The Untamed (2019)

I absolutely loved this show.

So I've been avoiding The Untamed for a while even though it is top rated on MDL. I'm glad I picked it up because this was such a delight. I've seen a few wuxia shows, and this is my favourite. Although they didn't do anything pathbreaking, what they put together was absolutely amazing.

Why you should watch:
1. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji are the best soulmates ever and despite the censorship considerations you can absolutely feel their love. Also if you're not into BL or trying to avoid this because of the BL, please rest assured that this can be interpreted as a bromance.
2. Wei Wuxian (portrayed so well by Xiao Zhan) is a charming character whose choices are often different from the norm. You feel for him as he goes from being popular to becoming a public enemy. His friendship, loyalty and love for his clan members and others he meets along the journey was truly heartwarming.
3. Although the show toned down the controversial nature of Wei Wuxian and his path, its still a story about a man who strays from the norm and practices things which are considered 'evil' from the popular perspective. There are interesting questions about right and wrong, black and white.
4. The opposition to Wei Wuxian is also very interesting, in the beginning we only see pure evil being portrayed by the Wen clan leader, however once they are taken down you no longer get a clear view of what's on the good or bad side. There are questions about public perceptions and how strong they can get and how different it might be from reality.
5. All the cute boys! The whole cast is beautiful. Although none of them are experienced actors, they did a fairly good job and unless you're really picky you'll enjoy their performance.


What you may not like:
1. The production value isn't the highest so there are some issues. The costumes aren't the best, CGI isn't the best, editing isn't the best etc.
2. The opening two episodes are rather confusing because the timeline opens at the middle of the story and then theres a flashback to 16 years earlier.
3. If you want a romance between a man and a woman, none of it in this show.
4. The plot gets fairly heavy and heartbreaking in the middle, if you are looking for fluff this might be too much.

Overall I suggest everyone to watch this beautiful story with the cutest characters.

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I don't want to go really deep into the details so I'm gonna try to make this short. First of all, all I can say is - THIS IS BEAUTIFUL!!! The costumes, the hair, the people, the attitude, the acting and THE MUSIC OMG THE MUSIC was just beautiful and all I needed. At first I was not really sure if I want to watch it, cause I'm not the biggest fan of historical dramas but I saw A TON of really good feedback and decided to give it a chance, thinking that it only has 25 episodes (idk y I thought that) and I was really confused about what is happening the first 10 or so episodes and only by then I started to memorize all the names and what is happening and is whether the story is in the past or present. But oh bo was I hooked and when I saw that it actually has 50 episodes I was so damn exited. Binged until the 36th and then the wait for the new episodes started but it was worth it since they were uploading them frequently. The only reason why I didn't give this drama a 10 is because of the really cringey moments and bad/also cringey SGI. Yes, I know that SGI is not easy but some moments were just unbearable and I wanted to either cringe or laugh. All of this for me personally was saved by the great acting and of course the music. OMG, I can not stress enough how good the soundtrack is!!! I just love it so damn much!!! I have recently started to listen to a lot of Chinese songs and I find these so damn beautiful even though everyone around me thinks that it's weird.

Overall this is a must-watch for the acting, beauty and the music! Truly suggest!

