Vampire Detective - KDrama

Sometimes watching something simply because it happens to be in the genre you enjoy isn’t such a great idea. Because as perfectly as it is supposed to cater to your appetite it can also happen that the overall storyline isn’t up to scratch. This is unfortunately what I have recently experienced in one of my favorite genre kdramas that sadly failed to live up to the many expectations that were set out before it. Of course that’s just my opinion.

The drama I speak of is Vampire Detective and I must admit that I am sorely disappointed in the way it was executed given the fact that it had so much potential. The story revolves around an ex-police officer who gets infected with a new strain of the ‘vampire virus’ turning him into a special type vampire, not bothered by the sun and if hints are to be believed, not bothered too much by the hunger too. Using these new abilities he works in a private detective agency with an older friend from the force and they go off solving strange and difficult cases that even the police turn away from.

Of course in true kdrama tradition it turns out that most of these cases are connected, in that they lead our fledgling vampire into an underground world where vampires are the norm and that his friends from the force, thought to be dead during a mission, might actually still be lingering around. The main story is admittedly a bit flimsy and the way it is presented is hap hazardous and inconsistent.

While the show does hold some interesting aspects, most of the surprises and action is brief and predictable. Not to mention the whole fact that our lead is a new-type vampire is barely even addressed or fully explored as the show focuses on how amazing his talents as a detective are. Though this isn’t exactly a bad thing it falls short from the promises this genre is supposed to deliver on. The other members of the agency also had much potential, but they basically got thrown to the side as characters just there for some dramatic effect and possible hostages for whenever the baddies needed to make a point.

As for the storyline it remained, in my opinion, inconsistent and sometimes incomprehensible as it rushed through certain things and threw in some random cases just to keep the detective side relevant and maybe show pieces of what a vampire detective could be capable of but not fully of course. It didn’t help that the lead also had a broody personality that didn’t match his actions and motivations, but I have to wonder it that might have been an actor-problem. Whether the acting was good is hard to tell as the story didn’t grip me enough to show that, or maybe even the actors themselves felt there was just something off about the show and didn’t give it exactly their best. Either way I barely paid enough attention to that as I soon grew to just watch the show out of obligation for starting it.

Overall, this was a show with much potential but filled with great disappointment. Hopefully the hint for another season shows a possibility for growth with new storyline and better acting, but if the ratings weren’t as good as I assume, then I doubt even that will come to pass. It really saddens me though that such a show somewhat flopped, but it just goes to show that expectation isn’t something one should give too much energy to when jumping into a new series.

Healer - KDrama

Sometimes when you have nothing to watch you find yourself digging into the backlogged list of things to watch and low and behold you find pieces of gold that have been sitting unwatched waiting for your eyeballs to grace its glory upon. Such is the case with the recent drama I finished and I must say, save for the ending, it was an enjoyable ride I wouldn’t mind repeating. And one should mention that such rides are not so often found, especially in these times where people cater more to the quick fix for the short attention spans instead of catering to the long and in-depth and well-crafted storylines that we all secretly crave.

The drama I speak of is Healer and you wouldn’t have to stray very far in the kdrama world to find a few fans praising its awesome. Of course it should be expected when you deliver such an intriguing story with so many intertwining parts that draws your attention and tugs at your heartstrings while also giving you some truly interesting characters to both drool and hate on. The cast is diverse and the episodes leave you breathless and wanting more as it takes you on a rollercoaster ride of action and conspiracy while slipping in some romance and drama.

The plot follows a night courier who has made a name for himself in the business as he runs his latest errand for his customer but it turns out he’s taken on the wrong kind of client as things get messy and he’s framed for murder. But that doesn’t stop him from doing his job and taking on another errand from a famous reporter in the meantime, one that has him tailing another, lessor known, reporter. Things get even more interesting as he discovers that the two jobs might just be connected and he investigates things further opening up a whole can of worms that has not only the dirty secrets of a politician coming out but that of his own parents whom he knew little to nothing about.

