Princesa Rebelde (2021)

No complaints

Beautifully crafted and impeccable acting. The story develops smoothly without dragging on in useless situations that lead to nowhere. The female lead is not rebellious like someone already pointed out but intelligent, determined and assertive, which is a good representation of the softer gender which otherwise is normally portrayed as being long-suffering women in a lot of dramas. The male lead is a dream of a husband without compromising valour and courage as a warrior.

Overall, I do think this drama is great, it has a modern approach, good acting and the wardrobe design is absolutely mind-blowing. Would I re-watch it? Most certainly!

Leia Mais

Amazing CP chemistry, but an underwhelming political plot. Watch for the slow burn romance.

Story:
A bit of an unrealistic palace drama. The drama seems to try to do things for shock value at the expense of logic. Plus, the drama uses a lot of tropes you've seen done better in other dramas, so the schemes and progression of events are very predictable. All the villains want the throne, and they make the throne seem like such an easy thing to attain. The villains also aren't very clever, with the exception of probably the FL's father. The plot kind of goes downhill after episode 40 or so. The second half of the drama just repeats the same storyline but with a different characters who want to be emperor.

However, the romantic storyline is worth watching. The first 8 episodes are a bit slow since the leads probably only interact twice or so, but once they get together, the chemistry is through the roof. Awu and Xiao Qi have a soft intimacy between them, and Xiao Qi is pretty much the perfect ML. Tender and soft and caring. Protective and respectful. Fiercely devoted and unwavering in his love. He's such a refreshing change from the brooding, domineering alpha males you tend to see in idol dramas. Xiao Qi is easily the best character in the drama. The two leads show such idealistic domestic bliss that you don't see in other dramas. Unfortunately though, their chemistry only really peaks in episode 13, and while they have a lot of cute domestic scenes later, they're never really able to recreate the initial spark that we see when they first fell in love. Also, they tend to become separated for 5-10 episodes at a time because the ML is away fighting off rebels.

Speaking of fighting off rebels, this drama has some of most well-choreographed battle scenes that I've seen in dramas. And there's not just one elaborate battle scene, but several unique battle scenes throughout the drama. It really convinces you that the ML is a seasoned general and god of war because how well he is able to command his soldiers on the battle field, and how skilled he is at hand-to-hand combat himself.

Acting/Cast

Ignore the ages of the actors and don't think about what age they're supposed to play. I honestly have no issue with their irl ages. In fact, I started watching this drama because of how mature the actors are. I'm tired of watching dramas with actors my age. And the quality and nuance of the cast's acting because of their extensive life experience really shows. My only issue might be with Zhang Ziyi's lack of expressiveness in certain situations. You can attribute it to her character being elegant and aristocratic, but her extreme poise ends up making her appear too wooden and stoic sometimes. Her crying scenes really break your heart though.

Zhou Yiwei is plays Xiao Qi perfectly. He is calm and collected, but he isn't brooding and expressionless like the typical ML you'd see in idol dramas. You see such a wide range of emotions from him, and his character has a great arc that allows him to show how he's character has changed and matured. Raw is what I would describe him as. He's vulnerable and powerful all at the same time.

The supporting cast is great too. Everyone brought their best to the table. I do wish we got to see more of Angie Chiu and Kara Wai though.

Music:
Great OST, but they don't make use of it enough and the insert songs are used sparingly. Sometimes you'd hear a song once in the drama, and then never again. The instrumental score is great though, and that's used often.

Other:
Despite the production value and the big names attached to this project (e.g., cinematographer Philippe Le Sourd), you could still spot some mistakes that should have been fixed before the drama was released. And given that this drama was shelved for 2 years before it was released, you'd think they'd have more time to fix them. For instance, there are some discontinuities between some over-the-shoulder shots where one character is leaning back in one angle, but then sitting upright in another angle. The CGI is also a little obvious at times. Some of the manors feel like they're inside a studio, and the night sky often looks fake. The outdoor scenes are phenomenal though. I also love that we see full-body shots of the actual actors riding horses instead of the fake upper body shots or the faraway shots with stunt doubles that we tend to see in other dramas. I was really impressed with Zhou Yiwei's horse riding abilities. You can tell that this drama spent a lot on making the outdoor scenes look as vast and realistic as possible.

