I've always had kind of a love hate relationship with Chinese historical BLs. Some are genuinely excellent, but then there are others that cram in so much plot that keeping track of all the layers of betrayal and scheming gets exhausting, and I end up checking out mentally. Part of the issue is also just how much content is out there in this space, so something really has to stand out to keep me hooked. In this case, the production value is genuinely impressive, top tier stuff, but story wise, I just couldn't bring myself to actually care about these characters. There's a ton of political scheming and backstage manipulation running throughout. Somewhere in the middle of all that chaos, a hostage ends up falling for his own Prince Charming. The show runs eight episodes, each around 50 to 60 minutes long. After spending three years guarding the border, Fifth Prince Yin Qi gets called back to the capital because of a secret letter, only to end up walking straight into a deadly...
My expectations out of this movie was not huge but I was hoping that in addition to making some viewers aware of what the whole "circuit" scene is gay community is like, the film will also have a string story and an equally string message to give to the viewers. Alas, my expectations were not met even though they were set low.
John, is a cop, who is forced to move to LA because no one wants to work with him in his small community. There he meets Hector, who is hustler and slowly they start a friendship which slowly leads John into the circuit party scene of LA. John also has friends Gill, with whom he ultimately gets romantic with and Gill's ex-boyfriend who is making a documentary film on how people in the gay community are dying because of drug abuse specially in the circuit parties. His documentary primarily focuses on Bobby, who has been the heart of circuit parties for a few years and is now diagnosed with HIV. The film primarily focuses on how John gets lured into drugs slowly and continuously and how relationships between John, Hector and Bruno develop and affect over a period of time finally ending with Hector's death because of overdose.
Story wise the film doesn't have much to offer. What it does offer is information on the circuit parties and some of the life style of gay men in LA where it is all about muscle, strength, forever youth and lots of sex. Hector is obsessed with all the same things and clearly worries getting old. John, who is supposed to be an intelligent guy, gets lured into drugs just because he can't bear being alone. That according to me is no justification. Yes, the film does educate you on drug abuse but definitely does not leave you with any message of any sort. The only little message comes towards the end when the documentary film maker admits that he does understand all the negatives of drugs and circuit scene but he shooed and likes it. What the f*** does that mean? Then there is some other characters in the movie, whose presence is never really explained well specially the party maker and his wife. They come off as merely a plot device to fuel Hector's downfall. Yes, the guys were good looking and buffed up etc. but a film needs more than just this.
I think the same subject can be modified and made into such a string hard-hitting film. This film missed that boat. (4/10)
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