Following the epic stunts pulled off by our lead, Seo Jung-Hoo is really a treat for any action loving fan and the troubles faced by the one who calls on our action hero, Kim Moon-Ho, makes for some heart rendering scenes as you sympathize with the troubled man who has kept so many secrets locked away for too many years and has one hell of a story to tell. 

Of course you can’t forget our female lead that brings out the soft side to our supposedly cold and isolated night courier and makes him more human as the drama progresses. Chae Young-Shin does a good job of running the story along as she connects a few plot points while being herself oblivious for most of the drama. You can’t help but fall for the chemistry that the two leads bring to the table, making it all the more worth it to watch.

But there is one more character that must be mentioned, the ahjumma that makes things interesting and honestly worthwhile watching for a lot of reasons other than romance as she brings in the tech and gadgetry. Jo Min-Ja, the recluse ex-detective who has decided that her hacking skills are best left to the night world makes things enjoyable and brings in the comedy and epic banter.

There are more characters I could mention but that would take too much time and create too much spoilers, instead let me say that this drama brings to the table some lovable and utterly despicable characters you will either enjoy or pass over. Obviously the impact of their performances must be thanks to the actors and actresses who played them and made the roles their own as they brought their A+ game. I have nothing but respect for them. The same goes for the writers who created these characters and the story.

One thing I will say though is that ending….that ending could have been different. For so many reasons that ending could have been different, but I guess perfection would have been too much for one drama to go for. And that is all I’ll say about that.

Goodbye Mr Black - KDrama

If there’s one thing any drama should strive to get right it’s the story line, you know the plot that gets you gripped and keeps you hooked for the whole series. But it occurs to me that sometimes, even when the plot has many enjoyable and gripping points to offer, it happens that the story can unravel as the drama progresses and there’s unfortunately nothing, not even the acting that can fully save it, though the attempt is pretty interesting to observe.

A drama that has followed this unfortunate road of break down is Goodbye Mr. Black. This drama starts off very interesting and for a few episodes there in the beginning it keeps this momentum. However, somewhere in the middle it seems to all go to crap as the story takes a turn and things become possibly too complex for the writers of the show to keep realistic intrigue and good story flow. Granted the characters are interesting, it seems that the writers try to overcomplicate some of their back stories all for the sake of a ‘happy ending’ for the lead couple.

In any case, the story follows your average revenge story where our lead male, Cha Ji-won, is framed for murder while his father gets murdered and his situation covered up, all because our villains want to control the family’s business. What is really sad is that one of the bad guys turns out to be Cha Ji-won’s best friend who has always envied the seemingly perfect life of the Cha household. Min Seon-jae falls from grace very quickly as he tries to do things, through the wrong way, and gets caught by one shady old man, Baek Eun-do, our second greedy villain.

Left for dead we see Cha Ji-won come across our lead female, Kim Swan, who at the time is a nameless woman is just drifting around Thailand trying to survive. The two run into each other and through a misunderstanding become acquainted. Of course they continue to run into each other and Kim Swan even saves a fatally wounded Cha Ji-won. While in hiding the two become very close but it isn’t long before they part ways in order for Cha Ji-won to start his revenge plan.

Move forward a few years we see that Cha Ji-won returns to Korea where he finds Kim Swan who has been waiting for him and so begins his revenge on Min Seon-ja and Beak Eun-do. Of course things have changed and the road to victory is tough and full of difficulties, but that doesn’t stop the little team Cha Ji-won has assembled from powering through and bringing down the bad guys.

Throw in a few little drama cliché plot drivers and you have quite a complex story where we see both the bad guys and good guys winning alternatively as the story progresses. Though the story does slow down there in the middle as things become, in my opinion, too complex while the focus is moved to the awkward development of our lead couple’s romance.