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i really want to share my thought on this.
TT-TT I CAN'T REALLY HATE ANYONE IN HERE
i thought WWX, JGY, and XY kinda have almost the same background story.
all 3 of them have a very sad pass, WWX and XY barely survive as a kid, JGY cary all the anger and pain all by him self through his whole life. and in the end 3 of them have someone who trusted them with their whole heart. WWX have LWJ, JGY have LXC, even XY have XXC. but this what i think made their life turn out to be different in the end.
- WWX as a kid he lucky JFM got his back, he has JC and shijie too who love him so much and take care each other like real siblings do. he grow up having a family around him and someone who look for him for 13 years even after the whole world turn their back agains him. shijie and LWJ trusted him, while JC i really think he just angry about things he let happen to WWX. so lucky this one turn out to be the good one and it end well for WWX
- JGY no one look at him until his 2 sworn bother. he held to much hatred towards his own father and just his own life overall. everyone was like being nice to him just because the position he got and throw him under the bus when he's no longer useful. so he kinda need to secure the thrown he sat on bcs he don't want to be step by anyone again (he must be tired dealing with this through his whole life). i can't blame LXC to trust him that much in the end he is the only person that JGY don't wanna hurt. i mean look at LWJ, he also trust who all the people thought as a bad guy.
- XY.... this one just.. TT-TT he have no one.... NO ONE.. until a blind guy named XXC save him from dying. and this blind one end up trusting him and be on his side. so XY end up having someone who trust him but didn't know who he is, and XY know once XXC know, it will all be over. this XXC really did ignore all the sign a-qing ever said to him, just like LWJ and LXC ignore everything the world said about WWX and JGY. XXC really did trust XY, and he is the only one XY ever had (he knew a-qing only stick around for XXC and never trust him). and in the end after XXC knew it all, he back to the point he have no one. striking XXC with his words, he didn't want to physically hurt XXC, but he saying everything that could possibly hurt XXC because XXC no longer trust him and hurt him by words as well. he was taking revenge for that but he never thought his words really gonna drive XXC to his death.
...
this series really thought us how important human connection didn't it? how having someone who love you and you love could save your whole life. imagine WWX didn't have JFM who pick him up from the street. he gonna turn out to be like XY wouldn't he?
-WWX he never fool/fake anything towards him self, his fam, and LWJ, he always try to be true to him self, his act was sincere towards everyone as well, i think that's why LZ trust him as well.
-JGY fools everyone, putting a mask every time he face someone. but if it's true what he said, he never fake anything in front of LXC (he just didn't tell him things) his smile and feeling was sincere towards LXC, and that sincere feeling really did reach LXC that's why he trusted him till the very end.
-XY this one fool everyone and fool him self. he never know what is wrong or right, he only know what was agains is right for him. even after receiving kindness from XXC, he won't admit to him self that he was fond to it. what he knew is he need to use XXC. for XXC what they have are manipulative and it's purpose was to hurt him(XXC). he took all the trust he every given and kill him self, and it's backfire to XY who can only admit to him self after XXC really dead.
...
this i only realized after done watching the series, ready the novels, and watch/listen to all the OST from the drama. the lyrics contains each carachter's feelings and mind.
..
kudos to this drama. all the cast and people who work hard to finished this drama.
for real u guys who didn't see their official MV and songs, go search for it.
K im talking to much..go watch if you haven't... or go re-watch^^

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Antes de ver, vi tantas fotos, gif, pôster, fanart e vídeos por todo twitter, então decidi dar uma chance, não me arrependo. Primeiro comecei o drama, então descobri que era uma adaptação de um novel, fui atrás para ler em quanto via e até acompanhei o manhua, isso me deu a oportunidade de dar uma aprofundada na estória e me fez perceber as alterações feitas por causa da censura. No começo a quantidade de episódios me assustou, cinquenta, o maior drama que já tinha visto tinha quarenta, porém o ritmo não me fez perceber isso, quando vi estava perto do fim.

Sobre os personagens Mo Xiang Tong Xiu fez um trabalho maravilhoso, a maioria com grande profundidade que os humanizou, sem contar os detalhes como as seitas, suas cores, símbolos, leis. Os vilões bem trabalhados e o legal é que todos poderiam ser um, até figurantes. Os principais tem foram cativantes, amei como eram opostos. Aqui quero dar todo crédito às atuações de Xiao Zhan e Yi Bo, mesmo com a censura conseguiram trazer vida a Wuxian e Lan Zhan perfeitamente, seus olhares tramitem tudo o que não está ali.

Já vi algumas adaptações de cinema que deixaram muito a desejar, mas aqui não, claro que há modificações seja pela censura por ser um casal homoafetivo, outras singulares que para nós não faz sentido, mas para China sim, ou pelo limite do orçamento. Creio que fizeram um bom trabalho e me apaixonei pela OST.

Final foi diferente, claro que a China não deixaria colocarem uma cena quente e foi adicionado um efeito dramático, mesmo assim, foi condizente com a novel, eles sempre estarão juntos.

Amei mesmo, verei os filmes e pela primeira vez em meus oito anos vendo dramas, repetirei um drama, no caso a versão especial. Com certeza nunca esquecerei dele e lerei outras novel de Mo Xiang Tong Xiu.

