［Mainland Movie] Time To Love (新步步惊心）New Bu Bu Jing Xin

[Mangoberrie]

 

Movie adaptation of the popular novel

 

Starring:

Ivy Chen as Ruo Xi

Tong Yang as 4th Prince

Shawn Dou as 14th Prince

 

 

 

 

 

This is a love story between time-traveller Zhang Xiao Wen (Ivy Chen) and two princes in the Qing Dynasty. 

 

 

 

 

[halfmoonsmile]

This version looks like it deviates from the original story.

[Mangoberrie]

@Meany-chan Yes, I believe it does deviate from the storyline. I'm such a sucker for the novel though I'll probably still watch it. LOL.

[halfmoonsmile]

I never read the whole of the novel, only the first page because I figured since I'm watching the TV series... In an article, it says that this movie version was supposed to be a continuation of the first TV series so yeah I'm kinda disappointed. Not that the movie doesn't look magical and fairytale-like.

[Guest DJG]

Yesssssssssss! I like that they are not making an exact duplicate of the series. Season two was , so hopefully, the movie doesn't disappoint.

[IMOmusings]

...I have just watched this...and can someone please celebrate with me the ending of this?!?!??! I'm actually so happy with the way it ended I cannot tell you how disappointed I am with the drama now...looking back @_@

[Sobayaki]

...I have just watched this...and can someone please celebrate with me the ending of this?!?!??! I'm actually so happy with the way it ended I cannot tell you how disappointed I am with the drama now...looking back @_@

Wow, I'm so curious. Do tell (and use spoiler tags too)! It must've been really good since you're saying even the drama was disappointing in comparison.

[IMOmusings]

Ok so the drama:

Her only friend is 13th...but he is still only a friend who puts country above all else and listens to the directions of 4th. She loves 4th but can't have him and ends up with 14th. In the end she dies and returns to her proper era but still pines over 4th prince...spends the rest of her days in struggles with her older sister and the rest of BBJX 2 basically crying or being forced into romantic relationships.

In the movie:

She makes friends with 14th(?) prince who because her confidante for the entire movie. There is a SMALL power struggle between 14th and 4th but in the end 14th gives it all up for love. She returns to the modern era and meets 14th who ACTUALLY FREAKING REMEMBERS HER!!!

I may have gotten the prince numbers mixed up but you'll know who I mean when you see how I've linked the main character's relationship with them.

[Sobayaki]

Wow, I can't believe the opposite happens! So she doesn't fall in love with 4th in the movie? That ending sounds a little bit too perfect to be true. Hopefully they had an explanation for it? Either way, I guess it's nice to watch something new than to have a rehash of the same story.

I watched some new MVs and trailers for the movie and I love the cinematography so far. Everything still looks so pretty and has a fantasy feeling to it instead of being too old-school ancient China and without being overdone.

Did they keep the actress's own voice with Taiwanese accent like in the trailers or did they give her a mainland China voice over? At first watching the trailers felt kind of awkward because she was speaking in Taiwanese accent and not the mainland Chinese accent. I got used to it since it sort of fits because she's from the future.

[IMOmusings]

They had 4th in love with her. They basically removed her whole family storyline, so there's no sister. There's no Bai'le and there's no 10th. The movie is purely 4th and 14th. 14th is like a combination of 13th, 10th and 18th? The smart, funny and the general from the drama.

14th knows her true identity and actively works to return her to her own time. So that explains how she gets back...but there's really no explanation as to how he keeps his memories...or at least that I could pick up.

The only complaint I have with the cinematography is the amount of screen time that is shot at night...there are so many dark scenes where I would've loved to see the actors' faces. 

Hmm not sure about the voices. I'm not Chinese so I can't really tell 

[Sobayaki]

I just watched it!  I agree, there were a bit too many dark scenes but I guess that's what it was like back in the day. The feel is very different in this movie; I really miss the old background music. Although the new ending theme song is very heartwrenching. And yes, they did keep the actress's real voice so she sounds Taiwanese lol.

