Fighting for Love Reviews

Watched the first six episodes without skipping or speeding up, and I just have to say, the director is amazing. The pacing is spot on, and in those first six episodes, so many characters bite the dust. When they say someone gets stabbed, they really get stabbed.
The way the story unfolds keeps you hooked, and the deaths come unexpectedly. The plot moves swiftly, and the lighting and filters give it a cinematic feel. The director's camera techniques are top-notch, with some really impressive and captivating shots.
Also, the casting is incredible. I won't even mention the female lead because it's a given, but they managed to make several "ugly" male characters appealing.

Who understands! That kind of joy when you've been waiting for a long time and not disappointed! The stunning performance during "The Imperial Concubine" era, I see it again in A Mai's portrayal.
One woman among three men and one woman, Zhang Tian Ai surprisingly holds her ground. Zhang Tian Ai, keep that sense of mystery and continue being a great actress. Take on more roles, not just as the lead, but also in important supporting roles.
That kind of scene-stealing mode suits you well. It's sad to see someone so captivating in their work struggle so much in real life these past few years.

The first two episodes are particularly dumb, especially the male lead. Having read the novel, I know that the male lead, who is supposed to be a nobleman's son, is actually a smart and courageous person, at least according to the book's portrayal.
However, in the drama, he appeared early on and the plot revolved around his identity, making him seem like a fool. Fortunately, starting from the third episode, the story enters the actual content of the novel, starting with the Silver Castle City, and the female lead's intelligence is finally showcased.
But it still feels awkward, as the male lead and the female lead seem like a foolish son of a landlord and a girl playing around. On the other hand, the antagonist, General Chang, engages in intellectual and martial battles with the female lead, which is quite interesting.
I had always thought that the male second lead in the novel was Chen Qi... but it turns out... umm...

The TV drama I've been waiting for finally arrived, and I'm satisfied. The visual quality is excellent, and the set designs and outdoor scenes are meticulously crafted. Whether it's the grand palaces with layers of closing doors or the lush green forests, every wide shot is exceptionally beautiful.
Each actor has their own unique characteristics, and even the horse-riding scenes are authentic. Not to mention the seasoned actors, their performances as emperors and prime ministers are truly outstanding. The production level is top-notch in the historical drama genre.
Of course, there are minor flaws, but they don't overshadow the overall brilliance.

Misleading and deceptive! They claim it's about A Mai joining the army, but they actually gave the male lead unlimited screen time. The original plan was for the female lead to focus on her own career, but they had to force a romantic relationship between her and the useless male lead?
?? What's so special about this idiotic male lead who can't do anything on his own and relies on others for everything? What kind of magical power does he possess to make the female lead fall in love with him?
?? Are the scriptwriters suffering from a severe illness that causes sudden outbreaks of madness???? I'm truly baffled.

Definitely the dark horse drama of the year 2024! It outshines the concurrent fantasy and ancient puppet dramas! I binge-watched 8 episodes in one night, full of twists and turns.
The female lead is truly impressive, intelligent and resourceful! The male lead provides comic relief, but he needs to improve his acting skills when it comes to crying scenes!
The second male lead has nailed his character's portrayal, and their rivalry is so interesting, reminiscent of classic setups! Tang Shao Yi is very nice, a righteous and kind elder brother figure, not rigid but genuinely good-hearted!
There are no idiotic plotlines, like Xu Yong being taken in by the protagonist (usually there's some sense of gratitude or obligation towards the main character, but this drama didn't have that, and the female lead still saved his daughter).
Ghost Hand Ah Si met his fate unexpectedly quickly, but it's later explained that the female lead specifically sent someone to gather information about him! The plot is coherent, the storyline is tight, and while it deviates from the novel, it's not overly exaggerated.
As a drama, it's quite acceptable! The female lead's disguise as a man is well done, with a scruffy bag, tall stature, and without the messy makeup and eyeliner that would give away her true gender.

