Wonder Woman meets James Bond in ancient China
I’ve this habit of rewatching drama whenever I drop new ones. When I rewatched Princess Agents I came to realize that I never wrote a review. So here we go:
Even if you don't like Wuxia/Fantasy you may rethink your opinion if you'll watch Princess Agents. I was totally hooked myself though this show has all the characteristics:
actors with long hair and large robes, jumping and fighting airborne, noble sects and families aiming for power with the most depressing endings for people in love.
Story
The Wonder Woman of the story is Chu Qiao (Liying Zhao) a slave girl with amnesia and a hidden past. When she finds herself thrown into a deadly gladiator game to entertain young lords, she catches the attention of two friends: the easy going Prince of Northern Yan, Yan Xun (Shawn Dou) and the fourth master of the Yuwen Manor, Yuwen Yue (Kenny Lin) who secretly saves her from a deadly shot. He introduces her into the Yuwen household, where she finally reunites with the siblings of her foster family. They’ve become slaves now, working under strict rules and evil slave masters.
The cool and aloof Yuwen Yue, surname "The Ice Cube", is the James Bond of his family. He is the head of the spying network called The Eyes of God and intrigued by Chu Qiao. He decides to keep her close by his side as his chamber maid calling her Xing’er and training her to become a secret agent for his own family.
Meanwhile Chu Qiao/Xing'er becomes acquainted with Yan Xun, who invites her to live with him in his homeland where slavery doesn't exist. That's why Chu Qiao becomes the close companion of Yan Xun. When his family gets slaughtered and branded as traitors Yan Xun starts a war against the emperor forcing Chu Qiao and Yuwen Yue to choose sides. Question is what will happen to everybody involved and their feelings for each other.
Acting/cast
The leading characters are well written, they aren't downright good or bad, and full of inherent contradictions. It's interesting to see them change by the turn of events and the actors nailed it. I loved the chemistry between them. Also the supporting cast did a good job, I love-hated the evil brother of Yuwen Yue: Yuwen Huai, and his grandfather Yuwen Xi, a creepy pervert. There was some comic relief too between the harsh scenes.
Music/soundtrack
This series has a wonderful OST and I recently came to understand why I love the voice of Yuwen Yue so much: Kenny Lin is dubbed by the same voice actor who impersonated Lan Wangji/Wang Yibo in The Untamed, a voice so deep I can feel it in my liver like the bark of a rutting reindeer.
Rewatch Value
I can see, and hear Princess Agents anytime in spite of the bad editing that delivers an incomplete ending and the need for a sequel. Prepare yourself for that and some filming bloopers like close ups of male actors who have their sideburns visibly glued to their heads or CGI with the look and feel of a PC game in the nineties not to mention the traditional scene of a bamboo flute, played by the actor completely out of sync.
Overall
Nevertheless I love this drama, because I can relate to a heroine who wants to live her own life and fight for what she feels is right. Her story arc isn't entirely focused on court intrigue or martial arts. It's also about the admiration of individual qualities, about making lifetime choices apart from social status or family backgrounds. The fighting scenes are visually attractive, all characters are played by good(looking) actors, and the music score is great too. In short: go watch it!
Even if you don't like Wuxia/Fantasy you may rethink your opinion if you'll watch Princess Agents. I was totally hooked myself though this show has all the characteristics:
actors with long hair and large robes, jumping and fighting airborne, noble sects and families aiming for power with the most depressing endings for people in love.
Story
The Wonder Woman of the story is Chu Qiao (Liying Zhao) a slave girl with amnesia and a hidden past. When she finds herself thrown into a deadly gladiator game to entertain young lords, she catches the attention of two friends: the easy going Prince of Northern Yan, Yan Xun (Shawn Dou) and the fourth master of the Yuwen Manor, Yuwen Yue (Kenny Lin) who secretly saves her from a deadly shot. He introduces her into the Yuwen household, where she finally reunites with the siblings of her foster family. They’ve become slaves now, working under strict rules and evil slave masters.
The cool and aloof Yuwen Yue, surname "The Ice Cube", is the James Bond of his family. He is the head of the spying network called The Eyes of God and intrigued by Chu Qiao. He decides to keep her close by his side as his chamber maid calling her Xing’er and training her to become a secret agent for his own family.
Meanwhile Chu Qiao/Xing'er becomes acquainted with Yan Xun, who invites her to live with him in his homeland where slavery doesn't exist. That's why Chu Qiao becomes the close companion of Yan Xun. When his family gets slaughtered and branded as traitors Yan Xun starts a war against the emperor forcing Chu Qiao and Yuwen Yue to choose sides. Question is what will happen to everybody involved and their feelings for each other.
Acting/cast
The leading characters are well written, they aren't downright good or bad, and full of inherent contradictions. It's interesting to see them change by the turn of events and the actors nailed it. I loved the chemistry between them. Also the supporting cast did a good job, I love-hated the evil brother of Yuwen Yue: Yuwen Huai, and his grandfather Yuwen Xi, a creepy pervert. There was some comic relief too between the harsh scenes.
Music/soundtrack
This series has a wonderful OST and I recently came to understand why I love the voice of Yuwen Yue so much: Kenny Lin is dubbed by the same voice actor who impersonated Lan Wangji/Wang Yibo in The Untamed, a voice so deep I can feel it in my liver like the bark of a rutting reindeer.
Rewatch Value
I can see, and hear Princess Agents anytime in spite of the bad editing that delivers an incomplete ending and the need for a sequel. Prepare yourself for that and some filming bloopers like close ups of male actors who have their sideburns visibly glued to their heads or CGI with the look and feel of a PC game in the nineties not to mention the traditional scene of a bamboo flute, played by the actor completely out of sync.
Overall
Nevertheless I love this drama, because I can relate to a heroine who wants to live her own life and fight for what she feels is right. Her story arc isn't entirely focused on court intrigue or martial arts. It's also about the admiration of individual qualities, about making lifetime choices apart from social status or family backgrounds. The fighting scenes are visually attractive, all characters are played by good(looking) actors, and the music score is great too. In short: go watch it!
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