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...
Konno, is a single (gay) man in his early 30s, is quiet, introvert. He is content in his monotonous life and daily routine at his work. Things change when he meets his co worker Hiasa, a rebellious guy. A man shrouded in mystery who doesn’t seem to have much regard for societal conventions. The duo start to bond over drinks and fishing. You can tell that Konno desires Hiasa but you see no such thing form him. One day Konno is shocked to discover that Hiasa suddenly quit his job at the company one day. The two of them don't stay in touch afterwards, and Konno falls back to an ordinary routine of solitude. A year later Hiasa suddenly shows up at his doorstep talking about his new sales job and they rekindle their friendship. That night while drinking, Konno kisses Hiasa but is rejected. Next day Hiasa pretends as if nothing happened. To meet his sales quota he signs up Konno. However slowly, Konno realizes that he is being exploited by his friend Hiasa and gets into a passive argument within and severing his ties. Few months later a massive earthquake hits and many people are missing. Konno's colleague thinks that Hiasa maybe dead and tells her how she had loaned money to him and now he is missing. Konno starts his journey of finding the man. But the more he searches and meets his family, the more deeper secrets and lies he finds out about Hiasa. The film ends a few years later with Konno having moved on, though memories of past linger but he ha s anew boyfriend now.
Despite some amazing performances in the film, the two-hour runtime, feels like an eternity, flitting between mild mystery and unremarkable mood piece. The pacing seems stunted, the exposition over-long, and the overall impact of the film is overwhelmingly disappointing. The story is dark and broody and something that many individuals will have their own interpretation. We have seen many stories of loneliness, in this case a shy introvert gay man, who probably has resigned to fact the will have no friends or companion. Things change when Hiasa comes to picture but even then nothing really happens. We see the friends ending for like an hour without much happening. I was extremely disappointed that besides that kiss, There his nothing queer or gay about the film. This movie is overwhelmingly driven by grief, despair, and heartbreak (irrespective of sexuality). Had the focus been more on the longing ness or the love or something more, I would have found myself being slightly more invested in the film, but as it stands now, despite the luscious landscapes and the queer subtext, the film failed to hold my complete attention. (4/10)
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