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...
The plot is wafer thin. This guy M is supposedly one of the most handsome guys and everyone, male or female, wants him. He has had enough of objectification and is tired and wants a normal life and decides to leave town. He reaches out an old friend Aaron, a simple looking guy, for a favor and a request. M wants to be knocked out for the most part of the day, via injection of some kind of serum from Aaron, and Aaron will supervise to ensure that no harm comes to the unconscious M. Various people, who hav been yearning for M will come one by one, each for about 40 minutes, do what they want to with M, without causing him any harm or leave any marks, under Aaron's watchful eye, while Aaron himself struggles fo this own feelings for M.
I still don't understand the point. Over almost 50-60 minutes of the film is dedicated an array of deranged and pathetic people molesting, raping, touching themselves, waiting, crying, and moaning over an unconscious near-naked bloke. It includes M's doctor, a neighbor, his gym mate and other many many random people. Ok agreed that M thinks he is extremely hot and everyone wants him, but what does this exercise prove? What was he eventually trying to do? Give people a chance to lust on him who have been wanting him for years? IS this social service? And where does Aaron fit in all this? Why is he doing this? Many people ask him and I as an audience also wanted to ask this, but this is never clarified for us. The whole film feels an excuse to have various people ogle and fondle the lead actors perfectly sculpted body. I thought his face was pretty average, so no wonder its never really fully shown in the film, a sense of enigma perhaps. To be fair the film mangos to hold your attention at certain places, because you are keen to know why all this is really happening and will there be a logical conclusion, but it never happens. In the end, the final product feels pretentious and erotic at the same time. I am now thinking if such a scenario happened in realize and if my hard core crush did something like this, will I visit to get my way with him? I don't know. (3.5/10)
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