Última Vida (2017)

Note: This is my PERSONAL OPINION. I am not attacking the drama or the actors, so PLEASE don't feel like you need to defend anything/anyone.

So I love all the actors and the story is alright if not a little banal...but wow what a fkn trainwreck. I had such high hopes for this - Matsuda Shota, one of my all time favourite actors and Taemin (I am a big Taemin fan) in a drama together?! I was so excited. But...whether or not it was the director's decisions or the production company's decision or whoever - the drama felt lazy and engorged. The flashy film-student-esque cinematography and casting of the massively popular Taemin does little to hide the immensely awkward self-indulgence and at many points, the drama - and the actors - come across as painfully self-aware (and not in the good way).

Here are some of the GOOD POINTS:

-Actors: They had some big veteran actors come on board and Matsuda Shota was definitely one of my favourite aspects of the drama.

-Cinematography: Though I hated the over stylised, MV-like cinematography, there were a few shots and sequences that were beautifully shot. Also, some of the cuts were interesting choices to make on the director's behalf. I mean, I'll give kudos where it's deserved. I'm not entirely unfair haha.

-Potential bromance: Taemin and Shota's characters could potentially have had a fantastic bromance/friendship. However, it was let down a bit by the lack of chemistry between the actors. Needless to say, this is my opinion. You might read it differently.

-Music: Music is A+.

-Violence: I LOVE violence and gore and action and this drama does a great job of throwing out unexpected, sudden violence.

BAD POINTS:

-Actors: You can tell Taemin is a little uncomfortable in this role. Maybe it's the language or maybe it's the writing or the directing. I just think he's been totally underutilised here. I really hope he's able to show his true potential in his next acting role. I was disappointed here.

-Plot: Bleurgh. It's very slow-paced and it didn't hold my interest very long.

-Cinematography: Seriously, wtf. It reminds me of the kind of style that the overcompensating hipster film students would utilise for their projects (you know the type - the ones who would list Tarantino, avant garde french films, and vintage Belarus fashion as their creative inspirations). It's uninspired, confused, awkward, flash with no depth, and a little too forced. Also, the lighting proved to be distracting a lot of the time.

-Pace: Just.........wow. I watched a few episodes at 2x speed and it was still slow.

-Obligatory MV Time: Like the surety of ad-breaks when watching your favourite drama on Viki, Obligatory MV Time rolled around like clockwork. It's essentially a random 30 second music video thrown into the middle of several episodes. It's quite jarring when it happens actually. One moment, you're watching a drama and the next you're watching a Taemin MV. They did little to push the plot forward and what little plot they did tell - I just found it to be a lazy technique of doing so.  I personally skipped past these bits.

In fact, I skipped past a lot of bits because I couldn't stand the cringe. I guess some people would love it, some people would hate it. I just think there needs to be more consideration before hitting the 10-rating because Taemin and Shota are starring in the drama (though yes, they are super pretty and pretty super).

IDK what you'd take from this. Watch if you will I guess?

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Up front, any time there is English in this it really is bad, not the English, the acting.  Even the "American" they got sucked at English.  It was so jarring. And if he speaks Japanese, why do Kana and Sion have to speak English when they are alone?  I would get it if he was Korean and she was Japanese and English was the common tongue, but that is not the case, but I digress.

Now let's push that aside, and look at the series.  I decided to look at it a super hero origin story, those are always kinda clunky, having to mush so much stuff in such a short amount of time.  The first 5 episodes are flashback heavy, the same flashbacks, but you see more each time.  For those anime fans out there think Naruto's swing in front of the school, that level of repetition flashbacks.  

Ok lets get past that.  There was lots a pretty in the movie with Taemin and Shota, that helps me forgive a lot.  Its Matsuda, so yes its an artsy film, like Depp he doesn't do any other kind.

The songs What's this Feeling and I'm Crying by Taemin are really good.  It's a coherent, even if sketchy story line.  

If you like Sci-fi or super heroes, Matsuda  Shota or Tae-mini I recommend this title. Despite the way this review sounds I liked it a lot, I just feel if you go in with low expectations you'll enjoy it more.

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