The drama has a lot of potential and despite the slight unravelling that occurs there near the end, it still proves to be an interesting watch, though I won’t say it couldn’t have been done better. The acting is also something that could have been worked on just a little bit more. Though they play their respective characters very well, it can’t be denied that the characters themselves can sometimes come across as a little forced in doing what they do. Whether this was an acting problem or a writing problem can be debated though.

Overall this drama started out strong and gradually began to break down. This was a shame really, however, I wouldn’t say it is a show to put aside, simply because of the potential one could see within the intended story. Though honestly this could just be my fangirl opinion where all things with even slight interest should be viewed. Oh well…

Boku dake ga Inai Machi - Anime

Imagine you had the ability to relive events that have already occurred, what would you do then? Would you do the same things, or try to be different? Interesting questions I find myself asking after finishing this recent anime that gripped me with its fascinating plot as it explored the rather dark matter of child killings.

Boku dake ga inai machi proved to be more interesting than I initially gave it credit for as it offered up a sci-fi kind of story that made for an interesting viewing that had me thinking of my childhood and various things I would do, if given a chance to relive them. The story revolves around Satoru Fujinuma, a 29 year old man who lives just getting by each day as he struggles to become a manga artist. However, Satoru isn’t your average person as he has an ability that allows him to go back in time right before a life threatening incident and prevent it.

One day when Satoru stumbles across his mother who has been murdered in their home and he has been branded the suspected killer, we see him freak out and go on the run. While doing this his ability activates and he is transported back in time. But instead of the present day where his mother has been murdered we see Satoru transported back to his childhood, much farther than he has ever been.

Suddenly in his 11 year old body he decides to investigate his mother’s death, which he suspects is connected to an incident that happened to one of his classmates who was killed. Determined to change things he goes off to save the ill-fated Kayo Hinazuki and, in the process, maybe save his mother in the future. But being a hero isn’t as easy to do when you’re stuck in your younger self and time seems to want to happen despite your efforts, something Satoru learns and tries to fight against with all he has.

In the end we see Satoru risking his life to change the course of history and save his loved ones, ensuring that the future he has returned from never happens. It is truly an intriguing story to watch as you see this ten year old fighting against the odds along with consequences of his actions in the future. There is also a nice message that comes across as you watch Satoru go through his struggles and see that not everything can be controlled, no matter how much you know in advance.

This anime is very good. I like the serious tone as it approaches the dark situations the protagonist goes through. I especially like the realism, despite the sci-fi aspect, where we see the limitations a young boy would face as opposed to an older individual and all the frustrations that come with it. The animation is also pretty good as it sticks to the dark and gloomy atmosphere that is required to set the overall tone of the whole series.

Definitely some good time spent on this and I must say I look forward to watching how things are adapted into live action, as the movie becomes available to the rest of the world. I just hope it delivers on all the anime promises as well as keeping true to the story line that has gripped one so thoroughly.

Limitless - TV Show [CBS]

The mind is a brilliant thing and messing with it has been mankind’s greatest dream since possibly the dawn of science. In a recent TV show we see just how deep someone has messed with the mind as they create a drug that actually unlocks what could arguably be the brain’s full potential.

Based on a movie, like another series I won’t mention, Limitless proves to be a successful attempt at bringing the cinema to the silver screen as it carries on the story it initially created but with new characters you can’t help but like and follow as they create a story you will enjoy keeping track of.

The plot follows Brian Finch, a man who has seen better days in his life as he holds on to a dying career while watching the world move on, seemingly without him, until one day he comes across an old friend who gifts him with one dose of NZT as a helping hand to change his perspective on his life. Obviously our down and out lead doesn’t take the drug seriously and takes it with little to no expectation, until he learns what the rest of us who have watched the movie know very well to expect.

Things move fast and soon Brian Finch lands himself in the middle of a very sticky situation that has quite an interesting revelation at the end where viewers get to see how big an impact the movie really did make on the TV series as it brings in the lead actor in the movie for a one on one with the series lead.

