Donald Ponder – Google

So terrible, like a highschool play for a talent show...it started out interestingly enough, a sort of Lost clone & of The 100...the first few episodes shows some promise even though so much dumb, improbable stuff was also going on...then unpredictable turns of events were ruined by sappy, basic 101 drama writing by teens with the importance of teamwork as a teaching...I, who have been a great admirer of Japanese culture, an enthusiastic Japanese Citypop fan, now am beginning to be irritated by the unending bowing & pie in the sky, follow your dream goofiness, the ineffectual actions of the principal chracters at crucial points, especially in conflict with the other train car's passengers, the paralyzed staring by everyone, interspersed with kooky turnabouts in characters' inauthentic actions & reactions ...the whole thing becoming Glee crossed with Lord of the Flies . I'm now waiting for someone in a wheelchair to do wheelies, lol... I now feel the Kdramas I've been watching are superior & this to be behind the curve...Maybe I'll stick with it to the end if I can to see what happens...it could have been SO good!

I have to go against the opinion of my own adult son who borrowed this from our library, the view that this film is a masterpiece, artistic & emotionally moving... I thought it was drab & dragging along without good continuity...there seemed many threads left hanging, many non-sequitur moments...initially I felt the woman, Qaio was an interesting, strong woman, forcefully, confidently, shockingly clapping gamblers & gang members on their backs... but I began to experience a growing disappointment... Qaio who had seemed so confident & self-empowered, after setbacks seemed like a different person, washed out, a victim, pushed around even passing through streets! She does persist in survival-mode but seems seems drained of charisma & inner content...& the whole background of China seems so muted & drab life seems insect-like!