(Apologies if my review doesn't get through to you, it’s my first one on this site. And I'm not really good with words please bear with me.)


My review: Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show-stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender, shit on it, vomit on it, eat it, give birth to it.

Thank you for reading.



Just kidding... I actually don't know where to start but I have so many words to say about this drama. One thing is that it is definitely a 'need to watch in your lifetime' kind of drama (imo). I watched it last summer and It has become one of my favorite dramas of all time. I'll always hold it in a very special place in my heart. No matter how many times you rewatch The Untamed, it'll never get tiring. The Untamed is SO well produced and the writing is so well-thought-out. Everything from the story, acting, stunning costumes, props, details, cinematography, etc. is just beautifully well done. This is a type of show that leaves you hanging and craving for more even if it has ended. And it is perfect for me. Pretty boys and girls, angst, action, an interesting plot, etc. If you like all those things and don’t mind atrocious CGI and/or some plot holes, then this is the right show for you! (The writing is so good it’ll make you forget the bad CGI..)

So I wanted to watch this drama for FUN since I had nothing to do but oh my… I did not know what I was getting into. I only heard that this drama is insanely popular and that it's based on the novel mdzs and it has a donghua. Note: at this time s3 of the donghua just started airing and I had just finished reading the novel svsss (one of MXTX’s books). And based on the description "Two fruity soulmates face treacherous schemes and uncover a dark mystery linked to a tragic event in the past.” or whatever, I was convinced.

Spoilers!

STORY:
At first, the story seems quite confusing and chaotic because of all the random names getting thrown around, and *that* opening scene made it even more confusing. But after watching a few more episodes, I was HOOKED. (It was slow 1-10 episodes but once you get over that little boulder it gets much better) I thought, why didn't I watch this masterpiece sooner?!? While I was watching eps 3-33, I totally forgot that we were still in the flashback, I guess I was too immersed in the story lol. I have to say, there are some(many) plot holes and unanswered questions that made me a bit confused. Ex. The yin tin iron shit, where was Wei Wuxian’s body during those 16 yrs, the dead cat thing, I can name so much more. I know some of them were made up by the production team but most likely, you can find some of the answers in the novel, “mo dao zu shi” or “Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation” by MXTX (GO READ IT!). But since it is a live-action and some of the things are different (compared to the original source) it can be based from your interpretation as well. (Some just flat out don't make sense so it's fine too if you don't loll) Aside from that, the story is so well-written; it’s a masterpiece. (special thanks to MXTX) I finished the drama in 3-4 days…. I suggest you watch it at your own pace because you'll probably miss a lot of important details. And if you do, just rewatch it hahaha. But it also goes by very fast! The story is definitely one of the strongest things about The Untamed. It is so engaging and I absolutely love the complexity and layers each character has. There are so many plot twists I was appalled. And it was an EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER. One thing about The Untamed is that it’ll make you cry! There are many tragedies and there were so many moments where I cried, felt angry, genuine joy, it’s just an experience.

The story portrays; betrayal, self-sacrifice, exploitation by society, guilt, forgiveness, abandonment, family dynamics, sibling love(literally and not literally), the changing of values and the challenges that come with it, standing up for what is right no matter the consequences but still taking responsibility, how actions can affect the people you love, judgment/evaluation of others, living with regret, living regardless even with regret, unconditional love, etc. In conclusion, a lottt of trauma.

I loved the characters. Esp the main character(s) and side characters. I loved all the character's interactions with each other and I loved the Wangxian (wwx & lwj) dynamic so much. Their relationship was so pure and enduring. The sacrifices that they made for each other speaks volume! Kinda wish they communicated better tho (I’m talking about during the flashback, but I heard that mdzs Wangxian were worse at communicating so I’ll let them off. )Their trust and care for each other were so enduring. Lwj’s unconditional love for wwx >>> And the way censorship made their relationship seem even more romantic loll. But a funny thing was that I didn’t know what “censorship” was while watching The Untamed. I was sitting and waiting hopelessly for a kiss but that was fine by me. The romantic subtext was there and I took all of the crumbs! Although we got that ending, what I got out of it was: Wangxian married with a son!