Of course it is only a brief return, but it’s effective as it gets the message across while leading our new hero into his role as a consultant for the FBI, or rather their asset. The other characters also hold their own as they come across mildly interesting, but it must be said that it remains Brian Finch’s personality that draws you in and keeps you hooked as well as the way in which the show is structured.

The cinematography is pretty amazing and the use of lighting is spot on. My favourite though is the dialogue between the characters that keeps one entertained. The whole detective theme works as well as when you factor in ways to best exploit the different abilities NZT is supposed to gift the user, so there’s that too.

Over all, I loved the show and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good action/light science fiction type of show.

Hwayi: A Monster Boy - Movie

It’s been a long time since I watched a gripping psychological drama that had me on the edge of my seat as it forced my brain into following every detail of the story as it played out, but my does it feel good to get lost every now and then in one. Hwayi: A Monster Boy had me lapping up its story line with some eager eyes and it gave me something to enjoy. The relatively gruesome thriller could probably stand as one of the most bloody and uncensored Korean-based pieces of media I have set my eyeballs upon [to date] and I loved every minute of it.

The story is a dark toned one that has you follow a young boy raised by a group of criminals who aren’t the type to think twice before pulling the trigger. But despite being raised and trained by his fairly ruthless fathers, our teenage boy retains a rather innocent temperament as well as an artistic view of the world. We see him roaming the streets in a uniform as he longs for a normal life and especially the relationships that come with it.

But things don’t stay easy going for our boy as a job that his fathers have taken brings out the boy’s past and hidden secrets are revealed and mistakes are made as the boy is confronted by a rather cruel reality that has been hidden from him all his life. Things escalate from there, not only as the truth is revealed but as the boy is forced to follow in his adoptive fathers’ footsteps, an act that brings about the first crack in his already troubled psyche as things go south and quickly.

The show is well planned out and the pacing of how the events unfold is genius as you follow the story of the poor boy whose life is torn about in the most twisted of ways. The action is also pretty good and gruesome in all the right places. The acting was also on point as it breathed some amazing life into the scenes and brought the whole thing to life, so I have to give props to the actors, especially our lead guy as he brought home the troubled teen act.

One thing I also liked about the movie was its realistic expectation, in the sense of what you expected would happen to the actors. There were no ‘in the nick of time’ saves, or perfect shots all the time. Bullets missed and time was not messed with throughout the movie, especially there at the end. The drama was kept to a minimum which was pretty cool in my books.

All in all, a good psychological and suspense movie with some sweet action spots to wet the taste buds with.

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation - Movie

If there’s one thing you can always count on, it’s that action movies always follow a certain formula that has been built through a time-tested algorithm sequence that has been created by those who know better and tested and approved by us average Joes and Janes. This sacred formula pumps out constant fast pace, in your face, delicious action movies that has graced the screens over the years since who knows when and to deviate from that formula would be, dare I say it… impossible.

Yet here we have a movie that took that formula and left out a few sequences as it delivered something of a brilliant piece of cinema magic as it graced our eyeballs with the fast car chase, the epic fight scenes and a bunch of other mouth-watering scenes that left you on the edge of your seat. All except for the lovely, sexy scene where the guy gets the girl if only for a moment, can you believe that?

I’m all for the fact that things like that shouldn’t be the focus in a good movie, but this just blew my mind. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation accomplished what many action movies tend to fail at and it did it with style. The movie was brilliant in my opinion as it delivered enough action and storyline to carry the whole thing through without relying on cheap tactics like a partially nude scene in the middle of nowhere.

The story followed our main hero as he struggled with the fact that he may have met his match as he came across an enemy that seemed everywhere while he himself had to deal with the CIA hunting him down.

The acting was amazing as you had great performances from the lead and his co-stars. The cinematography was beautiful and let’s not even get into the choreography. Another thing I loved was the attention to detail with the technology. Oh wow, was I drooling at that.

It’s safe to say this movie reaffirmed my geekdom and love for technology, but I’ll live with that. I mean come on camera’s that recognize your walk, posture and overall existence? Seriously? seriously!

Technology Banzai!