(may contain spoilers)
Douban rating: 7.4
Director: Katrin Gebbe, Florian Cossen
Starring: Devrim Lingnau, Philip Froissant, Melika Foroutan
Douban Comments: “I binge-watched it in one go. The pacing is excellent, just six episodes without any drag. I really love the lead actress’s looks and performance, and her mother-in-law is actually very beautiful too. The story balances tension and relief really well. I never thought this was the same Princess Sisi we knew from childhood. Just judging by the plot, the two storylines, about the heroine and the people, are truly gripping. I hope the sequel will be just as good. Stories about European royalty always bring to mind Marie Antoinette.”
“The biggest issue is that the actress playing Sisi doesn’t quite fit. She looks older, more like someone in her late twenties. Sisi should appear fairer than her sister, and she ought to look better in black mourning clothes, but in the show her sister is the fairer one. That said, there are indeed several scenes where Sisi looks truly stunning.
Also, in this version Sisi comes across as more independent and strong-willed, rather than innocent and romantic. The Schneider Sisi trilogy had a fairytale quality, while this series takes a more realistic approach, with plenty of darker and heavier moments, which might actually appeal more to modern audiences.”
“There are way too many problems with the costumes and props to even get into. The male lead’s younger brother is always thinking about his sister-in-law, stirring up trouble, and scheming for the throne. The heroine knows he has ulterior motives, yet still keeps spending time with him, acting like a lovesick, petty girl. In a way, though, that actually feels pretty realistic. It’s rare to see a version of Sisi written so unlikable, really showing how unsuited she was to be an empress (and not just because of court rules).
As for the male lead, his main flaw is that he doesn’t quite have the presence of an emperor. Even the bankers don’t take him seriously. Still, he has a good heart, he genuinely tries, and he even sacrifices his pride to get things done. Meanwhile, the war is urgent and unresolved, the heroine is sulking and demanding answers out of jealousy, and the brother is badmouthing him to France and Russia.
I’m really not picky. I usually enjoy almost every version of Sisi. But this one? This Sisi is the only one I’ve ever found truly annoying to watch.”
“The cinematography has a very pleasant quality overall, but I found it hard to connect with this version of Sisi. Even without comparing it to the dazzling fairytale-like version we saw as kids, the impression I had from visiting Schönbrunn Palace in Austria, where the guides emphasized the empress’s unmatched beauty in Europe (and how much she cared about it), plus the refined image shown on all the surrounding souvenirs, just doesn’t match the sturdy, no-frills face here that looks more suited to drawing a bow in The Hunger Games. (That said, her free-spirited, approachable personality is portrayed well.)
Archduchess Sophie’s image and temperament, on the other hand, feel much more fitting: powerful, domineering, and impossible for her son to resist. Young Emperor Franz is also convincingly portrayed; he loves Sisi, but at crucial moments he lacks the strength to stand up to his mother.
As for the love triangle between the two brothers, the head maid secretly in love with her mistress, and the rebel spy ‘softened’ by palace ties, I just take those overly dramatic changes as loose adaptations and watch them for what they are.”
“Overall, compared to the old version, this really feels like a huge downgrade, in looks, acting, costumes, and sets. The old version gave us a glimpse of the glittering splendor of the Austro-Hungarian court, while the new one just shows gloomy lighting and castle interiors that feel more like a shabby medieval fortress.
Historically, what made Princess Sisi so fascinating was the sharp clash between her innocent, free-spirited nature and the rigid rules of the royal court; plus, of course, her legendary beauty. Her sister was considered less attractive, which was one of the reasons the Austrian emperor chose Sisi instead. But in this new version, the actress looks and feels more suited to playing the sister: tough, plain, not beautiful.
This simply isn’t Sisi. Even if no one believes in fairy tales anymore, this version is less like Cinderella and more like a story that’s hard to love.”