One other issue I have is how obvious where the deleted scenes were cut out, especially in the final 5 episodes. A lot of scenes would just abruptly cut to the next, and there would be missing information in between, so you just had to guess as to what happened between the characters that wasn't shown to us.

Rewatch Value:

I don't think I'd rewatch this. It was already difficult trying to hang onto my temper and patience when I watched this for the first time. However, I would definitely rewatch the scenes with the CP though. If only I could watch them fall in love for the first time again.

Overall:

I came into the drama curious about Zhang Ziyi's drama debut, and I was curious about the production quality of the drama because of all the notable talent that Zhang Ziyi brought on to work on the drama. I knew nothing of the plot or the romance. But ironically, what end up happening was that the only thing that kept me watching was the romance and the ML. Overall, I still think it's worth watching since I don't think we'll come across another drama with this kind of cast and production value any time soon.

Leia Mais

Awe-inspiring and mind-blowing series of 2021! Definitely a must-watch!!

To begin my review, just so you all know, after I finished watching "The Rebel Princess", I was definitely lost for words. I gotta say, I love everything about this fantastic series, from the epic glorious; breathtaking battle, the tender romance of the main characters, the never ending villains, and most of all, the character of General Yuzhang (Xiao Qi). Perhaps the only thing I can complain about is the tittle. For me, personally, the most suitable title for this series is "Princess and General" or "The Rebel General". If any of you have watched it, I believe you all agree with me here. I honestly think, this series is by far has the best cinematography (fantastic angle for capturing the battle of thousands of soldiers and the wonderful view of the empires/palaces).

With the total of 68 episodes, I must give myself a big round of applause for finishing "The Rebel Princess" in less than a week without skipping any scenes. Just like that, when I'm in love with a drama or series, I will give it all out. I'm addicted as well as determined to enjoy and finish it as quickly as possible. As I mentioned in the beginning, one of the reasons I enjoyed "The Rebel Princess" was General Yuzhang who played by the one and only incredible actor, Zhou Yi Wei. His character was undeniably the scene stealer of the series and he set the bar so high as a male lead in any other Chinese series I have watched so far. My first time watching him and I was completely struck by his stunning act. I guess, I will need time to move on from his character as he was undoubtedly so amazing as General Yuzhang and I must say I have the greatest respect for him. Bravo!!

I think we all know Zhang Zi Yi and I don't think I need to talk about her further. She is a very well-known actress in China and knowing "The Rebel Princess" was her first television series, I have to say, she's still without a doubt, one of the most beautiful leading ladies in the television series. Although, in the beginning I was a bit skeptical when she played the younger version of her character, Awu, but in the long run, I started to like her character as the older version.

On the whole, "The Rebel Princess" was awe-inspiring as well as mind-blowing series that I recommend you all to watch it right away. I can assure you all will love it from the very first start. Impressive!! Magnificent!! First-class!!

Leia Mais

A Must Watch Masterpiece

I will not go over the plot as other viewers have already done so. Instead, i will focus on:

Acting (main leads): Superior acting by both ZYW and ZQY - they are able to capture the little nuances of emotion - anger, pain, love, consideration, etc
The ML (Lord YuZhang/Xiao Qi) - No, he’s not handsome by any means but what Masculinity - he’s gentle, kind and treats the FL with respect: protects her. He’s always patient with her and doesn’t interrupt when she’s speaking. While the male protagonists in C-dramas are supposed to protect their women, few are so gentle and treat their women so gently. Yet, he’s strong on the battlefield and doesn’t hesitate when he has to fight/protect his country/his soldiers and the people he cares about.
He’s got a new fan.

Roughly translated. I am not a translator by any means, so please excuse me if I got this wrong.

