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...
This film made no sense at all, and not because it is a musical. We will talk about that later but the script was so flimsy thin (if there was even a script). I watched and watched trying to make sense of what was going on but the characters kept coming in and out singing their heart out for what, I have no idea. If you do not believe me, read the synopsis summary below and let me know what you think.
Peter, a freudian psychiatrist married to a Finnish actor, David, a young British gay living in Banyoles, addicted to Grinder, and Coco Lamour, a Parisian French actress. Peter is a friend of Maria, also a Freudian psychiatrist, and Betsy, David's mother, living in Cadaqués. Maria prepares a trip to spend some days with Betsy. David works at a computer company in Girona directed by a very talented young Indian, Usha. David has a great crisis with his partner, Daniel, a Mallorcan living in Barcelona. Albert is a famous British writer retired in Begur passing the mourning for the loss of his partner. Gilda, a great actress, half Scotish half German, lives in Mallorca and is very close to Joan LaÃnez and MGMC. At her house every day there's a great party. Everyone is worried about the ending of the love story of David and Daniel, the young guys. But, as Shakespeare says "All's well that ends well" on a trip of the whole group to Mallorca.
Just because at the center of everyone's worry is the couple David and Daniel, really does not make this a gay film. In fact just 10% of the film is what I would put in queer zone, rest everything was jibber jabber in my opinion. This is one of those strange film that feels like it is made by aliens trying to pass off as humans. 80% of the film is songs and singing with just a few dialogues thrown on between for posterity and they were also so bad. The repetitive lyrics, nonsensical camera angles and incomprehensible edits will leave viewers feeling anything but positive. The only positive thing about this film was beautiful locations. Sadly, rest everything from actors to acting to songs to singing to lyrics to something called a 'film' were just outrightly bad. Do not be fooled by the romantic poster. This English film from Spain is absolutely to be avoided. (0.5/10)

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