Overwhelmingly suspenseful
I just finished this drama 3am last night. The buildup of suspense starts immediately. That's good. I like dramas that have me hooked from the get go.I read all other reviews before writing my own. I pretty much agree with everything everyone else said except for AngelBaby's acting. I honestly don't understand why everyone says she is not a good actress. I thought she was the only good actress in the drama. I love watching her on screen because I don't have to consciously understand her character and motivations. She makes acting look effortless. Whereas with most other actresses I find I'm distracted by their strange attempts at portraying their character in ways I find unrealistic and unrelateable.
Was this review helpful to you?
Excellent murder mystery
Binge watched this over CNY and loved it! The mystery really kept me hooked from start til end. I wish C-Ent will make more mini series like this to keep things tight and edgy rather then long-winded 70+ episode dramas.If you're a fan of Agatha Christie, this is for you. I won't name which mystery this show is very close to avoid spoilers. ;-)
This drama starts off with a dead victim - Zhong Mei Bao (Angelababy). Two detectives are tasked to solve the mystery and they start off with interviewing residents of the condo that she was murdered in, which then expands to digging further and further into Mei Bao's family ties, history and possible suspects. Plot twists galore too!
Characters - I like ALL of them. Angelababy is particularly good considering she gets trashed a lot for her acting. I think she did a great job as the lead (?) in this show. She made me bawl my eyes out in the final 3 episodes.
Special mention to the 2 detectives. They typically paired a senior and a rookie but you see how they both teach each other so much. This show also gives the 2 detectives airtime for their personal lives which I'd like to applaud so that you get to take some time off the main murder.
I felt the first half started off a bit slow, but I do think it was necessary to also build the plot. This show is very rewatchable simply because it's short and you feel like you'd wanna re-watch the episodes to catch clues you might have missed. Highly recommended from me.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
WORTH WATCHING CRIME THRILLER
I was very skeptical before watching this since I don't watch Chinese dramas. Since, I was looking for crime and a person suggested me so I gave a shot and now I can't stop grooving over the drama.Plotline: The story revolves around a girl, who own a café at the same tower where she lives. One day she dies and surprising there are many suspects such as Manager Agent, Watchmen, Stepfather etc. The entire drama is narrated from each of the person who knows the girl and they keep telling the about her to investigators and new clues keeps building up.
Personally, saying this is a very unique concept where the people are narrating and telling the story from their perspective. I loved the story very much. There is childhood stories shared about the victim and also how it ruins her life.
Plotline is written so well. It connects the dots with the past and present and beautifully drafted.
Characters: Every character has played a fantastic role with excellent acting. They were so good which made the audience intact and never got bored throughout the drama. I loved the way each character had a soft heart for the victim which makes it so interesting to see how much loved she was before.
OST: There is only one song "You & I" which is so addicting and that it makes you remember the drama and the things happening in it. The song is so sad and pitiful it makes you loose your mind and show sympathy towards the victim.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Who-Dun-It
As a kid, I loved playing the board game Clue, and this show immediately brought so many reminiscent feelings of that game. This is a classic who-dun-it drama with a unique take on the storytelling devices. It starts out with a woman who is murdered and the investigation commences. We get tiny glimpses into what actually happened, but they are quick and are only teasing clues. Each character is introduced through an interrogation in which they tell their side of the story, and we get some background on each person. There is no half paying attention to this one. To catch all the nuances in between, you have to devote your full attention to each persons story and the plot as it progresses.There are some heavy trigger warnings for domestic and child/sexual abuse, so please be aware of these elements. The show deals with these elements quite well because of the story-telling device. As we see things from different perspectives, they really show how important it is to be aware of abusive relationships. There are some things I would have liked to iron out completely plotline wise, but it wasn't too much of a bother and by the end, I was just heartbroken at the final reveal. Honestly, a slow and hearty clap to the storytelling abilities in here. The culprit isn't much of a mystery by the second half, but it remains interesting and decently easy to watch.
All in all, I good thriller/mystery. I would recommend watching if you're looking for a solid mystery with good storytelling and world building.
Was this review helpful to you?
