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Painted Skin
画皮
2008 103 min China, Hong Kong, Singapore 12+
★6.7
Fantasy, Action, Drama
Director: Gordon Chan, Andy Wing-Keung Chin, Danny Ko
Trailers
Description
Painted Skin is based on one of Pu Songling's classic short stories in Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio. Zhou Xun stars as Xiao Wei, a fox spirit that feasts on human hearts in order to maintain her lovely, youthful appearance. When General Wang Sheng (Chen Kun) 'rescues' her from a band of bandits and brings her home, trouble brews as the demon falls in love with the general.
Starring
Donnie Yen
Actor
Xun Zhou
Actor
Kun Chen
Actor
Awards
Asian Film Academy 2009
— Best Actress
Asian Film Academy 2009
— Best Production Design
Key opinion
Painted Skin (2008) is a visually driven fantasy drama that blends romance and martial arts with mixed results regarding its narrative structure. While critics praise the performances of the lead actresses, the film is frequently criticized for its chaotic plotting, tonal inconsistencies, and reliance on shallow character motivations.
| Acting | The performances from the lead actresses, particularly Xun Zhou, provide a strong emotional anchor for the film. | |
| Production | The film features mesmerizing and impressive visual effects that define its magical atmosphere. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay suffers from a chaotic and poorly explained narrative, marked by significant logic gaps regarding character backgrounds and motivations. | |
| Humor | The film struggles with tone, oscillating between unintended comedy, melodrama, and serious fantasy elements. | |
| Pacing | The pacing is divisive: some viewers find the slow build rewarding, while others find the initial act sluggish and the overall structure disjointed. |