BLISS RATING: ★★★★+
“In this vast world of mountains and rivers, you are the only freedom I long for.” – Quote from Kill To Love
Unquestionably, this is a cinematic masterpiece. Its production value and cinematography are top-notch. Its storytelling is assuredly first rate. Yet, with all of that, I simply was not as enamored with all its artistry as so many others were. While it is great, I found the story pedestrian and frankly I got lost in its minutiae. I know we are not supposed to say that, but I honestly did. I found the entire story confusing to follow and at times pointless. That does negate the quality of this series; it simply means that I just could not get into it as much as others since I did not find the overall story all that engaging.
This is a hazy arching love story that from the very beginning I did not understand and maybe that is why I could not and did not invest so much excitement in the expansion of the story as I should have. While the love relationship between the two protagonists was somewhat absorbing, I found the development oddly inconsistent. Initially it (re)kindled slowly, then passionately in the middle, and then feigned bitterly, angrily, and then wildly romantic in the end. It was just too much to discern. Plus, the transition between these stages was so abrupt. Also, from the very beginning, I did not envision these two as empire-makers but that is exactly what they turned out to be. Perhaps not efficacious ones but nonetheless, that is what their destiny called them to be.
Initially, the Sixth Brother, Xiao Shu He (Mi Jin) had no interest in the politics or workings of the royal court like his brother the Crown Prince, Xiao Shu Qian (Cheng Fang). However, a reconnection of his from his childhood turns all that around. Duan Zi Ang (Zhang Zhe Xu) is a member of a rival kingdom from the north that was initially sent to disrupt the establishment of the southern kingdom but instead establishes a simmering love between himself and Shu He. With so much palace intrigue and conniving, it is not long before the Crown Prince and the Sixth Brother are at odds with each other and an irreconcilable and irreparable mistrust develop. Meanwhile, the love between Shu He and Zi Ang only grows stronger and more intense.
Who really S.T.O.L.E. this series? There is a plethora of supporting cast in this epic series but two stand out for me for their commitment to their roles. Both seem to have become their characters and throughout this series we see both grow exponentially. One is Shu He’s physician who is young and strikingly handsome and quite adept at weaving around the palace intrigue. His name is Shen Song played by Yi Xiang Li. Being insular because of his position of physician, he is privyed to being told much about the working of the court. He also tries to counsel Shu He against his own emotions and moods, most of the time only with limited success. I enjoyed his unrequited love for Shu He’s bodyguard, Huo Ying played by Wang Ding. Drop dead gorgeous, he was controlled by the Crown Prince and reported what was going with the Sixth Brother to him directly. The two of them did have some type of relationship (doubtful it was a healthy one), with Huo Ying, seemingly forever having an unrequited love for the Crown Prince. However, after the Crown Prince was murdered, he confessed what he had been doing to Shu He; yet Shu He was magnanimous enough to forgive him. However, no matter how much Shen Song suggested to Huo Ying how he felt, he remained in love with the Crown Prince and could only love him. These two were more into the nuances of the characters than with overt acting, which is why they made such an impression on me. They conveyed so much in subtle form that one could easily miss what they were trying to do. Obviously, their natural beauty enhanced their performances, but it was so much more than that. They conveyed in facial expressions, tonal qualities of their voices, and bodily movements, all that needed to be said. These roles, while not immense, were still paramount to the development of the story. They impacted the storytelling and gave a greater sense of human drama to the flow of the story. They in a sense provided a relatability to ordinariness which we as an audience could connect with.
This story is obviously complex, and weaves tangled webs that I admittedly could not always follow. Again, that does not take away from the beauty of the series. But something always felt ‘missing’ for me. Yes, the roles of the protagonists were intense, but I could never feel the strength of their relationship. I saw the ‘acting’; but never felt my heartstrings being played. I could just never identify any intensity to their emotions or the connection. To be sure there were solid scenes but not enough to make me feel deeply about their relationship. In other words, I had no strong emotions while watching this series even though I should have. It all came across as superficial.
The production of this series is spectacular. Sets, especially costumes, cinematography, screenplay and yes, even soundtrack were all notable. But the flow of the story did drag, way too many twists to its plot that frankly I just did not understand, (e.g. rebuilding the exact replica of Shu He’s resort), and it all felt very rushed at the end. I thought the acting was not always consistent and a few times I felt that their physical connections seemed uncomfortable and seemed constrained to me. I did not always accept that they were in ‘love’.
This is an epic production that for most individuals will be enamored and engrossed in its story. I was also but not to the extent that I thought I would be. It certainly is a worthy BL series to watch, however.
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