Without much experience with military dramas there were no expectations when I started this drama. I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed watching the series. Despite its flaws it was suspenseful from start to finish.
THE STORY
The basic idea of showing the changes in the military through several decades is an interesting premise that worked quite well overall. The change in uniforms, technology and strategies as well as the different challenges in the lives of the soldiers and the military in general was fascinating to see. With that basis the series is also able to tell several smaller stories throughout the years. The variety of stories keeps the drama from being repetitive. While not all of these stories work equally well, the show offers a lot for many different viewers.
THE CHARACTERS
Experiencing the lives of the characters throughout the years was quite an emotional journey. The actors do a good job overall and make the characters feel real.
Among the main cast Gu Yiye, played by Xiao Zhan, stands out. His story is a major highlight of this series, both in terms of acting and writing.
Gao Liang, played by Huang Jingyu, and Jiang Nan Zheng, played by Zhong Chuxi, also have their moments, but unfortunately their relationship is a bit irritating at times.
The series also profits from a well developed supporting cast.
EDITING
The quality of editing within the scenes usually works well - it's usually smooth and not distracting. Many scenes are very well done and hit the tone just right. However, at times the show fails in transitioning from serious to light-hearted moments, especially in later episodes the show struggles to integrate Jiang Nan Zheng's romantic feelings adequately into the plot.
Unfortunately, when it comes to the overall plot the editing is the show's main weakness: it becomes obvious that there was more scripted and filmed (planned were about 60 episodes) than what made the final cut (in parts due to censorship), and the story and pacing of the show suffer because of it.
For that reason, some parts of the show can feel incomplete or inconsistan, and the pacing is affected as well: some parts of the story feel too short in comparison to others or when considering how significant they should actually be, some parts of the story are missing completely.
EFFECTS AND MUSIC
In terms of cinematography the series looks really good. Effects were mainly needed for the war and drill scenes, and they were all convincing and well done. The music in the show is also good, with nice intro and outro songs, a fitting soundtrack, and a few well placed military songs.
On the con side: in a few scenes the audio quality of the dialogue noticibly drops. I think it was most noticible during Gu Yiye's and Gao Liang's fight in the rain.
OVERALL
The show was enjoyable to watch and gave an interesting insight in the change of military in China from the 80ies to the recent years. The director, screenwriter and producer all have military background and could draw from their own experiences and their comrades's stories, and it shows.
The impact of the bad editing on the story is very regrettable.
Heart and soul are the individual characters' stories, starting at the beginning of their military service and accompanying them on their paths. Xiao Zhan shines in every scene he's in.
THE STORY
The basic idea of showing the changes in the military through several decades is an interesting premise that worked quite well overall. The change in uniforms, technology and strategies as well as the different challenges in the lives of the soldiers and the military in general was fascinating to see. With that basis the series is also able to tell several smaller stories throughout the years. The variety of stories keeps the drama from being repetitive. While not all of these stories work equally well, the show offers a lot for many different viewers.
THE CHARACTERS
Experiencing the lives of the characters throughout the years was quite an emotional journey. The actors do a good job overall and make the characters feel real.
Among the main cast Gu Yiye, played by Xiao Zhan, stands out. His story is a major highlight of this series, both in terms of acting and writing.
Gao Liang, played by Huang Jingyu, and Jiang Nan Zheng, played by Zhong Chuxi, also have their moments, but unfortunately their relationship is a bit irritating at times.
The series also profits from a well developed supporting cast.
EDITING
The quality of editing within the scenes usually works well - it's usually smooth and not distracting. Many scenes are very well done and hit the tone just right. However, at times the show fails in transitioning from serious to light-hearted moments, especially in later episodes the show struggles to integrate Jiang Nan Zheng's romantic feelings adequately into the plot.
Unfortunately, when it comes to the overall plot the editing is the show's main weakness: it becomes obvious that there was more scripted and filmed (planned were about 60 episodes) than what made the final cut (in parts due to censorship), and the story and pacing of the show suffer because of it.
For that reason, some parts of the show can feel incomplete or inconsistan, and the pacing is affected as well: some parts of the story feel too short in comparison to others or when considering how significant they should actually be, some parts of the story are missing completely.
EFFECTS AND MUSIC
In terms of cinematography the series looks really good. Effects were mainly needed for the war and drill scenes, and they were all convincing and well done. The music in the show is also good, with nice intro and outro songs, a fitting soundtrack, and a few well placed military songs.
On the con side: in a few scenes the audio quality of the dialogue noticibly drops. I think it was most noticible during Gu Yiye's and Gao Liang's fight in the rain.
OVERALL
The show was enjoyable to watch and gave an interesting insight in the change of military in China from the 80ies to the recent years. The director, screenwriter and producer all have military background and could draw from their own experiences and their comrades's stories, and it shows.
The impact of the bad editing on the story is very regrettable.
Heart and soul are the individual characters' stories, starting at the beginning of their military service and accompanying them on their paths. Xiao Zhan shines in every scene he's in.