigates between the shyness and anger of his character Mo Qing/Li Chen Lan who sees Zhao Yao as the anchor and moral compass of his life. I also liked the music and the scenery of hidden places like the snowy mountain, and the Feng Shui hideout of the main couple.

The Bad

I wonder how great Chinese drama truly can be, this series in particular, if the makers could change their style of writing and editing. Can somebody please explain what is wrong with the Chinese filming industry? I know there's censure, but the novels are okay, why don't they use the original storylines for a change? Honestly, the Chinese filming industry could use the Hollywood Closure as a model. Whether the ending is good or bad, I don't care... as long as there's a sound and fulfilling ending.

The Verdict

Sorry for my rant, but my frustration runs deep. In short: the end of this series isn't as good as its beginning. Nevertheless I strongly recommend The Legends. This series has many interesting characters, an interesting Yin &Yang theory about the concept of Good & Evil, and heart fluttering moments. Enjoy!

Xu Kai in his first lead role paired with the amazing Bai Lu and it's chemistry all the way - they also paired up fantastically in Arsenal Military Academy the same year (2019). They were a rumoured couple around this time as well and the behind the scenes show that they had a bond beyond the camera... regardless of whether it was romantic or not.

Although the romance between these two characters is what drew me, when I finally gave in and started it, the world built itself well. The concepts of bias and prejudice, good and evil, arrogance and obstinance, fate and self-determination, and the rippling consequences of decisions and actions all play important roles in the telling. The Xia genre is not my favorite but I really appreciated its use here.

Warning, though, some of the editing leaves irritation behind - especially toward the end of the series... and certain scenes are beyond repetitive if you are binging... might not be so bad if you aren't. The last quarter is where it starts breaking down but there are supposed to be some good fan-edits out there to soothe that itch.

As characters were introduced or expanded upon I felt connected to many of them and most were well-developed... though that Liu SuRuo went from annoying to bent. In some case I whined to myself that they should have brought certain characters in earlier along the story-line. Even more minor characters here were mostly well done. Contrasts were well-played.

Some CGI effects are dated or rather puppet-like and the pyrotechnics during certain fights seemed more decorative than anything else... but the whole was much greater than its parts.

I'm heading in for a truncated round two soon.

The story was good in the beginning but as it progresses, it just drags on with stupid contexts. I didn't want to waste any more of my time when I am no longer enjoying it.

Story of a girl Lu Zhaoyao (Bai Lu) who set out to be virtuous and honorable but becomes a demoness after being wronged by a character she thought was virtuous but turned out to be evil. Bai Lu shows serious acting chops, though her character is too arrogant and crass for me to get deeply attached to. Xu Kai captivates as Mo Qing/Li Chenlan, a demon king's son who resists being fully controlled by his inner demon.

A good drama, with an unpredictable story that keeps one guessing, splendid acting and great cinematography. The ending is unique, cute and funny. This drama could have been great but the second half seemed to have lost steam, making me wonder whether the director, writer and/or editor were changed mid-production.

I also couldn't help wondering whether this is trying to turn people off institutions that are traditionally considered "good" and be more sympathetic towards entities traditionally considered "bad". I agree that generalizing people as "good" or "evil" depending on their sect membership is unreasonable. However, I am getting bothered by how Chinese dramas are glamorizing demons.

As Wuxia (Chinese Fantasy) films go, this one wasn't as epic-feeling as many others out there, nor was the plot quite as complex. However, it still drew me in, thanks to the story's more philosophical approach, revolving around questions of prejudice, justice, and the nature of good/evil. The characters were also strong with plenty of development, and were delivered by an excellent cast (it didn't hurt that the leads were so incredibly gorgeous and rocked their styling, either)!

Also, since C-films are extensively dubbed, I have to give separate credit to the voice acting. Unlike the standard wuxia female voices which usually smack of contrived cutesyness or faux refinement, Bai Lu (and the female cast in general) delivered voice overs that were raw, strong and totally genuine (on a side note; damn, can that girl cry! I would give any film a chance if she's in it).

That being said, the show did have its' flaws too. There were minor technical issues with some of the CGI scenes and musical scores, and the repetitive, low-tech CGI scenes of MoQing and the dragon got old. There were some obvious plot holes /confusing storytelling which began around the "becoming a demon" arc. And while Xu Kai's performance was quite good overall, it turned a tad wobbly in many of the "extreme emotional distress" scenes (though I did feel he had the capacity, if the director had helped draw it out). Also, JinXian's story was carried to a rather ridiculous extreme, but Xia Tian did a good job committing to the character.

In summary, if you enjoy the wuxia genre, like some philosophy with your entertainment, and go for character-driven stories with plenty of justice and a happy (if scattered) ending for the main couple, this one is worth watching. Recommended!

ROMANCE RATING: * * * 8.5/10. On the upside, this show had more kiss scenes than your average Wuxia (5+), a few of which were quite prolonged/invested, and the director didn't shy away from building sexual tension (unlike many "pure love" wuxias). Additionally, Xu Kai and Bai Lu had excellent chemistry together, which felt both sweet and passionate. On the downside, although this show definitely revolves around a love story, the plot is larger than that, so the romance generally takes a backseat to the rest of the story.