On May 1st, “The Ingenious One” starring Chen Xiao and Rachel Momo, with Li Liying as the executive producer, Liang Zhenhua as the chief screenwriter and executive producer, and directed by You Dazhi, was launched as scheduled. Amidst the glimmer of blades and swords, the laughter and discussions of strategies, many spectators' dreams of the rivers and lakes were awakened, and their thirst for martial arts was quenched.
Since the start of filming, “The Ingenious One” has been highly anticipated by both the industry and the public. Fans are curious to see the chemistry between Chen Xiao and Rachel Momo in ancient costume dramas, as well as the collective appearance of veteran actors such as Wang Jinsong, Hui Yinghong, and Qin Lan. How will the theme of “martial arts and tactics” be woven into the plot?
The drama “The Ingenious One” not only has thrilling fight scenes and tightly woven intellectual battles, but also many other rich flavors, such as the satisfying feeling of fighting against evil, the amusing infiltration of personality, and the hidden modern logic of business warfare. The fusion of many elements makes it difficult to describe “The Ingenious One” as a simple new martial arts drama. However, it is obviously exploring a new path outside of ancient costume dramas, fantasy dramas, and martial arts dramas.
Pleasurable in The Ingenious One
If there was one word to summarize the feeling of the beginning of “The Ingenious One,” it would be “pleasurable.” Using the “kill with a borrowed sword” strategy, most of the Salt Field's evil forces were eliminated. Later, using the “inflict injury on oneself to win the enemy's trust” strategy in the gambling den, the enemy was infiltrated while the tyrant was left helpless. Finally, with a real battle of swords and guns, the Salt Field's evil forces were completely eradicated. Essentially, the core of pleasurable lies in justice being upheld. However, in terms of expression, pleasurable can take different forms.
In “The Ingenious One,” we can experience both the immediate satisfaction of “actions speak louder than words” and the delayed gratification of strategizing from afar. This dual approach brings a rare and satisfying experience. There are many unavoidable circumstances in real life, which is why audiences turn to stories from the Jianghu for a sense of satisfaction. “The Ingenious One” first and foremost pursues comfort, aiming to leave the audience feeling satisfied and emotionally invested. The most direct expression of this comfort is through the design of the martial arts scenes in the drama.
The chief director You Dazhi has rich experience in shooting action and martial arts themed films and TV dramas. This was implemented in the drama, and we saw many wonderful and unexpected action designs, such as fighting in the snow by the river, fighting in the rain at night, and a melee combined with the salt drying equipment at the salt field. Especially noteworthy is the rain fight scene where Shu Yanan (play by Rachel Momo) appears, which was quite challenging to shoot.
“Fight scenes in the rain can bring out a romantic beauty that suits the identity of the female lead. However, this short scene took three full nights to shoot. At that time, the temperature at Hengdian at night was only about 10 degrees Celsius, and Mao Xiaotong had to endure the cold rain all night, which was really heart-wrenching. But she persevered, and now that we see the final effect, we all feel that it was worth it,” You Dazhi shared.
In the action scenes of “The Ingenious One”, there are also unexpected details that double the excitement. For example, the first confrontation between Yan Luowang (play by Ruan Shengwen) and Shu Yanan at the casino. When Shu Yanan exposed his cheating and deception, Yan Luowang immediately turned hostile. Usually, in martial arts dramas, this would lead to more verbal sparring before any physical confrontation. But Shu Yanan directly took off her hairpin and launched a surprise attack.
Similarly, the appearance of the swordsman Jin Biao (played by Liu Guanlin), who charges ten gold for killing someone, just when the audience thought he was just a hitman who took money and orders, he could scare away those dirty and treacherous scumbags without even drawing his sword. When everyone thought that Yun Xiang was without have any martial art skill, he could use escape trick to intimidate his opponent while also bringing surprise to the audience.
This kind of dramatic plot shift, makes the story interesting. “The Ingenious One” makes everyone feel comfortable and happy at first, and then shows the turbulent waves of the Jianghu and the complicated entanglement of human hearts.
In order to make the strange strategy effective and satisfying, Liang Zhenhua and the screenwriting team spent a lot of brainpower. In the first six episodes of “The Ingenious One”, Yun Xiang first killed the salt field bully Yan Luowang who was harming one side, and then step by step lured the waterway transportation of the core city controlled by the Cao Bang and the local rich Tang Manor into his trap. Obviously, in Yun Xiang's subsequent net-closing operation, these two major evil forces will also soon be overthrown. But it's hard for the audience to guess how the Cao Bang will fall and how Tang Manor will be broken.