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Probably its the first time am writing a review. I accidentally read the name of this series in one of the YouTube comments and I think I cant' thank the enough the person who wrote the comment which made me watch this series. I haven't read the novel since I do not understand Chinese and i couldn't find any english translation but oh my God...if the series was this good I can't imagine how good the book would be..Dear directors, actors, scriptwriters please take a bow for this one. This is indeed a MUST WATCH!!You won't find the usual BL scenes as many have put it already, but trust me its not required at all. The relationship shown in here is so pure, I have cried with them, I have laughed with them, I have felt their pain. Each actor has done a wonderful job no matter how small their role is. Oh by the way, am yet to see such beautiful and handsome men (Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo). Last but not the least, thanks to the novelist, i hope some day I can read the original. Guys don't miss this one!!

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It's totally a worth watching drama????
The story is engaging and you keep wanting to know what's next. It had so many beautiful messages. All the actors are really good, and portray the characters perfectly.
what to say about the leads, their chemistry was so beautiful, best bromance ever.???? The actors had killed it with their performances ????????
It was the most cherished bonding I have ever watched???? The way their friendship gradually developed from being just 2 opposite poles to relying on each other, taking care of each other, protecting each other, even giving up their reputation & ready to cut ties with the entire world just to stay by each others' side took my heart away ????
Thank you team Chén Qíng Lìng for choosing such a beautiful story and also depicting it so mesmerizingly. Thanks to all crew members whom were behind the scenes, u guys worked really hard to get us such a delightful series .
I have already watched it many times and still like to rewatch it ????
Highly Recommend ????
Love From India

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--spoilers--

So this is going to be a different kind of review. I'm going to put down all my notes that I wrote around episode 18 at which point I was not into this show at all. It was driving me crazy, so I wrote a bunch of notes down about what I hated. Then I will tell you that I am now completely obsessed with this show and have made my way quickly through the anime and now onto the novel.

---- Written up to ep 18---

I picked this up mainly because it was on Netflix, and because all of the fabulous reviews. It is the first Chinese drama I have ever watched ,so I guess bare that in mind, as some of the critique of the show might just be common place among other dramas.

Things I liked:
- The hair
- The costumes (how they stayed immaculate while wading through mud, fighting monsters, swimming in dirty ponds I will never know)
- The music (I'm a sucker for a nice erhu and flute)
- Xiao Zhan's face

Things that were so so:
- The plot: the plot was alright, nothing too special. It was pretty generic fantasy power struggle type stuff. It did have a kind of flavour of the week vibe with different monsters, threats that popped up but that was subservient to the main plot. You also already knew the main "plot twist" that Wei Wu Xian would become evil from the very first scene. One thing that really annoyed me was that they really didn't flesh out the power system in the world. Who was better than who? Why were they better? Did they ever do any training? Could you use the magic always or did it take energy from you? Half the time they would just uselessly use their swords when they could have used any number of other better magics.
I was taken aback that the clans could be defeated by the Wen so easily. Like they are obviously EVIL why didn't they band together, or have a plan, or do anything before they were wiped out. They knew what the Wen were doing the whole time, yet they were so unprepared!!!
Also they really walked everywhere, aren't they rich? Where are their horses? I did see a donkey and one horse. Why do they no all have horses? And they never packed anything except snacks when they went on trips, yet they magically have changes of clothes.
- The pace: this is an interesting one, because while I think the pace of the overall show was fine, it was the pace of scenes that made it slow down. There were some senes with lingering shots that would go between different character reactions for ages even though it could have been done in a couple frames.
- The sets: Some of these were beautiful (lotus, and cloud) but others were not so great (Wen clan place)
- The acting: This was pretty good for the most part. I enjoyed Xiao Zhan's performance the most as it was the most dynamic. His character was also the most interesting by far. Wang Yi Bo was not that good. His face had one expression the majority of the show which was: "I am serious therefore I am going to look annoyed for the majority of the time and stare into the distance". The rest of the characters were pretty good though.

