Zhao Yao

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.

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.

I really liked the series at first. I find the story fascinating and refreshing. The beginning is a bit messy at establishing the premise of the story, but I let that go. The entire story was good until after the first Act. Then it starts to go downhill, but I still enjoyed it since I already invested so much time into it. I followed the story all the way to the end, then Boom! The last 3 episodes totally threw me off! I think the original editor must have raged quit. The editing was different and messy. The storyline was uncoordinated and appears that a few people had put their own versions of the ending into the pot. It left me angry, confused, and betrayed. Angry because I had invested all this time into the series and it gave me that amateurish chaotic ending. I would have given it a better review if the producers had the responsibility to come up with a decent ending. Cheap usage of old montages can not fool anyone. Especially the very last scene before the end. Seriously, I think the audience are way smarter than that!

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.

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.