Wang Xuan asks: So many people have changed. Will you also change?
Xiao Qi: To you, I will definitely not change

Oh, we should all be so lucky …
The FL (A-Wu/Wang Xuan) - Many reviewers have leveled criticism that she’s too old to play 16. Yes, that is true but FL has the gravitas to convey different levels of emotion with her eyes, her face, her body movements - many other actors do not have this depth of skill. So, in the beginning (first 8 episodes or so), the disparity threw me for a loop but I got over as the drama continued.
Both are in an elite group of actors that are able to make the viewer feel for them, feel their happiness, feel their pain, feel their anguish. I must admit that not many actors have been able to do that me but in Rebel Princess, I feel what they are feeling.
Lots of characters die in the end, but I’m glad they lived on as commoners, with their children. This is an ending that I particularly liked.
(Other actors):
Gen Song (Lord YuZhang’s right hand) On his wedding day, he looks at A-Wu instead of Yu Xiu;
He changes from a good person to one who is greedy, wants power and covets A-Wu. Alas, he does not get a good ending. His wife (Yu Xiu) dies to protect him from rebelling … in vain though
Yu Xiu, ZiDan (sorry excuse for a man- he’s supposed to know A-Wu well yet he insists on just saving her from danger without realizing that she will not escape and leave the rest of the people to die): All did a good job and added to the drama as a whole. It’s rare in C-dramas that almost all the cast have strong acting skills.
OST: Beautiful and Emotive, especially the song at the end of every episode. When I listen to that song, there’s a longing, a melancholy and their love.
Costume + sets: Well done with much attention made to the details. Beautiful costumes.
Final Thoughts:
A few parts of the plot are not explained but that’s to be expected. Also, I felt that the last 4 episodes sort of rushed the ending. Still I would watch it again. This is a masterpiece that is hard to beat.

Leia Mais

What's not to love about Zhang zi yi?

Yes not having a 16 year looking face is really distracting in the beginning but once you reach ep 10 you'll probably enjoy the story. Even her personality in the story is like a 30 year old so I wish they made the character at least in her late 20s. They also could've slowed down the love between the ML & FL as she seemed to fall for him pretty fast. It picks up more ep 16 on so be patient with this title as the cast, the story is very good. Although the story with political scheming isn't new but the stellar cast makes this drama a good watch. The high quality production with amazing costume design & cinematography is impressive esp ep 28 I was absolutely in awe.

Helan Zhen being the stand out character. He played a similar role in Rise of the Phoenix but it was short lived so happy to see him in this role.

Now I am near the end, the story is slow but I can't stop watching it because it feels like a fashion show with the endless costume designs. There are quite a few character's development that made the story have some depth but it's not a captivating. I didn't feel the love story was epic and I felt the love development was a bit quick no fault to the actors of course. The cast of actors were all very good. In the end despite the production / stellar cast , the story is not on the same level as a Joy of Life or Rise of Phoenix.

And I still love Zhangziyi !!

Leia Mais

Tense, Political Romance

THE REBEL PRINCESS was really such a captivating drama. While the title of this series may be a bit misleading to some, there were so many aspects that I loved about this one, among them being the excellent writing, the steller cast and performances, the accurate and mesmerizing costumes and settings, and wonderful music. I have to say the writing and the characters really made this series for me. The characters were all dynamic and the superb acting made this one just irresistible to watch. For me, binge worthy...

The story is about a naive, somewhat spoiled Princess "Awu" Wang Xuan (Zhang Zi Yi) whose luxurious life is suddenly altered by her arranged marriage to the fearsome yet noble General Xiao Qi (Zhou Yi Wei) a common man of low birth newly conferred as a Prince, with growing power in the world stage through his vast military strength. The series follows the aftermath of this fated union as the world soon goes into chaos, as the noblility increasingly fears the growing power of the commoners, namely their leader, General Xiao Qi.

The story was really compelling and the settings were sometimes gorgeous and other times gritty, yet eye catching and superbly realistic throughout. One of my biggest praises is that the drama never felt that it leaned too heavily into common tropes. Lots of red herrings, as well. There were times when I said to myself "Welp, I know where this is going..." and then, it didn't go there at all, or there was a twist to the scene and it went the complete opposite direction. Really well done. That alone made this series a much needed breath of fresh air.

