17 reviews
First of all, if you're like me and of European descent and culture, you must understand that this is not like what you are used to. Everything is different, from etiquette to fashion to the types of moves somebody can make. You have to understand there's a lot of scenes of people gliding on ropes (invisible, of course) as they fight, as well as ideas from Daoism, Buddhism, etc. You must take away your preconceived notions, turn off your prejudices, and try to embrace it as though you are coming at it as a Chinese person, accept all the cultural idiosyncrasies as just the normal way of life, just as our many cultural idiosyncrasies never receive a second thought by us.
I only began watching Chinese dramas on the first of January. This was the second I ever tried, and it was a slow start for me at first, trudging turtle-like through the first couple episodes. But after a few weeks of experimenting with various others (Ever Night and Fights Break Sphere, both of which are also amazing, and Rakshasa Street, which I gave up on), I eventually realized about 15 episodes in that this just blows everything else out of the water.
Chinese dramas are long. This one, at 52 episodes, each about 45 minutes, actually felt pretty short relative to some of the others I've now seen, partially or fully. Tribes and Empires (another one I can't recommend strongly enough) is 75 episodes, while Ever Night is 61. Some are as many as 90 or more, like the upcoming The Fated General (92 episodes reportedly). Some shows get kind of boring midway through, but not this one. It just got better and better.
I've noticed that fate is a recurring, yet unspoken, theme. Often the hero is somebody who, seemingly due to his strong and innate sense of moral justice, is given great opportunities "by the gods" if you will. Perhaps he just happens to fall into a cave and discover an ancient text the words of which offer a key to great power (Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils), or find a document in the stomach of a monkey (The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber). In this case, the hero, Guo Jing, captures the hearts of great martial arts masters for his innocent and true-hearted nature and learns what he can from each of them, aided by his companion and beloved, Huang Rong.
Those last two examples come from novels written by the same amazing mind behind Legend of the Condor Heroes: Jin Yong. It is from the extreme sense of curiosity and excitement and epic adventure I have found in this show that I've devoted myself to learning Chinese for the primary purpose of reading the source material. I know of no other way to convey to a complete China-novice just how great this show can be, if you come at it from the right perspective.
It is for good reason The Guardian and others have referred to Yong as The Tolkien of China, though the expression isn't very apt: His stories are just as sweeping, just as massive, and just as magical and adventurous as anything Tolkien ever dreamed of (and I say this as somebody who out of love for Tolkien studied Old Norse to better understand his own source material).
A Western viewer may find some of the attitudes a little bizarre. There is no nudity, sex, or profanity. Indeed, there isn't even kissing. There rarely is in Chinese television, as far as I've seen. Rather than the somewhat creepy portrayal of romance as stalking in American cinema, it is much more subtle and emotionally sharp and fulfilling. At least when the hero is concerned.
When it comes to the villains, things are a little different. They will hit an acupoint, for instance, and paralyze somebody (usually a woman and usually for sexual reasons), though it rarely reaches such a point before they are saved. One woman is apparently raped, given that she becomes pregnant, but even that is almost entirely left to the audience's imagination.
While women are often portrayed in the eyes of the villain as mere toys to be paralyzed and abused, it must be remembered that men (though much rarely) are also paralyzed like that. In addition, women still have a great deal of agency in Chinese dramas. Huang Rong is shown as being generally the most cunning person imaginable, though incredibly virtuous. Her martial prowess is also greater than some of the villains, though this seems to fluctuate at times. In quite a few dramas, you'll see the male hero hiding behind a more powerful female for protection, often against another female trying to hurt him.
In conclusion, this show itself and the overall experience of Chinese dramas has been extremely eye-opening and gratifying. Legend of the Condor Heroes is currently my favorite TV show ever, not just from China, and I look upon it with as much fond memory as I do The Lord of the Rings or Star Wars. If as a Westerner you can try it out with an open mind, I think you will make a similar connection.
I only began watching Chinese dramas on the first of January. This was the second I ever tried, and it was a slow start for me at first, trudging turtle-like through the first couple episodes. But after a few weeks of experimenting with various others (Ever Night and Fights Break Sphere, both of which are also amazing, and Rakshasa Street, which I gave up on), I eventually realized about 15 episodes in that this just blows everything else out of the water.