It's like a 3.5-star tale of the prince and princess seeking revenge, with elements similar to "Mulan" showcasing the growth of low-ranking soldiers (although there are not many, as it mainly focuses on middle-ranking generals taking on critical missions to protect their homeland).
The palace intrigue, especially the part involving Yin Zhu Sheng, is quite captivating. Although the political maneuvers may seem a bit juvenile, they create an atmosphere of brutality and cruelty. Overall, it's not bad, but it's still an ancient puppet drama targeting the middle-class audience in terms of its spiritual themes.
Additionally, it would be better if the light comedy elements were toned down a bit. It's not as serious as the solemn and murderous atmosphere of the frontier. Hopefully, the upcoming war scenes and fight scenes will be more enjoyable to watch.

Based on my deep love for the original work, I'll give it three stars, but I can't hold back any longer and need to vent! I've been looking forward to it for so long, but A Mai in the drama is just too old-fashioned.
She's excessively thin and dark, looking like someone in their forties??? Oh my goodness, Shang Yi Zhi's hunchback is not only unattractive, but they also made him play a fool?
Chen Qi's profile is enough to burn my eyes, thin, dark, ugly, short, and stumpy? How on earth did they choose the actors???? Although childhood friends are meant to be a complete jerk, they should at least be talented and good-looking.
But when he appeared, I had to close my eyes. This isn't watching TV, it's listening to TV. And that Chang surname character, where did they find that ugly fool to play the role?
It's not just about being ugly, they also constantly act pretentious, making it even more unbearable for the eyes. Lao Tang found an old, short pedestrian to act, I'm truly speechless.
The acting and storyline are also lackluster, completely devoid of charm. Sigh, now I can't even enjoy the original work because every time I close my eyes, I see those few eyesores.
I regret watching the drama; otherwise, I could occasionally read the original work. Oh, my dear... I only hope that if my Jiangbei Female Bandit gets adapted into a film or TV series, it will have better luck.

This historical drama has a decent production quality. A Mai's masculine attire is quite decent, unlike many other period dramas where it's often half-hearted. Love Bao is well-suited for this role.
The female lead is not only intelligent but also skilled in martial arts, and so far, it seems like she has a strong presence in the story. The male lead is mainly responsible for providing comedic relief, and the supporting characters are well-developed.
The male characters may not have exceptionally high looks, but they are not deterrents either.

P.S. After reading the drama reviews from fellow viewers, it seems that in the original work, the character of Mai had an even stronger presence.
Did the adaptation weaken her character? That's quite unfortunate. I hope to see more focus on the female lead, with well-thought-out character motivations, and a plot that prioritizes character development over romantic storylines in Chinese dramas.

I abandoned the drama after 18 episodes. Actually, the impression was quite good until around episode 12. The settings changed rapidly, from the capital to the post station, then to Silver Fortress, Qingzhou, and finally Yuzhou. It basically followed a high-intensity "pose questions-solve problems" pattern.
The female lead had strong subjectivity, quick thinking, and excellent execution. She found solutions to almost all the challenges, which as a fan of the female lead, I found quite satisfying.

However, things started to fall apart when the male lead revealed the female lead's true gender as a woman disguised as a man, and then there was a passionate kiss between the two.
The plot began to deteriorate. First, they had to develop the romantic relationship between the male and female leads, which required creating various opportunities for them to be alone together and introducing ambiguous scenes. This slowed down the pace and dragged the storyline.
Then, the usually clever A Mai suddenly acted recklessly as soon as he joined the military, repeatedly violating military discipline without considering the consequences, even if it was his own plan. He would rush into battle to confront enemies, disrupting all the plans...
And as the story progressed, the overall plot and schemes became inexplicable and implausible. It was uncomfortable to watch, so I gave up on it...

The persuasiveness of this script, to be honest, doesn't even compare to Disney's "Mulan." At least the Americans took the time to study Chinese culture before venturing into the Chinese market to make money. The writers and directors of this drama, on the other hand, put on the skin of Mulan joining the army and dare to come out and deceive people for money.
They throw around terms like duke, noble, beautiful landscapes, but they can't even explain the basics of the military, feudal system, social status, and military households. I heard that the writer is the author of "The Princess Consort Rises to Prominence." Let me ask, can't a good drama be made without a fan base and a fresh young male lead with a tender body?
Isn't the main character of "A Mai Joins the Army" supposed to be A Mai? Why do I only see Zhang Tian Ai constantly fawning over the male lead? Why not just tailor a drama specifically for the male lead called "Persimmon's Revenge Diary"?

