Legend of Arching Heroes
(She Diao Ying Xiong Zhuan)

*Reviewed by Meh

Cast
Guo Jing: Li YaPeng
Huang Rong: Zhou Xun
Yang Kang: Zhou Jie
Mu Nian Ci: Shui Ling(Jiang Qin Qin)

Introduction

Legend of Arching Heroes is the second mega-budget Mainland production of a Jin Yong novel. As a huge fan of the novel, I had been eagerly waiting for this adaptation. Now that I've seen it though, I can definitely say that it is the best serial I have ever seen. I loved it so much that Ive decided to write a review on it.

The following is my fairly spoiler-free review.

Story

Those who have read the novel should absolutely love the storyline. This adaptation is incredibly accurate to the book. In fact, it's probably the most faithful Jin Yong adaptation I have ever seen (and that's quite a lot). As someone who has seen way too many inaccurate adaptations, it felt extra good to see the novel being brought to life, instead of being re-written.

However, being faithful to the novel means that its NOT faithful to the 83 adaptation (starring Felix Wong and Barbara Yung). This is very important, because Im sure many people have seen the earlier adaptation but have not read the book. If you are one of them, you really need to keep this in mind while you watch. Dont be surprised if many events are portrayed differently.

For those who do not know the story yet, you can read about it in other Legend of Condor Heroes reviews here, or simply watch the series to find out. I suggest the latter, because I dont like to be spoiled myself.

Acting

Guo Jing (played by Li YaPeng): The main character of the story. An atypical hero, Guo Jing is neither smart nor handsome. He's slow to understand and is very naive. However, he is very brave, a man with a strong conviction, and has a kind heart. I find Li YaPeng's look a bit lacking. Im glad Li YaPeng isnt very handsome, or he would look weird. But growing up in Mongolia, Guo Jing is a pretty bulky and strong person. One you would expect in a warrior. Yet Li YaPeng looks like a scholar next to his peers with Genghis Khan. This becomes a lot less noticeable when he's not in Mongolia, though.

Another problem is the voice. Ive heard many people complain that it seems fake. I personally don't find that to be true. His voice sounds like how Guo Jing should sound to me. However, as I mentioned earlier, Li YaPeng does not "look like" Guo Jing. So his voice does sound out of place. Voice and look aside, Li YaPeng's performance is very good. He also has great chemistry with Zhou Xun, which is incredibly important.

Huang Rong (played by Zhou Xun): Huang Rong is Guo Jing's love interest in Legend of Condor Heroes. In addition to being very beautiful, Huang Rong is very clever, knowledgeable, and a quick-thinker. However, she's also spoiled and selfish. Basically, she's the exact opposite of Guo Jing. Huang Rong met Guo Jing in a chance encounter, where she was deeply moved by his excessive kindness. And the rest, as they say, is history. Zhou Xun, for the most part, played this part very well. She certainly has the look, and her expressions are quite on the money. Her unconditional love for Guo Jing is very apparent. Zhou Xuns only problem is her voice. Her voice here is low and husky, while Huang Rong should sound like the hyperactive sixteen year-old that she is. At first, I was deeply irritated by her voice. But I did eventually get used to her voice, so it wasn't nearly as bothersome. In fact, she sounds quite fine while talking seriously. But it seems out of place when she jokes around.

Yang Kang (played by Zhou Jie): Yang Kang is a young prince of the Jin empire, and he certainly acts like one. Yang Kang is a spoiled kid who enjoys money and power. He is also incredibly smart and handsome. Zhou Jie, unfortunately, is not very handsome. Otherwise, it's hard to pick on his portrayal. Zhou Jie conveyed a wide variety of emotions very realistically. He does tend to exaggerate a bit sometimes, but that's nitpicking. His chemistry with Shui Ling is definitely there. Overall, an excellent performance, without the right look.

Mu Nian Ci (played by Shui Ling): The foster daughter of Yang Kang's dad, Mu Nian Ci fell in love with Yang Kang after a duel. She is very set in her ideals, even though she is very docile on the outside. Personally, I just could not find any fault with Shui Ling's portrayal. Her look and acting are both flawless. Definitely the best performance in the series.