Chinese dramas are long. This one, at 52 episodes, each about 45 minutes, actually felt pretty short relative to some of the others I've now seen, partially or fully. Tribes and Empires (another one I can't recommend strongly enough) is 75 episodes, while Ever Night is 61. Some are as many as 90 or more, like the upcoming The Fated General (92 episodes reportedly). Some shows get kind of boring midway through, but not this one. It just got better and better.
I've noticed that fate is a recurring, yet unspoken, theme. Often the hero is somebody who, seemingly due to his strong and innate sense of moral justice, is given great opportunities "by the gods" if you will. Perhaps he just happens to fall into a cave and discover an ancient text the words of which offer a key to great power (Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils), or find a document in the stomach of a monkey (The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber). In this case, the hero, Guo Jing, captures the hearts of great martial arts masters for his innocent and true-hearted nature and learns what he can from each of them, aided by his companion and beloved, Huang Rong.
Those last two examples come from novels written by the same amazing mind behind Legend of the Condor Heroes: Jin Yong. It is from the extreme sense of curiosity and excitement and epic adventure I have found in this show that I've devoted myself to learning Chinese for the primary purpose of reading the source material. I know of no other way to convey to a complete China-novice just how great this show can be, if you come at it from the right perspective.
It is for good reason The Guardian and others have referred to Yong as The Tolkien of China, though the expression isn't very apt: His stories are just as sweeping, just as massive, and just as magical and adventurous as anything Tolkien ever dreamed of (and I say this as somebody who out of love for Tolkien studied Old Norse to better understand his own source material).
A Western viewer may find some of the attitudes a little bizarre. There is no nudity, sex, or profanity. Indeed, there isn't even kissing. There rarely is in Chinese television, as far as I've seen. Rather than the somewhat creepy portrayal of romance as stalking in American cinema, it is much more subtle and emotionally sharp and fulfilling. At least when the hero is concerned.
When it comes to the villains, things are a little different. They will hit an acupoint, for instance, and paralyze somebody (usually a woman and usually for sexual reasons), though it rarely reaches such a point before they are saved. One woman is apparently raped, given that she becomes pregnant, but even that is almost entirely left to the audience's imagination.
While women are often portrayed in the eyes of the villain as mere toys to be paralyzed and abused, it must be remembered that men (though much rarely) are also paralyzed like that. In addition, women still have a great deal of agency in Chinese dramas. Huang Rong is shown as being generally the most cunning person imaginable, though incredibly virtuous. Her martial prowess is also greater than some of the villains, though this seems to fluctuate at times. In quite a few dramas, you'll see the male hero hiding behind a more powerful female for protection, often against another female trying to hurt him.
In conclusion, this show itself and the overall experience of Chinese dramas has been extremely eye-opening and gratifying. Legend of the Condor Heroes is currently my favorite TV show ever, not just from China, and I look upon it with as much fond memory as I do The Lord of the Rings or Star Wars. If as a Westerner you can try it out with an open mind, I think you will make a similar connection.
This could have made for a decent 45 episode drama, but in just two hours there are too many characters and concepts, too much world-building, for anyone's head not to spin. I have no trouble keeping the dozens of characters in lengthy dramas straight, but the dizzying speed of this movie was beyond my abilities to maintain.
If it were a TV series I'd probably be whining instead that the graphics are terrible. As it is, by turning the entire film into CGI they managed to make the monsters look natural to their environment, a decision for which the filmmakers do deserve credit. The scenes that ought to have captured the viewer's attention and imagination the most would have looked quite corny, no doubt, were this a live-action film, so I am willing to tolerate the animation. It does work quite well in this regard.
The film ends with two random characters whose role I only faintly understood discussing what just happened. This oughtn't have been necessary. The viewer ought to have known more or less what was going on as it happened, but at least we do discover the plot before the credits roll.
Probably one thing that most American viewers found refreshing is that this does not feel Chinese in the slightest. The architecture, the mannerisms, even the eyelids, seem rather European. I was expecting a more Oriental experience, something more like Fights Break Sphere or Tribes and Empires or Ever Night, but instead it seemed almost like I was watching a Disney movie.
In the end, the most redeeming quality of this film is that it is entertaining. There are far, far too few fantasy films being made to begin with, much less really good ones. This, while not particularly amazing like Lord of the Rings, is good and at least an entertaining option for the would-be fantasy viewer who is otherwise distraught by lack of choices.