After entering the military camp, the plot starts to become dull. It just keeps focusing on trivial matters like sleeping and showering, making it increasingly awkward.
This drama is somewhat similar to the Mulan story starring Anita Yuen, but as the story progresses, it falls into predictable patterns. Also, is the female lead's disguise as a man believable?
However, when thinking about other Chinese period dramas, rarely does any female lead's male attire actually look like a man's, so we can't question the intelligence of the soldiers in the military camp.
Furthermore, the revenge storyline of the female lead becomes more and more simplistic as it goes on. There's no display of clever tactics; instead, her reactions towards her enemies seem impulsive, lacking a broader perspective.

In historical dramas, the biggest fear is poverty. The biggest characteristic of "A Mai Joins the Army" is also poverty. Poverty itself is not scary, but what's scary is the exaggerated portrayal of poverty.

The garrison of Yinpao has 3,000 soldiers. Do you know how big of a force that is? Taking the example of the Tang Dynasty, during the Tianbao reign, the Commander of the Beiting Circuit had a total of 24,000 soldiers.
And here you are, defending this small, insignificant city with only 3,000 soldiers? Moreover, it seems like you don't even have 300 extras for crowd scenes.

You give Zhang Xun 3,000 soldiers, and he can accomplish the work of 30,000?
Do you really believe that?

It would be amazing if the main CP in the early stages of this drama could be A Mai and Xiuer. I've already come up with a storyline: After A Mai and Xiuer get married, A Mai slowly becomes moved by Xiuer's silent and gentle love, but remains unaware of his own feelings.
Then, during a major battle, the enemy launches a surprise attack, and Xiuer sacrifices herself to save A Mai. After Xiuer's death, A Mai finally realizes his true feelings and decides to become heartless and forsake love only for Xiuer.
In the later stages, A Mai channels his grief and anger into his career, eventually becoming a legendary warrior. Trust me, there's still time to change the plot now.

The protagonist's acting is good. It's refreshing to not have overly popular stars that strain the eyes. Zhang's square face is slightly unsuitable; I feel that a face shape like Yuan Yongyi's would be more fitting.
However, their acting skills are solid, so it's still good. The attractiveness of the male and female leads is on point, and the second male lead also looks like a military man, rather than those cream-faced young actors in some dramas.
Overall, the casting is appropriate. The script is also good, without excessive emphasis on romance and love, unlike some ancient idol dramas where it becomes nauseatingly focused on love throughout the entire series.

In the ancient puppet drama, Zhang Tian Ai's acting is very touching, surpassing all the popular young actresses. Nowadays, the acting skills of the popular actresses in ancient puppet dramas are terrifyingly bad.
Zhang Tian Ai's acting can be considered top-notch compared to them.

I give Zhang Tian Ai's acting 4 stars. Watch Zhang Tian Ai's fight scenes and then watch how Yu Shuxin portrays a female assassin. Yu Shuxin really needs to work hard on her acting skills.

The original work is quite good, even better than the TV drama. In terms of human nature, the original work is more realistic, while the TV drama is more idealized.

Despite a few flaws in the earlier episodes, it was still bearable and I stayed up late to catch up. It had some interesting moments. But in the twelfth episode, why did the writers suddenly have them kiss? It was a huge shock to me...
Previously, A Mai had only shown loyalty to Shang, and there was no indication of any romantic feelings between them. How did they go from a blank slate to kissing out of nowhere? Also, wouldn't the drama lose its appeal if they didn't focus so much on the sticky-sweet romance between the main characters?
I really don't understand the concept of knowing when to stop.

It's a book that I particularly love because it's filled with tactics and strategies, with very little romantic elements. But then the TV series is titled "Fighting for Love," and it gives me a sense of impending doom.
Apart from the name, does the plot have anything to do with the original work? Zhang Tian Ai is quite sincere and has made a great effort to imitate a male character, but the differences between men and women are still too obvious.
Even in military camp, disguised as a man, she's supposed to become a killing god, but it still doesn't feel convincing.