Parallel World Reviews

Ni Ni fits the role of Ye Liu Xi quite well. She's beautiful and cool, but in the beginning, she comes across as pretentious and deliberately trying to be cool. She's aware of her beauty and portrays it confidently.
However, the plot in the beginning is too peaceful and doesn't attract much attention. The later part becomes more engaging, mainly because of the mysterious adventure and slight horror fantasy elements.
The overall drama lacks a grand vision, and the desert scenes fail to evoke a sense of atmosphere. The mood-setting is inadequate, and there are few moments that stir emotions. I've seen many people criticize the romantic scenes, but I think they were okay.
They were more natural and plausible compared to those in "The Lost Tomb." Although Ni Ni's crop tops and shorts don't match the desert setting, they don't prevent me from thinking she looks stylish.
Ni Ni's dialogue and demeanor still have her relaxed charm. Most of the special effects are decent and don't detract from the viewing experience. They have a sense of beauty. The plot is also passable.
However, I found it hard to accept that Ye Liu Xi easily defeats their captors in the final ending. It seemed a bit unrealistic. Also, I want to mention the fantastical and eerie elements in the drama.
I admire the author's imagination.

Really enjoyable. I like this kind of theme, and the writing is very well done. The plot setup is captivating. It's quite remarkable for a domestic TV drama of this genre to achieve such results.
There are indeed some shortcomings, but they don't overshadow the overall brilliance. In the beginning, the chemistry between the male and female leads lacked a sense of a romantic couple and felt more like a brotherly bond.
However, as the story progressed, their dynamic became more harmonious. Some of the actors' fight scenes were hard to watch, and Mengzi's appearance at the beginning was a bit distracting, but their performances improved in the later parts of the plot.
The storyline dragged on a bit and had too many repetitive flashback scenes. It would have been better if they were condensed and streamlined.

Why is it only rated 6.9? I genuinely think it was very well done and stayed true to the original work. Ni Ni's casting was absolutely perfect, and her acting skills are truly impressive. She's amazing!
In the entire entertainment industry, there's no second Ye Liu Xi except her. The most memorable part of the whole film for me was when the female lead regained her memories after cutting off her arm.
It was a flashback sequence with a montage of countless fragmented memories returning vividly to the female lead's mind. That particular scene was shot like a movie, and it was incredibly satisfying to watch.
I personally think it deserves a four-star rating, and the music and everything were also quite good.

It's a mix of being good-looking and not-so-good-looking: the story is intriguing, but the details are lacking. The sleazy guy might freeze to death overnight in a room with an open window, while the male lead wears a padded jacket underneath his military uniform.
And yet, the female lead can roam the desert in shorts, facing strong winds. It's hilarious. Is the female lead some kind of pure and radiant being?

The two characters fall in love out of the blue, and suddenly they confess their feelings and end up in bed while the team is in a perilous situation.
This plot twist is mind-boggling. I came to watch an adventure story. If the two characters gradually built trust, admiration, and concern for each other, I could accept it. But having serene and peaceful moments in the midst of danger...
I really, truly... even if it's Ni Ni and Bai Yu, who are actors I really like, I still find it hard to watch...

Most of the actors are well-suited to their roles (except for Jiang Zhan, but his performance is somewhat acceptable). Being faithful to the original work is usually a good thing, but shouldn't the director and screenwriter's role be to trim the unnecessary and highlight the essence?
They failed to simplify where needed, and the romantic subplot disrupts and slows down the pacing inappropriately. They also arrogantly altered details that should have been preserved, such as the appearance of the Golden Deity traits in the museum and Jiang Zhan's suicide after the handover.
These changes directly turned reasonable plot logic from the novel into bugs. It feels like they kept the worst while discarding the essence.

Thinking of that saying, "It gets better after enduring xx episodes," it might apply to "Xi Chu Yu Men" as "It gets better after enduring 20 episodes." It's so clean, like a border town that's as clean as a studio.
It feels like entering a desert or camping in a park, and the protagonist's eyes are completely unaffected by the sandstorms, and their attire is unaffected by the temperature differences between day and night.
In the future, when filming a tail fish novel, please remove all the romantic plotlines. Thank you. Romantic scenes are not Tail Fish's strong suit, and including them would only make matters worse.

It's probably those who have only seen poorly acted popular dramas who think Ni Ni can't act. If it weren't for the two leads carrying the characters' image in this drama, I would have dropped it due to the director's incompetence.
I even suspected it was a money laundering scheme, wasting such a good original novel. I picked it up again and watched until Episode 33, where Flow Xi loses his arm. The seamless transition between two distinctly different styles of music, paired with the image of a jeep racing through the desert, gave me goosebumps.
The music is truly fantastic. Finally, I hope the Chinese music industry can thrive even without relying on films and television!

