6/10
Remarkably mediocre reviews in China, and for good reason
21 October 2018
For some background info, this movie is adapted from a game, and there was a drama adapted from this game as well in 2014, though it might be a different storyline (I don't play that game). Thus, one should lower his/her expectations when watching this film. After all, the storyline in games usually go along the same lines of defeating a villain to save the world...

What's great: Graphics, some CG, fighting scenes, some famous actors.

What's disappointing: the acting, the background music (or lack of it for some scenes) and the incoherency of some scenes.

More on the acting, like most reviews from a Chinese review site, I felt that the acting was mostly stiff and a bit awkward. To be blunt, I think I see a few Kristen Stewarts in there, and the interraction was very bland at times. It was hard to imagine this would be the level of standard in a seemingly high budget movie. And it's sad to say, but I felt that the choice of actors, especially the main male character was kind of wrong. Wang Lee Hom seems a bit displaced as a happy go lucky MC who goes around with highly flexible moves and jumps around, since he is not that young anymore. Thus, I believe younger yet sunny type actors like Show Luo could be more suitable for the role.

Incoherency of some scenes was quite jarring, as the switch from a scene to another hardly makes much sense at times, and in some scenes were obviously shot at different times and put together. Again, this is quite bad for a seemingly high budget film.

Overall, the movie was quite boring as besides the cliched storyline (well this is a video game adaptation), the presentation of the scenes was quite monotonous (partly due to the acting and lack of music at times) but the graphics and a few big shot actors are worth supporting the film for.
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