Sinister Beings (2021)

La suerte está echada

There are quite a few Spanish references in this drama, so it’s only fair that I pay homage to it by giving my review a Spanish title, which was referenced in the closing scenes of the final episode and translates as, “the die is cast”.

Sinister Beings is a TVB police procedural that focuses on the HK law enforcement system, specifically the police - through the departments of Organised Crime and Triads Bureau (OCTB), Criminal Intelligence Bureau (CIB), and the Special Duties Unit (SDU) - and the justice system via its prosecutions division. It also features vicious terrorists, shadowy triads, corrupt tycoons and their conglomerates, genius computer hackers and the elusive dark web, high-flying unscrupulous barristers, greedy investment fund managers, deeply disturbing sociopaths as well as psychopaths, and plenty of beautiful seductive temptresses. In addition to police investigation, action and crime, this drama has plenty of romance (including love triangle), slice-of-life and showcases themes of friendship, brotherhood/ bromance, and certain scenes/ side stories of an “adult-oriented nature”. This drama really does have it all.

For regular TVB drama viewers or at least those who are familiar with their offerings, this isn’t groundbreaking content for the typically formulaic crime genre that has been done countless times. But, while many similar productions in the past are a hit-or-miss, for the most part this one has been quite well executed albeit not without flaws. The technical aspects are commendable while recycled plotlines feel somewhat refreshingly updated rather than dated.

For the uninitiated or newcomers to TVB productions, Sinister Beings would be great as your first HK drama. This is especially so if you’re a fan of the police investigation and crime genres.

What I Liked

The cast. The 2 male leads are veterans of the industry and their experience truly shows. Ruco Chan (Sun Sir) and Ben Wong (Nic Sir) elevates any production with their finesse and approach to interpreting characters. With the former, you know you’re in for action-packed sequences while the latter gives us nuanced portrayals. Both of them have their own little moments of bromance which were endearing to see. Rosina Lin (Wing) is much more understated here while Crystal Fung (Ana) is somewhat more vibrant as a Spanish-speaking South American-raised overseas Chinese. I particularly enjoyed Joman Chiang’s depiction of Hazel, the highly competent and professional lawyer. Jonathan Cheung (Marco) and Moon Lau (Rachel) put an interesting spin to their colourful characters. It was a pleasant surprise to see Michelle Yim and Chin Siu Ho in their guest roles, among many others who were involved.

The action. Blazing gun battles, unarmed combat sequences, and car chases are depicted throughout. The choreography, stunts and pyrotechnics are generally well-rendered.

The cases. In addition to the overarching mystery and main investigation of terrorist attacks, we have a number of other unrelated criminal cases written in. They include armed robberies, high-profile kidnappings, murder mysteries, gangland warfare, cultists, and arsonists, among others. A number of the cases are quite cleverly written and compelling, although a couple of them seem quite generic.

The romance. Not all of it but in particular the relationship between Nic Sir and Hazel. I had fun watching these two dance around each other, where I felt that their interactions were portrayed in a very mature and relatable manner. They even have their own “couple OST” in the form of Masha Ray’s Sweetheart, which brings along a certain quirkiness to their scenes at times.

The music. I’m quite enthralled by the mood-inducing tone of the ending theme, the slow-rock ballad Secret Garden by Hana Kuk. The original music score accompanies some of the more emotional scenes, instead of stock music. There are 3 tracks in general:
Adversity (逆襲) by Hubert Wu
Secret Garden (秘密花園) by Hana Kuk
Hasta La Vista by Masha Ray

What I Didn’t Really Like

The slice-of-life. Particularly aspects involving Wing’s mother and her obsession with her daughter’s wedding as well as meddling in her personal affairs. Most of her scenes are fillers which take up more screen time than was necessary.

The love triangle. This side story dragged too long towards an unsavoury conclusion. I honestly feel this prolonged and slightly melodramatic arc is redundant and overshadows the main story at the tail end of the drama.

The adult-themes. Scenes of seduction, cosplay and role-playing, sexual innuendos are becoming a norm for TVB dramas these days. It wasn’t always like this, while even C-dramas and K-dramas in general are not as explicit with such depictions. I know TVB is constantly attempting to reinvent and modernise its productions to attract viewers in sustaining drama ratings. This is made all too obvious with the inclusion of a great many scantily-clad voluptuous women in plotlines that incorporate gratuitous sexual behaviour and violence.

Overall

Sinister Beings is one of the few TVB dramas of late that I’ve found really enjoyable. It maintained the momentum of its pace and, as a result, sustained my interest over a large part of its run. But as is typical with its formulaic approach, the ending is always rushed to accommodate elements other than the main story. There are even rumours of a sequel, depending on the success of the drama. Because of the earlier-mentioned dislikes as well as the bittersweet nature of the closure, my overall enthusiasm was slightly tempered towards the end. What could have been an 8.8 ended up being a 7.8, which still represents good value for your consideration.

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Just unwatchable - Chin Pang pulls it off again!

Don't know what more I can say really about Chin Pang and this drama given that I couldn't sit through the first episode.

I just can't stand Chin Pang because he keeps trying to come off as a hotshot, you know, that guy who is too cool for school (he's definitely too old to pass off as a student at a school or university) and irresistible to women, like he's China's answer to James Bond or something.

The TVB projects I guess he picks always has far too many unnecessary action scenes. Someone really should tell whoever is in charge of these projects that even the best fight choreography is not a substitute for good dialogue, a good script that at least tries to explore the human condition on some level beyond just the literal. The annoying thing about his TV dramas is he always seems to be having more fun than the viewer. That to me is not only extremely selfish, but also a sign that there is something seriously wrong with casting and the creative process at TVB. I'm not saying someone should be fired but there should be some training programmes in place for the script writers. Some script writers at TVB would then be able to learn how to write something that doesn't rely exclusively on action scenes, and a TV star who can't get over himself.

Quite honestly, I am unable to believe in any of the characters Chin Pang plays. When I watch Chin Pang on TV, I am reminded of his short TVB Covid interview. In it, he says in the past he had doubts about whether he would one day become a lead actor, and had to work really hard to get to where he is now (the top of the TVB acting food chain I guess). What's wrong with being a supporting actor? Maybe instead of trying to stand out from the crowd, how about just trying to play the part you've been given to the best of your ability? Like I said, I really can't stand Chin Pang.

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