The best underrated mystery cdrama
A first I Thought it would be a slow paced cdrama but it has perfect pacing. This cdrama dives into problems like sexual harassment, love, what is righteous and what is right, and last of all affairs. I give it 10/10 because the plot is great and unlike others. Its tells the stories of the residents in the horizon tower including Mei bao. The cdrama dives into their lives problems and affairs. This cdrama also puts it in different people’s perspective. The casting is great. I believe this is the best works of Angela. Not only the casting is great the actors look the age. And the acting is amazing, like really great for me I could feel the emotions of the characters.Was this review helpful to you?
An Overall fun watch
A Chinese crime detective drama is a rare find, but this one proves to be a highly enjoyable watch. If you're a fan of Agatha Christie novels or thrillers with a single murder and multiple suspects, this series will likely captivate you.The Good:
- Exceptional cinematography and perfect lighting: Among the Chinese dramas I've seen, this one stands out for its well-shot scenes and meticulous attention to set design, real-life locations, and costumes.
- Unique storytelling: It's uncommon in Chinese dramaland to encounter a series that addresses multiple intricate social issues, offering a refreshing perspective.
- Well-developed characters: Each character is thoughtfully written, displaying depth and undergoing significant development over time. They are all intriguing with multiple dimensions to their personalities.
- Engaging story and pacing: The drama maintains a suitable pace, ensuring that the plot unfolds seamlessly. The unique storytelling sets it apart, providing a fresh and distinctive experience.
- Strong acting: Angelababy delivers a surprisingly strong performance, embodying her character perfectly. The entire cast contributes to the wonderful performances throughout.
The Underwhelming:
- Plot holes towards the end: The drama suffers from some plot holes, potentially due to restrictions in Chinese dramas. The final showdown climax falls a bit short of expectations.
Despite these shortcomings, the overall experience is thrilling and enjoyable until the very last moment. As a thriller enthusiast, even I found it challenging to anticipate the plot twists and mysteries. It felt like I was on a journey with the detectives, unraveling the story alongside them.
Was this review helpful to you?
Gripping and Emotional. Finished this in less than a day.
16 Episodes of a roller-coaster ride. Wrapped with truth and lies. A Murderous Affair in Horizon Tower could be one of Tencent's bravest productions that could rival iQIYI's Light On Series.Things that I like was (1) how the story unfolds. Like, you are definitely 100% clueless just as the detectives are so you click next episode immediately after the last one just so you can find out what really happened. I also liked (2) the strong characters in the story. I was really beginning to worry about how they build up the villain until his episode has happened and everything started getting more tastefully complicated. (3) The acting is really well done. Angelababy actually did a decent job. Her voice conveys the right emotions and her face is okay too. Maybe it's really just that her facial features are too prominent? That's why she doesn't seem to be that much satisfactory for others. But she did a decent job here.
I rated it an overall 9/10 because although it's perfectly package, here are some things they could've done better:
1. The presentation of the feministic/social challenges women face. Most of it was repeatedly executed between the 2 detectives, which gets a bit old and cringey if they do it again and again, like Detective Yang was giving some Public Service Advisory instead of delivering her lines. Had they done it a bit differently, there could've been more impact with whatever message they wish to convey.
2. The ending has bits of plot holes that even non-pro investigators can actually point out. But, fortunately, it has been overshadowed by the building up emotions of the characters.
PS. Playing the OST now, it's so good. And I just wanted to applaud how brave they were when they included all the sensitive social issues they could possibly tackle with this.
Was this review helpful to you?
It really wasn't a detective show I would want to watch again
This show was the most mediocre show I have ever watched and I do not consider it a great detective show to start with, even thought the only good point of the show was the first episode and also the choice of casting. All I all, I do see why some people enjoy it but for me, I can't really grab at it and think of it as a good show. It didn't grab my attention as much and I think the story of the security guard was introduced pretty early on in the show and it kinda ruined his reputation as a characterWas this review helpful to you?
BRILLIANT is all I can say!!!!!
This is really a brilliant Thriller Mystery drama series. A must watch as it is full of twists and turns as well as unexpected outcomes through out the series which keeps you guessing until the very last minutes in the final episode.The story was brilliantly laid out and brings the viewer into the world of The Tower's Occupants and the events that took place as well as the back story of what happened in the lives of the main cast. This is a gripping story that will keep you wanting to see what actually happened, how everything fits together and who the culprit is.
