Skip to main content

HIStory3: Trapped (Taiwanese Series)

All the series under HIStory that I have seen so far have been pretty amazing to say the least, so I was so disappointed when this specific one doesn't even come close to any of those. Now, in all fairness this story felt more like a revenge drama with a bot of gay romance thrown in to fit in the whole idea of HIStory series; which in my opinion could have been taken away completely from the show and the story could easily have still stayed the same. More on that and/or tin a bit.

Four years ago, a veteran cop and an elderly gangster were killed in a gunshot attack. The only survivor and the dead gangster's protegee, the enigmatic and ruthless Tang Yi, is now the new gang leader, who will stop at nothing to find the murderer and plans an elaborate trap to lure him out of hiding. Honest police officer Meng Shao Fei is obsessed with knowing the truth behind this case, to avenge his mentor's death, and spends all his spare time tracking Tang Yi and trying to find what he is up to. When Meng and Tang Yi are kidnapped together and forced to survive in a cold mountain, things start to change between them. Meng Shao Fei eventually pars himself in Tang Yi's house in the name of protection but he really wants to get to the bottom of events of four years earlier. But slowly the two men start getting close to each other and really caring for one another. Tang Yi has secrets from the past and revenge on his mind, but hopefully with support and love from Meng Shao Fei, things will get better for both of them.

My first and biggest problem with the show is choice of actors and the roles they are playing. Neither Tang Yi comes across as a mob boss or Meng Shao Fei looks like a cop. All members of his cop team look and behave like school students (not even college). They act and behave so immaturely, given the setting that is tried to be created, that it just doesn't fit together. Tang Yi, as mob head does whatever his people or his sister tells him to do. There is no conviction in his acting. Thankfully the actor playing Meng Shao Fei does a slightly better job and also has this nerdy geeky but cute look going for him. But he too fails as the cop character. Also the series is stretched beyond limits. The plot wanted so badly to be unpredictable that it relied on the most annoying, forced twists delivered in clumsy revelations whose timing make next to zero sense. At 20 episodes of about 23-25 minutes each, this is a very long investment which is sadly not fulfilling at all. I am sure I am in minority of people who did not like this show but it really is bad. As a high school play , maybe this can be accepted but not as a full fledged serious production. The chemistry between the leads was hardly there. Tang Yi's sisters story and his subordinate's love story with another police guy (who looked and behaved like a 15 year old kid) were totally unnecessary and I am sorry but I didn't get any wow moments form any of it.

This particular one was a complete failure of ambition. I applaud the makers wanting to create something other than the usual school/college jingo , but only if then they put in the effort n writing, choosing the actors and actually putting an effort in doing this well. I am actually being generous in may rating but this one was very disappointing and completely avoidable. (4/10)

Comments

Sailor Maan said…
I'm so sad you didn't like the show, it's actually my favourite HIStory... Each to his own haha! The goofy monkey melting the icy guy was really is always my favourite type so I was biaised from the start. I loved and laughed at so much of their scenes (omg the one were Tang Yi waits the Shao Fei phone call, I still can't get over it). Shao Fei positive energy was coutagious on me. The end with Tang Yi's dad touched me deeply too. I totally understand your point though, it's not realistic for a second, they just used the specific (and not realistic) BL tropes in a different environnement. Which can be weird here, still I genuinely loved it.
Golu said…
One of the precise reasons I love hearing from you all because our respective opinions makes us the individuals we are and its always interesting other a different viewpoint. I think I get it where you are coming from, but I feel I was too much in the realistic mindset while watching this to be able to take anything too seriously being presented here.

I am very certain that I am in minority here by not liking this one. :)
Sailor Maan said…
Totally get it about the minority not liking it, sadly I had the same experience with the highly praised "I told sunset about you".
Golu said…
good or bad... we end up watching all of them anyway
luigi43 said…
Actually there is a " colonization" of the Far East productions !

Popular posts from this blog

The Shortest Distance is Round 3: Fallen Flowers

Continuing with the weird trilogy of "The Shortest Distance", I am so glad that finally I am done with part 3 and won't have to deal with this again in future. Thankfully, as of now the makers have not announced any further parts; which will save all of us on this earth from the embarrassment of watching this in near future. After the first 10 minutes are used in sort of recapping bits of first two parts, the story moves forward. Haruto is now starting to have feelings for Ruka, the mysterious pole dancer from second part. In a fit of rage, Ruka ends up killing the goat man and to save him and Haruto, Shibahara asks them to go underground. Meanwhile Shibahara continues the search for Seiya (the guy who had cut off Haruto's penis). It turns out Seiya is now also taking care of the original club owner from part 1. Both of them were released after they had informed Shibahara of Aoyama's secret location. Shibahara tortures Seiya's boyfriend leading to Seiya killin

One Summer Night (Korean)

I really wanted to like this film but for non native speakers, these movie leaves a lot to be understood and the way scenes were unfolding in front of me, I wasn't sure many times what was really going on. The story had potential button getting any back story on any of the characters limited my ability to empathize with any of these actors. Film starts with two North Korea military guys Yong Joon and Jae Sung having sex and they are caught red handed and they run. Three years later we see Yong Joon in Seoul leading a very mundane and poor life. He has a boyfriend Tae-Kyu, who is a weird guy. He is carefree, doesn't do any work and is completely emotional and financially dependent on Young Joon. In fact, even Yong Joon will go to any lengths to protect him , fend for him and taking care of him to the extent of even taking up prostitution. Suddenly one day Jae Sung appears in their life again. His motivation is not clear but it is obvious he wants Yong Joon back in his life, who

Ultimate masturbation: Shigoki no yama (Japanese) [The Ultimate Masturbation]

I would never know what was the point behind making this film. Was it supposed to be a comedy, cos it wasn't. It wasn't even porn. It was just a silly attempt at making something absolutely senseless and ridiculous. The story, as well as direction is equally shoddy. You could laugh for having seen something so bad, but I wouldn't call that comedy. An old man runs a camp about gay masturbation. The explanation given is that gays masturbate for pleasure unlike straight men, for whom the act is seen as shame or because they can't find a woman. One day a straight man shows up and wants to join the camp for his thesis. After discussion, he is allowed in. Rules include that you can masturbate together, you can masturbate one another, but there is no fellatio or anal sex. Some students of course breaks rule. The teacher then talks about 2 forms of masturbation which gives ultimate pleasure. He shows one without touching and then refuses to talk of the other. Somehow suddenly,