I love spy thrillers, espionage and anything that deals with undercover secret agents (check out "Sparrow" and "The Disguiser"). And with Ren Jialun (Allen Ren) in the male lead role as Ye Chong, I could hardly calm myself when it became available to watch. Unfortunately, even with his star power, good looks and acting prowess, along with a strong ensemble cast, this roller coaster ride fell rather flat.
Set in Hong Kong during the Japanese occupation from 1941 to Japan's surrender in 1945, this drama fictionalized a group of communist resistance fighters going up against the occupying enemy. The rebels managed to recruit a high ranking Japanese military officer of Chinese descent, who would become their mole, code name Autumn Cicada, working deep undercover. Double the trouble was that both his handler and key Hong Kong contact were both killed at the onset, so the mole was now cut off from all known contacts of his clandestine group, with a cryptic assignment to foil some big operation by the Japanese. No surprises here as to who Autumn Cicada was; the big reveal wasn't intended for the audience but, rather, for the bungling fools around him. (One must suspend disbelief throughout the show for the numerous improbable, if not impossible, feats and situations in order to enjoy it fully.)
The script did not provide much for Ren Jialun to work with. A majority of scenes involved him being frustrated with deep furrowed brows and clenched fists or a stoic face that wouldn't let his true feelings show, but his closeups were a bonus treat for avid fans. His character was supposedly brilliant, yet he couldn't tell people were actually communist party comrades when the many situations within and actions by these folks couldn't have painted a clearer picture. Also, in the final showdown, he was too careless and acted out of character for having been such a cool as a cucumber character throughout. Why didn't he at least try to grab the antidote?
As for the female lead, Li Man who portrayed He Ying, a college student who tried to assassinate Ye Chong, a Lieutenant Commander in the Japanese Imperial Army (aka Autumn Cicada), because he killed her brother, and he in turn saved her from execution, then she got turned by him to become his communist spy assistant, was the most improbable arc, and her character even more useless. Her story arc was wasted with no character development. And the romantic subplot was so forced, simply unconvincing...zero chemistry between her and Ye Chong. Writers tried to paint her as a strong woman, but she annoyed me to no end. I've never seen this actress before, but sorry, I'm not a fan.
A big shoutout goes to Liu Huan's Chi Cheng who nearly stole the show. His portrayal of a communist comrade behind the facade of a suave businessman was exceptional. His selfless acts to save the citizens of HK should go down in history as to what makes a hero. Also, his interactions with his often infuriating yet flamboyant wife Jin Xiang (He Dejuan) were at once endearing, heartwarming and fun to watch. I'm so glad the writers allowed this couple to have a happy ending.
Another shoutout goes to Miyamoto, the antagonist, handsome and deadly, presumably the smartest and most intelligent character, who hunted his prey with animalistic instincts. He deduced early on that Ye Chong was Autumn Cicada and he was also onto Chi Cheng and the other spies very early on, but everyone else was just too dumb or too scared to believe him. Li Ting Zhe's portrayal was spot on. He crippled me with fear every time he appeared on screen, LOL. Oh! How I loved and hated him?!
Then we have the handsome Liu Xue Yi as Lin Xiao Zhuang, Ye Chong's older adopted brother, who helped Ye Chong in so many ways. Their brotherly love was one to envy. Regrettably, writers didn't bother to provide a backstory for him--how they forged such a strong brotherly bond, or how he was recruited into the communist party. Flashbacks only showed their adopted father treating him harshly while favoring Ye Chong.
Too bad. So many missed opportunities to make this drama great. Too many loose ends, unanswered questions, and muddy backstories... Why couldn't the two smart heroes recognize each other as comrades earlier, perhaps to collaborate on something grand instead of dance around each other? What was Ye Chong's adoptive father's (Japanese General Kiyoizumi) relationship with his birth mother? What happened to Chi Chong's brother-in-law Tang Feng who had been actively engaged in operations? And whatever happened to Blue Panther? I hated this character at first but grew to like him--his love for Xue Ping, a soldier/spy for Hong Kong's military station, was quite touching. Then there's the whole plot about, but never explained, how Autumn Cicada's code name got compromised or who leaked it in the first place.
I finished all 49 episodes and mostly enjoyed the drama, but many answers were no where to be found. I did appreciate that some of the dialogue was spoken/dubbed in Japanese which elevated its authenticity. And the main title sequence and end credits featured black and white frames with vertical lines giving it an era appropriate feel.
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