The Legend of Anle (2023) - Final Review

Final review/rating: The Legend of Anle (2023) - A decidedly average half-way house adaptation only made watchable by its cast 

This is 7.5/10 stars ✮✮✮✮✮✮✮ from Pandafan🐼

Overall rating:         7.5 Stars Plot:                       7 Stars Acting/cast:            8 Stars Couple chemistry:   8 stars Music:                    7 Stars Re-watch value:      6 Stars Enjoyment factor:   7.5 Stars

The Legend of Anle (2023) could have been so much better than it was given that it is adapted from a fantastic source novel. I wanted to see the machinations of a brilliantly intelligent but morally grey (anti)-heroine as she schemes to avenge the unjust annihilation of her family and soldiers.  I wanted to see her playing a dangerous game of the heart with the equally intelligent hero who loves her, but whose family is responsible for the death of hers.  I wanted to see love, hate, angst, and if logically possible, redemption...

But rather than giving us a Nirvana in Fire-esque thrilling battle of wits, the drama seemed unable to decide whether it was going for serious epic darkness or bubblegum pink romcom, and halved the difference with questionable results. I blame the scriptwriters and directors.  They gave us watered down leads whom we are told are intelligent, a messy and at times boring script, too many filler scenes from an annoying imposter, and logic defying plot holes that require some serious suspension of belief. I know it is not entirely fair to compare this drama with one of the best C-dramas of all time and to find it wanting, but given the similar starting premise it's hard not to. And Nirvana in Fire this most definitely is not.  

To be fair, it's not bad.  It's just not very good.  And despite its flaws, The Legend of Anle (2023) remains watchable due to committed performances from the gorgeous main leads who managed to wring emotion and entertainment from the tired script. I have such mixed feelings because while I wanted a gritty dark drama, it was also enjoyable watching a flirtatious Dilraba playing the femme fatale to a flustered Gong Jun and on one or two memorable occasions seeing him give as good as he gets...

SPOILERS AHEADS

  

Legend of Anle (2023) - Synopsis

Drama info: 

Title:  The Legend of Anle

Chinese title:  安乐传 /  安樂傳 (Eng translation: "Anle's tale") 

Episodes: 39 + 4 short extra episodes

Genre: Revenge, palace, political, historical

Original network:  Youku

Release date:        12 Jul 2023

Airing schedule:    12 Jul 2023 - 6 Aug 2023

Synopsis: 

The State of Jing was established after Emperor Han Zi An joined hands with the head of the Di family, Lady Di Sheng Tian, to secure the borders of a peaceful and prosperous nation. 

But when the Di family are unjustly accused of treason, they and their 80,000 strong troops are annihilated leaving only a sole survivor in the young Di Zi Yuan.  Her life is saved by Crown Prince Han Ye who claims her as his Crown Princess, but she is exiled on Mountain Dai.   

Ten years later, Han Ye meets the beautiful sea bandit Ren An Le, who claims to want nothing more than a place at his side as the Crown Princess in exchange for her dowry of 30,000 naval troops (or at the very least, an official position in court).  But there is more than meets the eye to Ren An Le - she is actually Di Zi Yuan, and her mission is to clear her family's name and seek justice for the dead.  

  

The Long Ballad (2021) - Final Review

Final review/rating: The Long Ballad (2021) - A binge-worthy epic journey of love, loss, and growth that does justice to the source manhua

This is 9/10 stars ✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮ from Pandafan🐼

Overall rating:         9 Stars Plot:                       9 Stars Acting/cast:            9 Stars Couple chemistry:   9 stars Music:                    10 Stars Re-watch value:      9 Stars Enjoyment factor:   9 Stars

The Long Ballad (2021) is as epic as I thought it would be when I first picked up the drama. It has been a while since I finished watching this one, but I wanted to give a final review that would do the drama justice.  As I explained in my spoiler-free synopsis (👉here), for once, this is a historical Chinese drama that has an aptly translated English title, because our titular heroine Chang Ge's Chinese name means a long song or ballad. 

So the Chinese title is《長歌行》(literally "Chang Ge's journey") and the drama is her song or her ballad, a retelling of her adventures, so to speak. 

And what a gorgeous song of a drama this is... Love, loss, growth, sacrifice, redemption set against a colourful historical background.  An addictively good, binge-worthy drama indeed with a young and talented cast, which does justice to the manhua on which it is based.  

SPOILERS AHEADS

  

The Long Ballad (2021) - Synopsis

Drama info:

Title:  The Long Ballad

Chinese title: 長歌行 (Translation: "Chang Ge's journey")

Episodes:  49

Genre: Historical, Action, Romance

Original network: Tencent 

Release date:      31 March 2021

Airing schedule:  31 March 2021 - 3 May 2021

Synopsis:

The Tang Dynasty, in the year 626 AD...  Princess Li Chang Ge's entire family is slaughtered after the infamous Xuanwu Gate Incident - a palace coup in which her mentor and uncle Prince Li Shi Min successfully wrests control of power and becomes the Crown Prince, and later, Emperor Tai Zong.     

Vowing vengeance, Chang Ge flees Chang'an city to muster an army powerful enough to overthrow the new emperor.