The relationships between characters was so believable and utterly palpable. The family dynamic is deeply contemplated here with Princess Awu at the center of many conflicts and dangers. The bonds of the Wang Clan were at time deeply touching, while other times, simply terrifying. While not a character of typical strength, whether physical or military strength, Princess Awu is exceedingly strong and gifted in her own manner and she was a very noble, worthy character. Fierce, brave, noble, merciful, loyal and cunning, albeit a bit tender-hearted, which made her character all the more endearing and realistic. Simply a great portrayal.

As for the romance between the main couple, Princess Wang Xuan "Awu" played by the stunning and yet subtle Zhang Zi Yi, and General Xiao Qi played by the brilliant Zhou Yi Wei. Both characters were excellent, and acting great, though it was the character of Xiao Qi that truly shines and stood out. I can't think of a better written or acted "General" character in recent years. He was able to seem both fierce and gentle, both powerful and humble. He commanded both respect and fear from those around him. A truly compelling and enigmatic hero. A brilliant and memorable portrayal. He played such an absolutely great role here and totally blew my expectations out of the water!

I truly loved the main couple and their dynamic relationship. Never did it feel corny, like some romances do. It was a natural realistic relationship with powerful chemistry to back it up, between the actors, as well as the written characters. It could be sensed both in body language (glances, posturing, displays of affection), in dialogue (tenderness, teasing, mutual respect) and in action as well (defense, trust, mutual alliance). The love that developed seemed so natural, and can be felt in almost every shared scene. The romance that bloomed from nothing, truly pulls you in and warms your heart, as well as becomes the cause of much suspense during the twists and turns that follow. And there there are many.

The entire cast was really excellent, all playing realistic imperfect characters, many morally grey and others simply memorable or unpredictable. This drama is highly political and compels the viewer to analyze characters and their individual motivations as well as interpersonal relationships. Morally grey characters abound and some act spontaneous while others plan their schemes years ahead.

Since there are many episodes of court politics, schemes and intrigue, the pacing did feel quite slower towards the middle. So in that way, it was a slow-burn, which might not be appealing to some. And as others have said, the subtitles and translations aren't the greastes, but for me that never gave me pause or slowed me down.

Notable mentions were the characters of Prime Minister Wang Lin (Yu He Wei), Awu's father, who was a deeply shrewd and cunning character, Prince Jianxia Wang Su Yu (Jia Yi Ping) Awu's brother, who was flawed yet understandable, Empress Dowager Wang Haun Xi (Shi Ke) was devious and yet pitable, Crown Prince Ma Zi Long (Guo Jia Ming) who was first despicable then somewhat commendable, Pan Gui (Cao Jun), loyal and clever, Helan Zhen (Yuan Hong) who was vengeful and obsessive, Yu Xiu (Drolma Suijun) sweet and heroic, Hu Lao (Hai Ling) and General Hu Guang Lie (Hou Xiao) who were loyal siblings that served under Xiao Qi, as well as Su Jin Er (Liu Yun), Xie Wan Ru (Zuo Xiao Qing), Prince Ma ZiDan (Tony Yang), General Song Huai En (Liu Duan Duan), and the Emperor (Jiang Kai) who was a very believable Emperor. Aslo, I must say, the baby (multiple babies?) that played Jing'er was really cute!

Overall, this series was a very good find, filled with court politics, love and war. It was an excellent story, with an exceptional cast, playing diverse characters and great writing that made it less predictable than other series out there. The costumes and sets were outlandishly great, though sometimes the story was slower paced, and lower grade subtitles (not great but easily overlooked). While, the title might feel a bit misleading, (don't expect a Mulan/she-warrior/rebel type story here) it certainly didn't disappoint in any way.

This was such a wonderful C-Drama that was deeply complex and memorable, especially if you like to see epic power struggles, plotting and scheming, assassins and military battles, as well as a memorable power couple...with a strong, heroic male lead along with a cunning, strategic main lead female, each supporting one another. Loved this one. <3.

