Painted Skin: The Resurrection is, if you didn’t know, a sequel. If you live in the films native country or go the internet route, chances are you haven’t seen the original. I have not. Regardless, Painted Skin II offers up brief instances of rehash that get us as close to getting caught up with how this film and the previous interlock. It’s not a perfect fit and you will have to pay close attention to all the details unfolding before you, but as far as a stand alone feature, Painted Skin II is pretty solid.

The story revolves around a fox spirit demon who has been enslaved in ice (apparently a consequence and punishment for some of their actions in the previous film) who is one day freed by a small bird that becomes enamored with the frozen spirits face. Once freed the fox demon, Xiaowei, must feast on human hearts in order to stay in her human form. The only way for her to become a permanent human is to find a male human that will offer his heart freely, with other stipulations attached to the bargain. Along for the ride is the bird demon that freed Xiaowei, a very compulsive creature that also often takes human form and who sometimes bungles Xiaowei’s attempts and winning the heart of her chosen.

One day Xiaowei is being pursued by warriors and is saved by a mysterious warrior. Not only is the warrior capable of rescuing her from her assailants but they are somehow able to produce massive amounts of body heat that keeps the ice that longs to enslave Xiaowei again from reaching her. Xaiowei, in her longing to be human, wants to test this warrior to see if they will give her their heart freely. She does so in a most unusual way, but in the end she discovers that her warrior is actually a woman, Princess Jing to be exact. From that moment on they are tied to one another.

Once the two of them set off, well really three if you count bird, they travel to an outpost where Huo Xin is located, Jings long time love interest. It quickly becomes a sordid love triangle that sets up the draw for the film. After Xiaowei uses her powers of seduction on Huo Xin and Xin acknowledges her Jing becomes jealous. Jing knows her rejection is due to her disfigurement and wishes to be beautiful again. Xiaowei longs to be human. You can see where this is going.

Painted Skin II is a fantastic fantasy tale that reminded me a bit of Tarsem Singh’s The Fall. Its vivid color schemes, its magical backdrops and locations, its dreamlike sequences. It was a film that made me forget about time and keep me glued to the screen. I’m a real sucker for sci-fi/fantasy, but I would say even without seeing the first film you’ll be captivated by the marvelous world Painted Skin II unfolds before. Truly a must see film.

PICTURE AND AUDIO QUALITY:
Just shy of perfection. There are some small cases of aliasing (see the barred windows of the outpost as Jing and Xiaowei enter) and some very minuscule amounts of soft spots but over all the film looks absolutely fantastic. Audio worked perfectly for me. Plenty of cross speaker use to give you a near cinematic experience. I give the film props for the use of rear speaker channels, but there could have been more use there as well. Still, a must own. Enjoy.

BONUS FEATURES:
~Making of
~Trailer