The Untamed

I have no idea why this came up as a recommended title for me on Netflix, but I am so glad it did. I've never shown an interest in non-English titles, let alone those in Chinese, and I almost gave it a pass. I'm now blessing my lack of impulse control. I was charmed almost immediately, even if the first two episodes left me pretty much completely lost. I was still mesmerized. Sticking with it, I was able to piece together the story, and I enjoyed it tremendously.

The lavish scenery, the music, the sets and costumes create a fascinating world, but the actors are enchanting beyond belief, and they sell this story like they were born for it. They all play their characters with an earnestness that makes the heart squeeze. Seeing the two leads bond throughout the series is a joy to watch, even throughout the emotionally wrenching periods of turmoil that drive the plot and the mysteries. There is something wholly profound, almost deliriously romantic in a way, about their relationship and how it deepens and evolves.

Whenever the mischievous Wei WuXian smiles, it feels like sunshine bursting from the screen. When we finally see the ridiculously stoic Lan WanJi smile, it's breathtaking for all its quiet honesty. It leaves you sorely wanting more.

It's not exactly perfect, though, this series. The effects are frankly sometimes silly. But it doesn't matter, with a story this captivating. The often fast dialogue can be tough to catch via the subtitles, but you do follow the gist. One serious negative is how the story treats the women on the whole. For any other series, it would be a deal-breaker for me. But I was otherwise so completely taken by the series that I can look past that. What I love about the series outweighs the negatives so much that I have no hesitation to give it a ten. It's earned that ten from me.

This series was actually more of an experience, and I intend to go through it again. I'm not ready to let go.

From the perspective of a novel fan, "The Untamed" truly surpassed my expectations as the live adaptations of Mo Dao Zhushi (Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation). The synopsis: A fantasy story set in ancient China about two young idealistic paladins who found themselves entangled in a bloody rebellion against an evil clan. One became a powerful demonologist and died tragically, until a strange event reunited these two friends years later. They joined force to solve the mystery behind a series of deaths, but unexpectedly uncovered a sinister conspiracy and many startling revelations about each other.

"The Untamed" brought this fantasy world to life with visually stunning scenery and set design, outstanding soundtrack, great plot and character development, as well as a team of talented new actors (major bonus points for giving us a parade of eye candies). I was a bit turned off by the substandard CGI...but I get that it's not a big budget production and funding must had been tight after the studio caught on fire.

So what made "The Untamed" the biggest runaway hit of 2019 in the world of Chinese television? It has a well written script with a perfect balance between comedy and drama, as well as action and intrigue. I'm also very impressed by how the screen writers managed to fill some of the original novel's plot holes and reorganize the timeline to make the story less confusing. However, it's not flawless and some episodes had issues with pacing. For example, the first two episodes were bogged down by too many subplots and flashbacks at times. The last episode also had several repetitive and out of order sequences that felt like fillers before the final scene (nevertheless it's still a pretty good finale).

Here's another element that made this a truly binge-worthy series. The casting directors of "The Untamed" did a superb job finding two talented lead actors who also had outstanding chemistry together on screen. Xiao Zhan is the perfect embodiment of the playful, dark, and passionate Wei Wuxian. He captivated audiences from the very first scene and was the main reason that kept me going pass the first two confusing episodes. Then there's the interesting casting choice for our second lead character...It's hard to picture a vibrant 21-year-old pop artist/TV host portraying the stoic and graceful Lan Wanji, but Wang Yibo's ability to convey a plethora of emotions with few words and very subtle expressions cemented his status as an up and coming actor. It goes without saying that directors Zheng Weiwen and Chen Jialin played a huge part in these actors' remarkable performance.

It's also important to mention that "The Untamed " has one of the most well-rounded supporting roles with their own stories and character arcs. Their relationships with the protagonists were pivotal in the story's central themes: the fine line between good versus evil and the enduring love that exists between siblings, friends, and adopted families. There were talented supporting actors who were outstanding from the start while the rest took some time to get into their characters. Nevertheless, it's a pleasure to watch these young actors bring out the best in each other as the series goes on. Although there were some comically bad villains, but the screen writers managed to redeem themselves by creating complex antagonists with motivations and perspectives tht we can all relate in real life.

Overall I recommend giving "The Untamed" a whirl even if you are not familiar with Chinese costume drama. You'll be rewarded with a thoroughly unique and entertaining viewing experience once you get over the heavy makeup and over-the-top choreography typical of traditional martial art series. So grab a couple of your fun loving friends (group reactions and comments will be a blast, I guarantee), sit back and enjoy the 50-episode fantasy adventure that is "The Untamed".

I'll admit that I've never read the original story, or seen the animated series, so I was going into this completely blind (basically; all I knew about the series before I watched it was all the guys have long, luxurious hair and fight each other graceful with swords whilst flying through the air... Oh, that and the fact the main two characters are in love...), but I have to say it really exceeded my expectations in many aspects!

I don't think I'm the only one who'll say that the first few episodes are a bit confusing to get into (especially when you're not familiar with the source material) which makes them drag just a little bit. But I'd say if you're feeling this way at the start, definitely try to stick with it! The story continues to get more interesting and intense, as well as things get explained as it goes on! And the characters all go through some really great development through the 50 episodes, which makes them more relatable!

As far as complaints go; my main issue is with some of the ways scenes are filmed and framed, particularly in very emotional scenes... It wasn't necessarily bad or too jarring, but it did pull you away from the immersion a little bit! The cgi isn't the best, but that's to be expected considering this didn't have a massive budget... It wasn't too bad to pull you out of the story, though, so I'd say it wasn't too big of an issue!

The biggest thing I'll commend the series on is something I imagine everyone has already said: that being the handling of the relationship between characters, particularly the main two! It's no secret that this is based on an lgbt ('bl') novel, and that China have strict censorship laws that don't allow depictions of that on screen. However, the producers and scriptwriters really were able to develop a believable and touching dynamic between the two main characters throughout the span of the series in subtle and well done ways! And more than that, the other friendships and relationships of the series were made believable and touching too!

Overall; it's an emotionally invested and well made drama, with some pretty decent acting on the most part and a bunch of really engaging and interesting characters!

Trust me when I say this series is the most perfect blend of fantasy, subtle romance and family drama. Everything about this series has me wanting to rewatch it more than a few times. From the actors Xiao Zhan and Wang YiBo to the cinematography, the costumes, the sets and amazing soundtracks. This series brings me so much joy to watch!

Would highly recommend this series to anyone that wants to appreciate a good Chinese drama.

I was looking for some Mandarin-language TV show to improve my Chinese, and I stumbled across the Untamed. The actors seemed okay, the scenography was cool and I started watching. However, after just a few episodes, I was so into the story. The relationships between the characters are beautiful, and the story keeps on getting more and more sad but I couldn't stop watching. I really liked the Lan Zhan and Wei Ying relationship. The way Wei WuXian says "Lan Zhan" in the beginning is so enthusiastic and kind of annoying, however - at the end of the series it becomes so gentle and caring. Ironically, the reason I started watching this TV show was just to improve my Chinese. But now I want to improve my Chinese BECAUSE of this series.