Leia Mais

It will be hard to find another cdrama after this, my standards are now too high

I finished watching The Rebel Princess two days ago and came back to write a review since I couldn't get it off my mind. I even went back and rewatched some of my favorite scenes, that's how much I enjoyed this story, the characters, and cinematography.

I don't watch too many Chinese dramas since I am not a fan of dubbing or the "immature baby-like" female voices, and a lot of them seem to have idols/androgynous actors as the male leads instead of more mature/masculine actors, so when I came across The Rebel Princess it was like a breath of fresh air. The voices are not artificial, the female lead is mature (if you get past the first 4 episodes), and the male lead is capable/masculine/sweet.

I was already a fan of Zhang Ziyi since Memories of a Geisha/House of Flying Daggers/Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, so seeing her at the head of this project was no disappointment. She can act, and so can Zhou Yi Wei who showed his capacity and range opposite her as the male lead and her love interest. Their chemistry was great, their relationship was not toxic, and it was refreshing to see such a mature relationship in a cdrama where the misunderstandings are resolved in the same episode instead of 30 episodes. Their relationship reminded me of *The Story of Ming Lan* with Ming Lan and Gu Ting Ye having such a stable, mature, and supportive marriage.

Woe is me that there are not many dramas like this one. I don't know when I will move on.

I made a video tribute if anyone is interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfVmdgd6sHw

Leia Mais

Loved it first watch. Hated it the second.

*First viewing*

Internal thoughts: Ok, wow, Zhang Zi Yi should not be playing a teenager but she pulls it off. Yay, so glad that the childhood love interest (simp) was discarded because, what a coward! Why does Zhou Yi Wei get to show his age but Zhang Zi Yi doesn't? And, oh wow, the chemistry between A'wu and Xiao Qi is nothing like I've seen in a Cdrama before. For the first time, I'm actually here for the romance plotline.

However! Something was nagging me throughout watching it, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Until I rewatched the series.

––––
*Second viewing*

So turns out the nagging feeling was that, despite the electric romantic chemistry, I hate A'wu as a character. She spends a lot of time condemning the bad deeds of characters who have been forced to make bad choices in desperate situations. Yet, at no point, is she ever forced to choose between her pride and doing 'the right thing'. She has never known real struggle and punishes those who have.

Once I started noticing her classist demeanour, I could not let it go. It just tainted the entire experience for me and I also started hating Xiao Qi for supporting it. His character, despite low class origins, does not call into question the classism of his wife nor the imperial system he helps uphold. Instead, he sees the emperor somewhat as a benefactor and himself as duty-bound to protect a system that, frankly has never protected him.

In this drama, we also have another classic Historical Cdrama example of an emperor who is protected as the 'rightful ruler' but not for any perceivable moral reasons. We have no reason to believe the emperor is a good ruler for his people and uprising is, of course, portrayed as bad and misled. Conveniently, it means that A'wu never has to worry about the legitimacy of her own privileged position.

----
*A note on acting*

While I could never watch this series again, I will say the acting from the leads is superb. Obviously, that goes without saying for Zhang Zi Yi. This is the first time I've seen Zhou Yi Wei (other than a bit character in Glamorous Imperial Concubine) and he is absolutely magnificent. It's a shame ageism is so rampant in the entertainment industry because I'd love to see older actors take the stage in these kind of roles more often.

I've now seen Tony Yang in Rebel Princess as well as Light the Night and, boy, does he have range! I hated his character in this series and that was due to some great acting on his part.

Leia Mais

has a satisfying ending

would have loved to see if she could safely deliver her child cause the doctor said it'll be hard for her to deliver
but seeing that she stopped taking the medicine to make her infertile guess she'll be able to have her child
they didn't let us know what later happened to that her cousin sister and her husband after he was released it would have been satisfying to know they took over that kingdom also

Leia Mais

An Epic Production in the same league as Nirvana in Fire

This drama is under rated on mydramalist. I say it is in the same league as Nirvana in Fire and a similar genre.

It is a rarity to see Zhang Zi Yi in a drama. For those of you who have watched Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon which is an international success, she acted the rebellious girl who ran away from a marriage.

