Hunting
Last night, I finished watching the engaging 44 episodes Chinese action, crime drama “Hunting,” which features the appealing Wang Kai as an ace in the Beijiang (not Beijing) police force who serves with his intelligent/intelligent partner Angel Wang, and, as a professional duo, they chase China’s economic crime star, Liu Yi Jun, across China, the U.S, and Africa. 007 would have liked Liu Yi jun as villain in one his Bond films. But, not this time. Liu Yi Jun belongs in Wang Kai’s thespian fantasy based on reality, Hunting, an obviously high budget creation.
The drama takes place in Beijiang, Like Shanghai and other prominent cities the municipal police departments feature hot shots like Xia Yuan, Wang Kai’s drama character. Wang Kai follows a master played by Hu Jun who gives an impressive performance as a solid highly-placed member of the Beijiang Police Force who trains younger crime stoppers. His shining star? Xia Yuan, of course.
Does this 10 year catching-economic-criminal saga work? Yes. It does.
Why does Hunting work as a drama? It is well cast. The main characters are strong; the supporting characters are equally so. In particular, I was touched by the young actress who portrayed the daughter of Wang Bolin and his wife. The only daughter lived a spoiled life until she found out about her father’s nefarious ways. In terms of acting skills, she was able to convince me of her fear and shame as her once-stable life crumbled. Then there’s Zhang Tao. Excellent as the scheming, fast-talking professor of economics who cheated people in a high stakes way, he was a schmo. I would have liked a bit more of his back story revealed. Can you imagine that he, as a young actor, started his career in a musical production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street? In Hunting, he was still a demon walking around in cut-offs to steal from the vulnerable denizens checking the status of their stocks daily.
Well styled, Hunting did the usual thing in Chinese dramas – showing off their characters in beautifully-designed coats. Then there is Wang Kang dressed in black ready at any time to throw a coat or jacket to feature his gorgeous physique. My fav – a blue plaid coat that blended stunningly well with his all-black get-up times. At the police station, he was truly an eye-candy cop with a sense of haute couture. A fashionable coat layered on his body is “win win,” showing off his well-buffed body and the stunning coat of the designer. I don’t always like the fashions that performers don in dramas, but Hunting characters were consistently well-styled.
Ranking – I gave the drama a ranking of 10. I was a bit too generous because the casting of white characters in Hunting was definitely not to my liking. They could not deliver their lines well or the way that Chinese characters did. The African characters were able to portray strong emotions and delivered their lines well.
In closing, I offer parting HUZZAHS to Angel Wang who has performed in dramas with Wang Kai before. Angel Wang, beautiful, intelligent and more, interpreted her role with maturity and elegance. She was tough, caring, and soft when the scene call for kindness and compassion.
Yes. Watch Hunting, a drama about a police agency which searches for those swindlers who milk hard-working citizens dry.
Artist/Poet/Educator Flo Oy Wong’s first Asian drama was the 2003 Korean “Jewel in the Palace” featuring Ji Jin Hee and Lee Young Ae. Since being enchanted by “Jewel . . . “ Flo has kept moving forward to watch and dissect multiple Asian dramas that catch her fancy.