Things that were terrible:
- The sound mix/voice dub: This took the cake for me as thing that really took me out of emersion. I put this down to the fact I never watch Chinese dramas, and it is incredibly jarring to have a voice dub that is not the actor. To me, the voice is half of the acting! But I get it, it's cheaper and makes sense if everyone speaks different dialects. It just means that I can't enjoy Chinese dramas, and that's my burden to bare.
- The fight scenes: wow these were absolutely terrible. I am used to the defying gravity stuff in Chinese fight scenes but this was a whole other kettle of fish. There were scenes where characters were flailing vertically to the ground. THERE WAS SO MUCH USLESS SPINNING. The archery killed me, does not a single person on this production know how to draw back a bow?? Everything was also really slow and the timing was usually off in the choreography. When I watch a "historical drama" I really want my actions scenes to pay off, this did not.
- The FX makeup: I didn't realised we had forgotten how to mix fake blood. guess we will just pour a bunch of food colouring around. Also there was a hilarious part where Wei Wu Xian was burnt but instead of putting the FX makeup on his skin for the wound they put it on top of the clothes??? Most of the wounds/monster makeup was sub par. Contrasting to this, the regular makeup for the actors was quite good.
- The continuity: there was blood on his neck, now it has disappeared. Did he have a shower? Did he heal magically? His leg was broken, but he can walk fine the next day. How??
- the extras: So many times in this show stupid things that extras were doing, I should be rowing the boat but I am barely going to move my paddle. I'm a zombie so I better imitate a windmill with my arms.
- the villains: The motivation of the villains was so unclear. Very generic, we are evil for no specific reason, we want power, blah blah blah. 1 dimensional.
- The CGI: Mostly terrible, especially the monsters. Though I was a fan of the smoke effects and of course they nailed the hair CG (why you need to CGI the hair I don't know, but I appreciated)
- The war strategy: So, I know this was a BL novel so I guess it's not focused on war strategy. However, I think there could have been at least some incorporated into the show. The whole plot was one clan takes over another's territory and kills everyone then the other clans get annoyed and take back control of the territory and kills everyone. There are never any guards at the gate, they always seem to be taken unawares even thought they always should know they are in danger of being attacked, and they have no over all strategy except lets go from one to another territories and take them over. With so much of the show being about this I think it really could have been fleshed out, especially with the 50 ep run time.



----FINAL REVEIW-----

I have to take back most of what I wrote above because as the story started to take over in force, all my gripes disappeared and I was completely absorbed. It's not to say that the problems weren't still there, it was that they didn't matter because I NEEDED to find out what happened in this story. Wei Wu Xian is such a great character and I needed for him to be vindicated. Everything that confused and annoyed me about the plot in the beginning made sense and was tied back in nicely.

The end was a bit of a disappointment with the extreme amount of lead up, but even that couldn't ruin my rapture with this show.

This is a must watch for anyone who likes supernatural historical dramas. LOVED IT.

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Here for a rewatch...

I finally rewatched this masterpiece again, and let me tell you, it holds up! Even knowing the story, it's still super engaging.

This time around, I picked up on even more of the unspoken feelings between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji. Seriously, their stares are just really next-level. Plus, all the little clues about what's coming make the sad parts hit even harder.

But this isn't just all about romance though. The world-building in this drama is just really well-done. The whole magic system, the backstabbing politics, and the cool creatures – it's all fantastic. This rewatch made me appreciate the other characters more too, like Jiang Cheng's inner turmoil and Lan Xichen's unwavering support.

The music is still incredible, perfectly setting the mood for every scene (especially Wuji ?). And the visuals? Stunning! The landscapes are breathtaking, the fight choreography is awesome (especially Wei Wuxian's slow-motion entrances!), and the costumes are on point.

Okay, maybe there are a few parts that drag a bit, and the special effects aren't always top-notch. But those are minor details. The Untamed is a drama that stays with you long after you finish. It's about love, loss, defying expectations, and the strength of friendship. Basically, if you're looking for a great show to revisit, The Untamed is a solid choice. Just have some tissues handy – you might just cry again (like me!).

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Damn I rarely watch 50 eps kinda drama but this is def worth the watch, I haven’t read the novel nor watch the anime yet since it’s both ongoing, but reading threads and some spoilers, this drama is mostly similar to the novel n anime perhaps just some extra scenes, and I think they did a super good adaption of this whole series. Though the visual makeup eg the zombies and stuff and do better, but the characters acting are very good. The FEELS MAN. Even though it’s not Shounen Ai or Yao I but “bromance” you can feel the feels between the mc and ml and it’s perfect!!!

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