Ye Liu Xi traded one-third of Heishi City for Jiang Zhan, but Jiang Zhan ended up committing suicide on the way. Then she traded one-third for Gao Shen, but Gao Shen turned into a demon while escaping. Her previous dream was to open the Bogu Demon Array, making the inside and outside of the barrier the same, but she discovered that it might not be a good thing...
The process of striving and the results of striving are never the same. Life can bring you unexpected surprises while also denying what you desire. Being too passive is not good either. If you don't provoke others, they might still provoke you.
To truly live well, you need to constantly give yourself the buff of love, ability, and justice~

The visuals of this film are incredibly impactful, with a unique blend of Western and otherworldly elements. It's an adventure romance set in an exotic world. Memories can be manipulated, but emotions cannot, conveying a belief that love is stronger than death.
The story and fate of Jiang Zhan, Qingzhi, and Longzhi are poignant. However, it's a bit unfortunate that this series might struggle to retain viewers. The pacing in the early stages is too slow, and unnecessary subplots and romantic scenes (there are even four couples' romantic storylines throughout the series, which is excessive) make it difficult for those seeking an adventure genre to persevere.
For those expecting a romantic idol drama, the male lead's appearance may not be attractive enough, and it also fails to retain that portion of the audience. The male lead's shining qualities lie in his mature, reliable, and attentive personality charm, which gradually unfolds as the plot progresses.

Ni Ni looks so cool, she looks good in anything she wears. Bai Yu's acting skills make me overlook the fact that he's not conventionally handsome.
I've watched three of Lu Yu Xiao's dramas this year. Meng Zi Yi seems to have angered the barrage viewers as they criticize her lack of acting skills.
Fantasy romance is a genre I enjoy, although I haven't read the original work. However, the barrage comments have pretty much spoiled the entire plot, including the existence of twins, the manipulation of memories, and the concept of heartstrings prolonging life.
All of these plot elements are so imaginative.

It's similar to "Ghost Blows Out the Light," but the setting is in the desert and a different world. This show has significant issues with pacing and editing.
The storytelling is very dragging, where a brief mention would suffice, but they insist on using a lengthy scene to convey it. Flashbacks that could be brief moments are replayed with extended segments of the previous plot.
The editing is a disaster, with a jumbled sequence of events and mixed-in flashbacks, creating a chaotic mess. If you're not a fan of the actors, it takes patience to continue watching.
The special effects also look fake, with the sandstorm effects making the visuals hazy and unclear, and the texture of the alien creatures is also poor. If they could improve the editing and streamline it, the 20-episode length could be much better.

I personally think that a qualified film and television director should have aesthetics, storytelling skills, logical thinking, and the ability to coordinate various aspects. These are all indispensable. As for other aspects, since I haven't been exposed to them, I can't comment.
What I can't understand is why all sorts of people have entered the domestic industry nowadays. Just like this drama, "West Gate," with only nineteen episodes, a door appears out of nowhere on the sea, and this group of people just drives straight in without any hesitation.
Normally, shouldn't they throw something to test the waters first? There are countless scenes like this, and it seems like either the director lacks intelligence or simply doesn't care. Upon closer inspection, it seems that connections play a significant role in China's film and television industry.
Having connections certainly makes it easier to succeed in our society.

The special effects are sometimes impressive, but other times they fall short. The set design in the county town looks extremely fake! I thought it might be due to budget constraints, but then I saw some netizens saying it's S+?
!

Ye Liu Xi wearing hot pants while entering the desert, I really can't understand. Is she made of steel?

Both the male and female leads have their own acting styles, and they had to adapt to these flaws throughout the first 6-7 episodes.
The reason I didn't give up on it is mainly because of the subject matter.

Unexpected! Suddenly there was a rise after entering the No. 2 Sea Dragon Mound?! Bai Yu's acting has become more natural, and Ni Ni finally has a bit of fierce energy emanating from within.
The romantic scenes are also naturally integrated as embellishments to the plot.

It's a kind of emotional scene that I can relate to. The male lead has been regretting not protecting his ex-girlfriend for three years, and now there's someone strong who doesn't need protection and can live well.
It's a bit like his ex... It's hard not to be moved by it.

After episode 17, it's becoming disappointing! I've given up. The style suddenly shifted completely towards the romantic storyline, and it's boring.

1. Thought it was a fantasy adventure, but it turned out to be a romance involving the whole cast. Not a fan of this sudden head-over-heels love story, it's uninteresting.

2. The plotline is too straightforward and simple, and the character development lacks depth. The antagonist pretends to be powerful but is actually weak. Both Gao Shen and Long Zhi are just tools.
What's the point of Xiao Liu? I thought she would contribute more, but she ended up being insignificant.

3. The chemistry between the male and female leads is lacking. Despite the earlier hints of flirtation, their romantic relationship feels abrupt and somewhat greasy.
There's a lack of detailed transitions, and I'm puzzled how Ye Liu Xi, who was so cool before losing his memory, suddenly becomes a submissive woman. Chang Dong's psychological portrayal is also minimal, and everything feels superficial.

4. The editing is jumpy, and the constant flashbacks are annoying. The segment with Chen Du Ling could have been removed without affecting the plot; it felt out of place. The final few episodes rushed at rocket speed, as if they wanted to quickly wrap up and give everyone a happy ending.

5. Some empty shots are beautifully captured, and I like the filter and color grading of the scenes. Ni Ni is truly stunning and suits her role well. The interactions between the characters of Shan He Si Hai are really enjoyable and add to the fun.

6. The main actors' performances are impressive.