The actors did amazingly well in portraying their respective characters and Ican't really isolate specific actors, as all of them made their characters stand out the way they should and making the story believable.
The production and Visual FX were also done very well, including Cinematography, wardrobe, make-up, sets etc.
Ost was good and the main theme song You & I was beautiful. I immediately downloaded the song and added it to my playlist.
Rewatch value : Medium. Will rewatch to see if I can spot any clues (which I didn't in most instances) that I have missed in the initial watch.
Was this review helpful to you?
A Mystery Worth Watching
I think the drama as a whole is a great experience, I acknowledge that slow dramas can be hard to watch, and this is on the slower side. The beginning is really intense and intriguing. The story goes back and forth from the current state of the investigation to the flashbacks from potential suspects. The length of this drama is thankfully on the shorter side, for Chinese dramas.>Acting ---is pretty good<
I have no complaints, there are many actors and they did a great job. There are a lot of moving pieces in the story, so I wish you luck when keeping things straight.
>Story--the actual mystery was interesting, but I might have changed the way it was told<
The actual mystery and story behind it was fun to unravel with the detectives, they aren't dumb detective thank god. But the fact that we have to keep switching from one setting to another can be confusing if not annoying. There were definitely several episodes in which there were just endless flashbacks, which I felt diluted the mystery further, but I promise some of the flashbacks are pretty interesting, so pay attention. The story can drag at points, so persevere!
Side Note: I don't know why they added the side story about the detectives themselves, but I don't think it added to the plot, I think it detracted from it
>Ending--most good thrillers leave the answers to the last episode but...<
Unfortunately, they did not leave the final answer to the last episode, and the last episode ended up being a little too long, which detracted from my rating.
Was this review helpful to you?
ONE OF THE BEST MYSTERY CRIME THRILLER SHOW!
I had always been a big fan of whodunit and detective shows. I am so glad that I gave it a try and I hope more people watch this masterpiece. The show started with a dead woman in her condo at Horizon Tower, who is possibly murdered. Each suspect were given screen-time of two episodes, in which they were interrogated by the main leads who are detectives. The last couple of episodes were dedicated to the POV of the victim herself. All of the suspects stated their alibi to prove their innocence in the case. At the same time, we get to deep dive into the victim's life...which helps us to form our own judgement against the suspects and the victim. Ep. 8 was very traumatizing. In fact, every episode made me cry and the storytelling was in such a way that you would start pitying some characters. This drama also talks about some dark topics like sexual abuse, child abuse, domestic abuse, mental health issues and so on. In the end, everything was tied perfectly. Though I would have liked to see the culprit suffer more for everything that was done by them. Each character had their own flaws and shortcomings, their own story that they want to project to society and their own dark secrets...which makes them very realistic and relatable.The piano score was the best in this show, which started just in the first five minutes of the first episode. All the background scores were pretty good, with a hint of dramatic note in them. The English OST was also perfect.Every actor/actress did a solid acting job. I had never seen Angelababy's performance before and I was astonished by how well she played the victim role. Amazing cast and outstanding performance.PLEASE WATCH THIS DRAMA, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. YOU WILL BE MISSING A MASTERPIECE IF YOU DON'T WATCH IT!Was this review helpful to you?
Typical, yet not at all
I’d recently discovered how much I like Chinese murder mysteries, and I’d heard good things about this one, so I decided to give it a go last Thanksgiving.I appreciated the fact that there’s constant twists and turns and one of the bigger ones was pretty much undetectable (to me at least).
The one pitfall that I can think of is one that many mystery dramas have in common and that’s the “waiting till the last moment to find the perfect evidence.” In this drama it kind of makes sense because there’s a point in time where you can’t really tell who’s telling the truth and so you’re not really sold on anyone as the culprit. By the last episode, you think you know who did it and the detectives know who did it, but the evidence points to something else and you feel a little annoyed because it’s the only possible answer, but then out of nowhere, a random person has evidence! And the detectives convince them to give it over and in the last, like, ten minutes, the criminal is convicted.
So in that respect it was sort of irritating, but the rest was really good. Very suspenseful, very heartbreaking. Lots of difficult moments regarding the abuse of several characters. Lots of discussion on difficult topics, but all in all a very interesting drama.
Was this review helpful to you?