If it were a TV series I'd probably be whining instead that the graphics are terrible. As it is, by turning the entire film into CGI they managed to make the monsters look natural to their environment, a decision for which the filmmakers do deserve credit. The scenes that ought to have captured the viewer's attention and imagination the most would have looked quite corny, no doubt, were this a live-action film, so I am willing to tolerate the animation. It does work quite well in this regard.
The film ends with two random characters whose role I only faintly understood discussing what just happened. This oughtn't have been necessary. The viewer ought to have known more or less what was going on as it happened, but at least we do discover the plot before the credits roll.
Probably one thing that most American viewers found refreshing is that this does not feel Chinese in the slightest. The architecture, the mannerisms, even the eyelids, seem rather European. I was expecting a more Oriental experience, something more like Fights Break Sphere or Tribes and Empires or Ever Night, but instead it seemed almost like I was watching a Disney movie.
In the end, the most redeeming quality of this film is that it is entertaining. There are far, far too few fantasy films being made to begin with, much less really good ones. This, while not particularly amazing like Lord of the Rings, is good and at least an entertaining option for the would-be fantasy viewer who is otherwise distraught by lack of choices.
I really didn't think I'd get through this episode. Every time Mr. Hankey opened his mouth I wanted to gouge out my eardrums. The PC Principal and Strong Woman subplot made my stick it out long enough to get to the end, which was the only scene featuring Mr. Hankey that might not be nauseating.
I don't like Mark Wahlberg. I'd go so far as to say that I hate him -- despise him, even. The Happening, Max Payne, The Departed - he has this way of systematically ruining everything he does; he's like Adam Sandler, almost.
Despite Wahlberg's role in this film - which, if I might add, wasn't very good (as can be expected) - I was surprised to find that I enjoyed this film. I never thought I'd hear myself saying such a thing about a Wahlberg film, but it's true. This was an enjoyable, thrilling movie that I am glad that I watched.
I'd recommend it to anybody in search of a good, old-fashioned thriller.
Despite Wahlberg's role in this film - which, if I might add, wasn't very good (as can be expected) - I was surprised to find that I enjoyed this film. I never thought I'd hear myself saying such a thing about a Wahlberg film, but it's true. This was an enjoyable, thrilling movie that I am glad that I watched.
I'd recommend it to anybody in search of a good, old-fashioned thriller.
I expected this to be an adequate film. It wasn't until the mid-80s that horror films became laughable, so I wasn't expecting anything like Freddy vs. Jason or Leprechaun; I wasn't expecting another Rosemary's Baby, either, but that was what I got.
The beginning was slow. That's how all horror movies should be: nice and slow. Let you get a feel for the characters, develop any type of positive emotional attachment. It didn't feel like a horror film at first - but, then again, neither did Rosemary's Baby. Producers/writers/directors today seem to think that people want the horror to start the second the film does. Unfortunately, that doesn't give the viewer enough time to get emotionally connected with the characters, which leads to a lack of fear. The Sentinel was done in such a way that you felt for Alison.
The Omen is among the few films which, when I watched it, I found startling. Prophecy was excellent, as was The Ninth Gate. Thus, I find myself at a quandary: should I classify these films as Daemonic Horror, or as Catholic Horror? I've seen Daemonic horror films - Legion being quite noteworthy - which were quite ridiculous. However, I am unable to think of a horror film which incorporated Catholic elements that I did not like. The Catholic element was not the source of the horror in these films, thus I fear that it would be inaccurate to call them 'Catholic horror films'.
Whatever I call them, they are terrific. And the Sentinel might very well be the best.
The beginning was slow. That's how all horror movies should be: nice and slow. Let you get a feel for the characters, develop any type of positive emotional attachment. It didn't feel like a horror film at first - but, then again, neither did Rosemary's Baby. Producers/writers/directors today seem to think that people want the horror to start the second the film does. Unfortunately, that doesn't give the viewer enough time to get emotionally connected with the characters, which leads to a lack of fear. The Sentinel was done in such a way that you felt for Alison.
The Omen is among the few films which, when I watched it, I found startling. Prophecy was excellent, as was The Ninth Gate. Thus, I find myself at a quandary: should I classify these films as Daemonic Horror, or as Catholic Horror? I've seen Daemonic horror films - Legion being quite noteworthy - which were quite ridiculous. However, I am unable to think of a horror film which incorporated Catholic elements that I did not like. The Catholic element was not the source of the horror in these films, thus I fear that it would be inaccurate to call them 'Catholic horror films'.
Whatever I call them, they are terrific. And the Sentinel might very well be the best.
