Light the Night or Blue Hour is a thriller-drama series directed by Yichi Lien and stars Ruby Lin, Cheryl Yang, Yo Yang, Rhydian Vaughan and Derek Chang. Light the Night Part 1 has 8 episodes, each ranging between 45 – 50 minutes in length.
Netflix describes the series as:
In the red light district of 1980s Taipei, women at a popular Japanese night club navigate jealousy, heartbreak, friendship and love.
– Light the Night review does not contain spoilers –
Light the Night is a dramatic murder-mystery. The series starts off with a bunch of people finding a hand buried in the forest so you know this is going to be interesting. But, surprisingly, the murder in the forest isn’t the focused attribute here – it’s the women in Light Bar in Taipei. Granted, the murder takes place after the events in the bar. Still, the mystery of who is dead comes after the drama of watching these women try to survive in this big bad world.
The series shines thanks to these moments. The moments of jealousy, friendship and competition among the entertainers of Light Bar. These people aren’t just there for your entertainment, these are with their own hopes, aspirations and feelings. And it’s really interesting to watch them grapple with life and relationships. The series is empathetic and attentive as well to these women’s needs and thoughts. And thus, it’s great watching it.
Light the Night, additionally, looks spectacular. The colours, the shadows and everything about the cinematography are just magical. If for nothing else (which isn’t going to happen), you are going to keep looking at the screen and absorbing everything else because of the cinematography. Add to that these mesmerising women on-screen, and you have a recipe for a win.
Also Read: Netflix’s Reflection of You Episode 14 Review: Did Not Love Anyone
The series is absolutely beautiful and the style, makeup and costumes suit the time and look delicious. You are drawn to the beauty of the show along with the thrilling storyline.
For those who don’t like slow-paced dramas though, Light the Night series might feel like a bit of a drag. The series takes its sweet time to make us wonder who ended up in the forest and why it happened and it goes back and forth to keep the thrill alive. It’s not a new concept to come forth in cinema, but it works so well here that you won’t be able to look away.
The cast is phenomenal. The leading ladies are just amazing and mesmerising and you won’t be able to look away from them. The complexities of the story and the amazing acting won’t let you look away from the screen and even if the runtime passes well by 45 minutes.
Summing up: Light the Night
Light the Night is complex, addictive and absolutely breathtakingly beautiful to look at. Everything about this series is addictive. If you like moderately paced dramas with thrill peppered in between, then this should definitely be on your watchlist.
Light the Night Part 1 is streaming on Netflix.
Also Read: Fine Wine (2021) Review: A Clichéd Feel-Good Film