In the eyes of Li Liying, the executive producer, the tactics strategy has a deeper meaning. Tactics are not only for conspiracy, but also a means to quell some contradictions, and it is also a great view of the overall situation for affection and peace. Interpreting human hearts and humanity is an eternal theme that can cross time periods and genres. It's believed that in addition to the sense of satisfaction, “The Ingenious One” can also naturally bring some thoughts to the audience.
Humor in The Ingenious One
Nowadays, humor in costume dramas has become an industry consensus as a must-have for audiences. For the Jianghu story told in “The Ingenious One”, humor is equally indispensable. Jianghu is not just about blood and violence, there are many daily aspects worth exploring.
Comedy elements can make the main characters more vivid and lively, and not just for the sake of fighting and killing, everyone has their own pursuits. At the same time, it also allows the audience to relieve the tension in the atmosphere of the heavy Jianghu drama.
However, achieving a natural and appropriate sense of humor is not something that can be achieved simply by being exaggerated or using physical humor. One of the characteristics of “The Ingenious One” is that it entangles comedy around the Nan Du small team, and each person has a breakthrough in their previous heroic image.
Yunxiang is not a typical chivalry. Although he travels the Jianghu, he has no typical martial arts skills, and only knows how to run away. When he encounters danger, he begs for help. In order to achieve his goals, he even uses extreme methods with a playful smile. In short, he is not a hero that the audience looks up to, that's where the humor comes in.
In Liang Zhenhua's view, the protagonist Yun Xiang is a young man who enters the martial arts world carrying the hatred of his destroyed clan. Despite years of hard training, Yun Xiang is unable to let go of his obsession, which only adds to his fatal sense of loneliness. Such a character needs to find a light-hearted way to connect with the audience. It is also reflected in the other members of the main cast.
Shu Yanan may appear gentle, but she is tough and doesn't speak much, establishing herself as a skilled and elegant female chivalry. Shu Yanan's character undergoes a huge transformation later in the story, and the earlier comedic tone helps build tension and set the stage for the reversal.
Su Mingyu (played by Tang Xiaotian) has a wealthy family but refuses to inherit the family business, instead becoming a martial arts fanatic who knows the techniques of various schools. Jin Biao is introduced as a rough and tough hero who is sharp-eyed in identifying potential clients, but he reveals his true nature upon meeting Yun Xiang.
When these four unconventional heroes come together, the power dynamics and verbal sparring between them create a sense of tension that can trigger laughter and stimulate the audience's thinking and value judgments of Jianghu.
The male and female leads in the drama are not the typical setup of a strong male lead with superior martial arts skills and a female lead who depends on him. Instead, they are both strong and engage in a power struggle while fighting side by side. One relies on their intellect while the other relies on their physical strength, creating a perfect complement. This is also a popular emotional pattern among audiences today.
Ultimate Jianghu in The Ingenious One
Where there are people, there is Jianghu, and conversely, Jianghu is made up of vivid individuals. “The Ingenious One” clearly captures this essence by not emphasizing the organization of factions, but by creating a special combination to build a vast and inclusive Jianghu. In this world, villains shed their shackles and even the righteous have freed themselves from mental constraints. This clash of good and evil becomes even more dramatic and flavorful.
For example, Yun Xiang was not originally lofty, and even unable to extricate himself from the abyss of revenge. In the first six episodes, he didn't hesitate to set fire to and destroy the Su family's silk warehouse and frame it on the Cao Bang, in order to hook up with the Su family. But later, he will experience a moment of disillusionment in his life, and then he will rethink how to live.
To deal with a strong person, you need to find their weaknesses. Shu Yanan is lively and lovely, seemingly fierce and decisive, seeking revenge and justice, but in fact, she has unexpected reversals hidden within her. The contrast between the actor's appearance and the character's inner thoughts deepens the confusion of this role. Rachel Momo's sweet appearance is her great advantage, but her inner courage and determination are full of feminine power.
In addition to Yun Xiang and Shu Yanan, other characters who have already appeared have complete personal histories. Their identities and personalities are different and directly or indirectly influence the protagonist's important choices.
The owner of the gambling house, Ke Menglan, has a strong personality and admires Su Mingyu. However, due to their different identities, she had to refuse him with pain.
Qi Tianfeng, the leader of the Cao Bang, is extremely cunning and patient. As the plot unfolds, his rise and fall as a grassroots hero will be revealed, mixed with blood and tears.
Conclusion
In conclusion, “The Ingenious One” has the characteristics of a martial arts drama, contrasting emotions that female audiences love, and comedic elements that appeal to a wider audience. It belongs to the traditional genre of martial arts dramas, with the focus on “love, righteousness, and heroism,” but it also delves deeper into human nature. It has refreshing fight scenes, but its conflicts go beyond physical strength, involving the business world, strategic planning, and benefiting the people. It can be said that “The Ingenious One” has opened up a new dimension in the creation of costume dramas, with its refreshing and strategic elements.
