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...
Deep down, Ladybug is a pretty unusual ghost story that uses a paranormal vibe to hide some dark themes like sexual trauma and violent streaks. I’m really not the type to watch horror movies, but luckily this wasn't the kind that gives you jump scares; it’s more of a mix between a thriller and a supernatural romance. It’s definitely a slow burner, though, so you’re going to need some patience to get through it. Plus, the ending is one of those open-ended things where you’re basically left to figure out what actually happened on your own.
The plot itself is fairly simple to follow. We meet Grayson, an up-and-coming artist who’s just gone through a messy breakup because his boyfriend cheated. His agent, Wendy, is pressuring him to produce some new work, so he heads out to a remote cabin in the woods to get some peace. Once he’s there, he gets that creepy feeling like someone is watching him, and after finding a ladybug on his skin one night, he lets it go. The cabin is a bit of a fixer-upper, so he calls a handyman, and this good-looking guy named Sawyer shows up. They start flirting while Sawyer works, and it turns out Sawyer is into painting too and knows his stuff when it comes to art. Sawyer even offers to pose nude for him. Things get weird when Grayson starts getting dizzy every night and waking up to find his paintings finished by someone else. Eventually, Sawyer admits he’s actually a ghost who was lured away and murdered years ago, possibly by a homophobic serial killer. He’s looking for payback, and he wants to use Grayson to get it.
The acting is actually really good, and the movie does a great job of blending the LGBTQ+ romance with those eerie thriller elements, but it kind of trips at the finish line. The ending is a total mess and honestly felt pretty disappointing. I liked the part where Grayson traps the killer and brings him back to the cabin—where he gets possessed by Sawyer and, with Wendy’s help, finishes the guy off—but the very last bit where the ghost says, "This is not Grayson," just left me confused. The movie is great at building tension with that slow, creepy atmosphere, and even when the guys are being romantic, there’s this "off" feeling that works really well. Sawyer is constantly showing up uninvited and acting a bit too perfect, which adds to the mystery. The setting is perfect, too—you can really feel how isolated and lonely that cabin is.
Both leads are great and easy on the eyes, especially the actor playing Sawyer, but the script just throws too many questions at you by the end without any real answers. Like, why was Sawyer showing Grayson his burial spot? What was the deal with Sawyer’s sister being killed? Who was that lurking in the shadows? And how is the killer still the same age he was thirty years ago? When the movie stays focused and simple, it’s actually pretty good and has some unique ideas, but it just tries to juggle too much at once.
It’s an atmospheric and well-acted thriller that builds up a lot of great tension, only to fall apart at the end with a confusing finale that leaves too many loose ends. (5.5/10)
Comments