Anywho, I really loved how complex the characters were. You'll end up questioning yourself and ur morals. The saying "What is black and what is white? Who is right and who is wrong?" is such a strong message and can be applied to literally ALL of the characters in the story (ahem except Jin Guangshan). It can even be applied to the “Villains”. Plus, their story is so tragic; I felt empathy and sympathy for the so-called “villains” of the story (Xue Yang and/or Jin Guangyao- from some viewers' point of view, not mine personally). They have so much depth in their backstories and layers to their character which IMO, makes them SO human and that’s what makes it sorta hard to hate them (ignoring the killing people part and uhh marrying your sister part…). I am not justifying their actions in any way, but I can understand why they did what they did. So I really can’t hate them completely. It makes you question, are they really villains? Are they really the villains for trying to survive the cruel world and society’s harsh circumstances that were put on them by force? Is it really their fault that they grew up in shitty environments, not getting the love and support they deserved- which shaped them into who they are now? Is what they did really wrong when they’re the ones who were wronged first? Yes but no. No, but yes. That’s up to you to decide. And I really think that's the fun part about The Untamed. It’s all up to your interpretation.

ACTING/CAST:
Their performance was spectacular! Everyone and esp Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo did so well with their roles. The side actors really impressed me as well! I did not know that almost all of the actors and actresses were rookie actors at all. (Some I could tell, but others I didn’t think so). I can tell that everyone put their hearts into bringing their characters to life and for that, I applaud them! (Also props to all the producers, directors, editors, prop artists, stylists, costume designers, + everyone who took part in the making of this drama!)

MUSIC:
PLEASE…. listen to the tracklist of the osts. Every single one of them is so beautifully composed. I also really liked that some of the actors sang their characters’ song likee a multi-talented cast? I see you. But I think my favorite music pieces of all were the instrumental/ the music that played during the drama. IT EITHER HAD ME CRYING OR LISTENING & ADMIRING ITS BEAUTY… listening to it made me transcend to another dimension. The production of the music was absolutely magnificent. The creativity was *chefs kiss* and I loved everything about it. Shout out to the producers and the people who composed the pieces! They knew what they were doing when they composed the instrumentals for The Untamed. I absolutely loved how the instrumental clashed with the reoccurring theme of some of the characters using instruments as weapons/ using music-based-cultivation (and how some used their instrument to influence others- in this case, the music influenced me). I loved that music played a crucial part in the show/story and the producers were really smart in using that to build like the whole aura(?) which I thought made the drama more complete. Idk how to really explain this but I feel like the music was just the cherry on top for me. (Again, go listen to the tracklist! You won’t regret it.)

REWATCH VALUE:
ABSOLUTELY. I can’t even count how many times I’ve sat down and searched “The Untamed” and binge-watched it. Idk if it's just me (aka someone who gets fixated on every show they finish), but The Untamed is SO rewatch material. You’ll never get tired of rewatching it and you’ll always catch details you probably never noticed before. Anyways, yes the rewatch value is out of the world.

OVERALL:
Absolutely one of my favorite dramas of all time. And it’s an honor writing my first review on MDL dedicated to The Untamed. I will never forget this drama, the impact it has on me ( and my mental health…) is impeccable. Although I didn’t expect it to end up that way, I was still really satisfied. (I was crying when they separated.) But Wwx traveling around the world, finally finding peace, playing “Wuji", then lwj calling his name at the end and wwx smiling brightly was REALLY IT. I loved it. I’m also looking forward to reading the novel! (go read it) Although I am quite regretful that I didn't watch this masterpiece sooner, I'm glad I've been introduced to such a wonderful story and great actors/actresses! (Sorry for this long review and don't mind my English)