Wednesday, January 03, 2007

• MARS

  This was my first experience with a member of the F4 and while I loved the manga, Mars, I wasn't sure about a Taiwanese adaptation. I watched it after watching DBY because I was wanting more of Kingone (which I found in Silence since he only appears breifly in Mars and he has a much larger role in Silence). By episode 2, I was sold on Comic Ritz, Vic Zhou, and F4. The production quality was better than I expected, the writing was excellent, and the acting left me breathless. I am rewatching it onANZ with crappy sound while I wait for my own copy to finally arrive. 

  The story deals with complex life issues- the scars that sexual and physical abuse leave on one's body and soul, bullying, as well as trying to find your place in a world according to your own rules.

  The Taiwanese version doesn't flinch on any of it. It is actually more painful to see than to read the manga, and remains one of my favorite series of all time. (It's one of my b-day presents- if yesasia ever sends it! Sigh! I hate waiting for stuff and sometimes yesasia is quick... other times.... not so!) It's playing on AZN- the first Taiwanese drama I've seen there- so things are looking up.

  Watching Vic play the role of Rei (Ling in the Tw- version) is almost like watching the character walk off the pages of my manga into real life.

  While his acting skills aren't as nearly refined as they are in Silence, the bit of awkwardness in his movements fits the character. He is able to project the sense of anger and violence bubbling near the surface in a believable manner, and his times of soul-bearing are some of his best acting, proving that he's more than just another pretty boy singer trying to act. (You see a more mature actor using those same skills in Silence).

   

  

  Now that I've seen both Barbie and Vic in other things, I am surprised at how well Barbie pulls off the role of an abused and withdrawn art student who falls in love with the brash and loud bad boy. While she's not my favorite T-actress, she plays the part with finese and heart. She plays the hard scenes with character and gives all she has. I'm sure there are times when she left the set soaked in sweat and exhausted.

  The charisma between the leads feels real, and I have to remind myself that it wasn't until long after this was filmed that they became more than friends. In fact, Vic claims they couldn't do this series now that they are dating- it'd be too embarrassing! But then, he also claims that it hurts when she hits him!

  With an amazing supporting cast, this is not just another vehicle for a famous singer, looking for his real break as a single actor/artist, but a series that moves your heart and touches your soul.

  If only they had given him more to do in Meteor Garden! It would have been fun to see him with the rest of F4 in a series that allows him to shine as an actor. I heard that Angie Chai is looking for just such a series now for them. (If she'd only open the Global mail envelope on her desk... she'd see that I sent her the perfect story for them.... well, it'll need some adaptation! :)

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