If, upon watching the first few episodes of *Agent From Above*, you thought it bore a strong resemblance to *Constantine*, I don't think you're the only one to notice. Not only am I a fan of the DC character and the 2005 film starring Keanu Reeves, but I also have a soft spot for the entire concept of a nihilistic, depressed detective who tackles supernatural cases. I’m sure this obsession began with *Scooby-Doo*, the series in which the Mystery Inc. gang traveled the country solving a variety of supposedly supernatural cases—only to discover that it all turned out to be one big hoax.
Then came *The X-Files*, whose supernatural twist involved featuring aliens rather than ghosts. Of course, I was also a fan of *Ghostbusters* (the two original films; I couldn't care less about the rest). I jumped on the *Supernatural* bandwagon a bit late, but the experience was rewarding nonetheless. I also loved the criminally underrated *Dead Boy Detectives* (though in this case, I had to separate the art from the artist). And yes, I defended Reeves's portrayal of John Constantine tooth and nail—even back when almost no one thought it was cool; I still love it, and regardless of whether it ever gets a sequel or not, I will continue to love it. All of this is a somewhat roundabout way of saying that *Agent From Above* fit my tastes perfectly; and yet, the overall viewing experience turned out to be somewhat disappointing. Why? Let's find out.
Creator: Xing Zi
Stars: Kai Ko, Buffy Chen, Ming-wei Yang
Directed by Donnie Lai and adapted by Emma Chen from the work *The Oracle Comes* by Xing Zi, *Agent From Above* is set in a world divided into three realms: the Celestial Realm, the Human Realm, and Hell. Thousands of years ago, the Demon King burst onto the planet's surface and began devouring human beings to satiate his insatiable thirst for power. The gods dispatched the Third Crown Prince to deal with the Demon King; and while the deity succeeded in banishing the devil back to his realm, the damage their battle inflicted upon the Human Realm was unimaginable. Consequently, a decree was established: henceforth, neither gods nor demons would be permitted to fight in their true forms—least of all in areas inhabited by humans—in order to prevent a recurrence of such carnage.
However, the demons circumvented this prohibition by possessing human beings and compelling them to commit evil acts, thereby creating fertile ground for the Demon King's arrival. Upon learning of this, the gods began appointing agents tasked with combating any immoral activity of a supernatural nature. In the present day, we follow one such agent, Han Chieh, who simply wishes to fulfill his quota of solved ghostly cases so he can retire from the job. However, that plan is put on hold thanks to Yeh Tzu, as the investigation into the demonic attacks plaguing her father uncovers a larger conspiracy brewing to facilitate the Demon King's entry into the Human Realm.
*Agent From Above* follows the standard formula for supernatural detective series of this genre: it pzaq1`resents an overarching narrative (in this case, the return of the Demon King) alongside standalone scases typically confined to a single episode (or, perhaps, an episode and a half). Through this process, we gradually uncover new details regarding our protagonists, the antagonists, and the rules and norms governing the mechanics of this fictional world. If you have already watched any of the films or series mentioned above—and if you possess at least a basic understanding of Taoist and Chinese mythology—I do not believe you will find anything truly novel in this production. It is highly probable that the series does not, by any means, set out to reinvent the wheel; It simply confines itself to telling stories as old as time within a modern setting, in the hope of conveying the message that good always prevails over evil—no matter how impossible such a feat may seem.
And there is nothing wrong with that, for we live in an era where narratives are often so convoluted that they end up saying nothing of substance, despite dragging on for hours on end. Nevertheless, in my opinion, to successfully convey such a simple message to an audience, it is necessary to sustain their interest through engaging characters and compelling plot arcs; and in this regard, the series doesn't exactly hit the mark. If you are a teenager just getting into this subgenre through this series, you might find it interesting; if you are an adult with a fully developed frontal lobe, you will likely find it too childish; and if you are a child, the dialogue—rife with profanity—will likely offend your sensibilities.
According to some online reports, the producers really went all out when it came to the visual effects, CGI, and VFX in *Agent From Above*, aiming to appeal to fans who prioritize spectacle over substance. And I have to ask: where did that money go? Because it certainly doesn't show up on screen! Since I’ve compared this series to the movie *Constantine*, I urge anyone reading this to go watch that film right now—if it’s been a while since you’ve seen it—and then immediately analyze the CGI-heavy scenes in this series. You’ll notice then that the movie outshines the series—and by a wide margin—in this regard. *Constantine* was released in 2005, yet its visual effects still look impeccable to this day. What’s more, if we compare the CGI and VFX in this series to those of a film like *Ghostbusters II*, the series is shown up completely.
Admittedly, there are moments where the practical effects and visual effects manage to blend together to create scenes that look quite good. However, the final product, taken as a whole, turns out to be surprisingly mediocre. I don’t blame the VFX and CGI artists for this; it’s something that often happens when a director fails to effectively convey their vision to the production team. And what about the other departments? The music is good; the main theme is an absolute banger.
The narrative pacing, on the other hand, is atrocious; even though the runtime of each episode isn't excessive, watching them feels tedious and plodding. The costume design and makeup are solid. The performances from the entire cast are fantastic. Kai Ko, Buffy Chen, Hsueh Shin-ling, Wang Po-chieh—and, generally speaking, anyone who appears on screen, even if only for a few seconds—are excellent. Is that reason enough to give the series a chance? Yes, absolutely; or, if you prefer, you can always just go rewatch *Constantine*.
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