This drama is very well produced. The story is convoluted and captivating, and the cinematography is fantastic, with costumes and a good looking cast to match. The acting is excellent and the chemistry (or animosity) of the various couples are impressive. There are many sub-plots, each with suspense and mysteries that keep you glued to your seat to find out what is going to happen next. The ending theme song is melodious. The backdrop is beautiful and the battle scenes are very well choreographed.

It talks about Princess ShangYang who is the daughter of the Prime Minister Wang Lin. She is in love with the Third Prince and aspires to marry him. They are forced apart by the Prime Minister who wants to strengthen his power and she is betrothed to a outstanding general from a commoner background, Xiao Qi. She is forsaken on the wedding day as Xiao Qi leaves her behind in the capital. Xiao Qi is in a bid to avoid being roped into the political side of the Prime Minister although he has become rather fond of her after a couple of encounters. Being captured by Helan Zhen who is exacting a revenge on Xiao Qi is the start of their adventure and the Princess shifts her affection to him when he risks his life to rescue her.

I feel a bit sorry for the main villain in the story. He is overly ambitious, very cunning and ruthless. Yet he has this soft side to him as a father. He is a capable person but unfortunately has set his eyes on the wrong goal.

I think this drama is almost perfect. There only two things I do not like about this drama. The first is the length - it is too long. With 68 episodes, you can expect some draggy moments. But overall, it is well paced. The second is the ending. I think the ending is a very weak - the choice of the eventual emperor to ascend the throne is too cliche, perhaps influenced by the last dynasty. I do not think there are many of such emperors in history. With no strong empress dowager behind them, they would all be overthrown by their imperial relatives.

Leia Mais

A pure GEM !! (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)

Large historical saga (Empress Ki type) on the journey of an imperial princess: her spoiled childhood, her marriage to 1 super general (savage and handsome). (arrives only at her husband's fort in episode 12). Their meeting, the romance, their fight against military adversaries and political conspiracies...
It's very beautiful, but it's long (68 episodes).... On the other hand, it's almost perfection ♡o｡.(✿ฺ｡ ✿ฺ)

PROS:
+ A sublime CL, performed by great actors. FL is beautiful regardless of her age, and only Zhou Yi Wei could play Xiao Qi so masterfully.
+ The entire cast is excellent: the actors stick perfectly to their roles. The characters are complex and deep.
+ The costumes are really sumptuous, the sets superb, many scenes are shot on real exteriors, and the war scenes are more than credible. We can feel a production with (VERY) high budget!!
+ The epic OSTs rightly amplify the emotions.
+ The production is lively, intelligent. Well done !!

### some small flaws:
- scenes cut a little abruptly
- somewhat abrupt ending

=> Just excellent! It is very difficult to leave these characters behind.
*********************************************************************
Grande fresque historique (type Empress Ki) sur le parcours d'une princesse impériale : son enfance gâtée, son mariage avec 1 super général (sauvage et handsome). (N'arrive au fort de son mari dans que épisode 12). Leur rencontre, la romance, leur combat contre les adversaires militaires et les conspirations politiques...
C'est très beau, mais c'est long (68 épisodes) .... Par contre, c'est une quasi perfection ♡o｡.(✿ฺ｡ ✿ฺ)

AVANTAGES:
+ Un CL sublime, interprété par de grands acteurs. La FL est belle quelque soit son âge, et seul Zhou Yi Wei pouvait interpréter Xiao Qi aussi magistralement.
+ L'ensemble du casting est excellent : les acteurs collent parfaitement à leur rôle. Les personnages sont complexes, profonds.
+ Les costumes sont somptueux, les décors superbes, beaucoup de scènes sont tournées en vrai extérieur, et les scènes de guerre sont plus que crédibles. On a envoyé la production à (TRES) gros budget !!
+ Les OST, épiques, amplifient très justement les émotions.
+ La réalisation est vive, intelligente. Bravo !!

### quelques petits défauts :
- scènes coupées un peu brusquement
- fin un peu brusque

=> Juste excellent ! On a bien du mal à quitter ces personnages.

Leia Mais