 

A lot of my gripes could be attributed to the short screen time. It felt a bit rushed and forced for RX to like 4th and then immediately 14th. It's like 4th is her crush because she knew he was the future Emperor. Then when she found out what he was doing, she immediately realizes she really loves 14th? And there's also not enough scenes to build up that love with 14th. So I don't really have any feelings for any of them. The ending didn't move me as much as I had hoped unfortunately. But again, this could be better done as a drama so I blame the movie's short length. 

RX felt very different in this version too. I didn't really like how convenient it was for the shaman to exist and she randomly gave up on trying to send RX back until the end. And I was confused at the end. Did RX already dead when 14th shot himself? Or was she just unconscious?

I hate to sound like a purist, but if I had to compare, I think I like the drama better in terms of execution, music, and even actors (Nicky Wu can't be beat as 4th IMO). But as a stand-alone movie, this version was pretty okay in its own right. Lol, I hope the cat/dog made it back with her as well!

I'm surprised they kept the time travel element intact. I thought China had a ban on time travel stories? Doesn't apply to movies? 

[IMOmusings]

Hmm...considering that it's part of a franchise that already had the go ahead for time travel...maybe they made an exception? If they didn't, the whole premise of the storyline just disappears....

I felt that RX never actually liked 4th in the movie...then again that could be just me...or maybe it's my small time crush on 14th's actor AHHAHAHAH you have to admit, in the movie, you're rooting more for him than 4th compared to Nicky in the drama. In the drama, you can't help but love 4th the most since he is so inadequate in expressing his feelings and all.

[Sobayaki]

Hmm...considering that it's part of a franchise that already had the go ahead for time travel...maybe they made an exception? If they didn't, the whole premise of the storyline just disappears....

I felt that RX never actually liked 4th in the movie...then again that could be just me...or maybe it's my small time crush on 14th's actor AHHAHAHAH you have to admit, in the movie, you're rooting more for him than 4th compared to Nicky in the drama. In the drama, you can't help but love 4th the most since he is so inadequate in expressing his feelings and all.

That's true, it didn't feel like RX loved 4th to me either. It came across more as a crush because she knew he is the future Emperor. It felt more natural for RX-14th relationship except that it was just lacking in more screen time to build up that relationship. I'm also kind of surprised that 14th would believe RX is from the future so easily. It's like immediately he believed it whereas in the drama, 13th was given time to contemplate whether it was true or not. But again, time constraints. ~_~

Did you watch the drama BBJQ, the sequel to BBJX? That one couldn't escape the time travel ban so it became all weird. But the story wasn't that interesting anyway for me to even try to re-watch the uncensored version. 

[IMOmusings]

I watched both...the drama itself is just plain weird. Both still had the time travel element but less so in the sequel. Then again, it didn't really need it since none of the characters had their original memories anyway...

[catherine063969]

Where can I watch this online, or is it available on any app? I loved the drama but I'm looking forward to seeing the movie too

[IMOmusings]

@catherine063969 Viki has started to sub it...or if you can find it online, there's an already English subbed version. Unfortunately I can't link it here since it would be against forum rules.

[catherine063969]

Alright! Thanks so much! Based on the reviews I can't wait to watch this movie

[Guest xxxxxxx]

Would anyone know where we could get access to the OST to this movie? I don't even know the names of the songs but I loved the one that Bibi Chou sang. 

[Sobayaki]

Would anyone know where we could get access to the OST to this movie? I don't even know the names of the songs but I loved the one that Bibi Chou sang. 

Theme & ending song: 新步步驚心 (new startling by each step, same as movie title) by Bibi Chou 周筆暢
Insert song: 最美的情書 (the most beautiful love letter) by Ivy Chen 陳意涵
Insert song: 愛你步步驚心 (loving you startling by each step) by Hu Xia 胡夏

If you Youtube any of the Chinese song titles you'll find it.

[Camillajames]

Just watched the movie and the cinematography was breathtaking. Love 14th prince! I never understood ruoxi's love for 4th prince. He wanted power more than her from my perspective which was the same reason why she couldn't be with 8th prince.