Painted Skin: Resurrection
Painted Skin: Resurrection/ Painted Skin 2 (Hua Pi II) is the 2012 sequel to Painted Skin (Hua Pi) of 2008. In this movie three of the original main actors return playing all new characters except Zhou Xun who still plays Xiaowei, the Fox demon.
In this movie Xiaowei escapes from a ice frost prison and then devises a plan to become human. However, in order to do this by an up coming eclipse she needs a human heart that has be given voluntarily.
Xiaowei meets a princess who seems to be the perfect person to allow her to become human.
Painted Skin Resurrection starts with the voice of a male narrator telling us that a Fox Demon(Xiaowei) broke demon law by saving the life of a human man and thus was punished. After about 500 years a bird demon flew over the ice/frost prison and become attracted to the Fox Demon's beautiful face. Thus the bird demon came everyday circling over. Then the bird plans on the surface of the ice and peaks at it until a crack appears and Xiaowei flies out and is seen running away from the mountain where she was imprisoned then she flows the bird the flies over her. When then see Xiaowei being carried inside a massive litter with a man. From whom she asks if he would give her everything including his heart. Just then the bird demon, Qu'er(Yang Mi) appears behind the man and rips out his heart. Xiaowei looks out the window and says that an eclipse was approaching and we find out that a demon could become human if a human gave them their heart voluntarily. Then we are made to see Xiaowei being chased by dark figures. A masked horseman appears and the defeat the men taking Xiaowei away. As Xiaowei and the horseman ride off we see that the dead men turn in shadowy snakes and disappear. At the camp fire Xiaowei begins to play her Pipa (Chinese lute) when a drop of water falls from a leaf and turns to frost. And as if, it was alive it creeps up and begins to envelope Xiaowei. Xiaowei runs behind the mask figure who by their sole presence the frost fades away. Xiaowei tries to seduce the figure, whom she finds out is a woman. Instead of killing her like Qu'er suggests Xiaowei thinks she can use the woman. The woman is Princess Jing'er who takes Xiaowei to a border city call the White city. There they meet the soldier Hou Xin that Jing'er loves. Knowing she can use the situation. Xiaowei possesses Hou Xin's eyes as she dances for the soldiers. From then Hou Xin is uncontrollably attracted to Xiaowei. Jing'er and Hou Xin are together at the beach remembering the past, when Jing'er had asked if Hou Xin (then her bodyguard) loved her. He does not answer. Jing'er runs off and is attacked by a large bear. The bear strike to her face leaves three large claw marks. Jing'er from then wear a quarter gold mask to find her scars. Jing'er confesses to Hou Xin but he replies only that he want to protect the Princess. Jing'er leaves heart broken and jumps off a cliff into the water where Xiaowei saves her. Revealing that she is a demon. Qu'er meets a young man, who is descendant of a demon hunter. A drop of his blood burns her and she runs to Xiaowei telling her she knew pain and thus love. Xiaowei says only human can. Xiaowei tells Jing'er that she can help her be with Hou Xin if they trade skin but that Hou Xin will be seeing Xiaowei. The women trade skin. At the beach, Hou Xin asks Xiaowei why she has Jing'er's dagger and fighting moves. But when he smells her hair, the fox shadows in his eyes turn them black and he makes love to Xiaowei (actually Jing'er). The golden dagger Jing'er has was the one he used to kill the bear and she had been adding jewels to for the last 8 years since he left her side. The next day when the woman are back in their own skins, Xiaowei reminds Jing'er that Hou Xin spent the night with her. Jing'er order's Hou Xin to kill Xiaowei, the demon, but Hou Xin doesn't. She tries to attack Xiaowei but Hou Xin steps in the way. Soon an envoy arrives saying that Jing'er was to have married into the Wolf Tribe days before but disappeared. Jing'er refuses to go get married saying she is Hou Xin's woman . The Wolf Tribe then approaches the city threatening to attack. Hou Xin goes out to face them. One of his soldier's dies defending him. Jing'er goes out and tell the Wolf Tribe that she would come for the marriage in 3 days if they left Hou Xin and the City live. The tribe agrees. As Xiaowei is playing her pipa she is again enveloped by the frost but Jing'er wraps herself around her driving it away. Xiaowei tells Jing'er that she loved a man, but is being punished because she saved her lover and his wife. Xiaowei tells Jing'er that if she gives her, her heart they can exchange skin and she could be with Jing'er(now Xiaowei) but she would have to eat human hearts to maintain her skin and the frost might come when she becomes a demon. Jing'er gives up her skin and the woman exchange skin. Jing'er goes to get married, where she is told that the tribe just needed her heart to bring back their prince who turns out to be the man that died because of Xiaowei in the beginning. Xiaowei(now Jing'er) goes to an injured Hou Xin and again his eyes turn dark when he catches Xiaowei's scent and they make love, but he asks her why she had no heart beat. Xiaowei runs and can see nothing but people's beating heart. Encounter's the demon hunter(never given a name) but his blood stops her from taking his heart. The demon hunter tells Hou Xin about Xiaowei being Jing'er and vice versa. At first Hou Xin doesn't believe until the demon hunter touches him and the spell on his mind clears and his remembers everything. He finds Xiaowei who can't bring herself to eat a heart, tells her he always loves her but would forever be bewitched by Xiaowei's skin. He slashes his eyes and the fox shadows leave him. He takes Xiaowei to go find Jing'er that was about to be killed with the help of Qu'er. Has they fight the Wolf Tribe shaman Qu'er is destroyed when the shaman slashes her with a sword that hand the demon hunter's blood. Qu'er turns into a phoenix and brings back birds that destroy the shaman. Hou Xin asks Jing'er(Xiaowei) to bring Xiaowei(Jing'er) back. Xiaowei(Jing'er) has completely been turned into a frozen figure. Xiaowei possessing Jing'er body wraps herself around her has the eclipse comes over head. Both woman are lighted into the skin and become one. The figure of Xiaowei drops down into Hou Xin's arms then turns back to Jing'er, her scars disappearing. The demon hunter tells us that if a demon got a voluntarily human heart they would merge into the human and spent it with the human for the rest of their natural life. The bird form of Qu'er appears near him. The last scene we see Hou Xin and Jing'er riding off together when the scarf flies off his eyes.
Painted Skin: Resurrection was beautifully shot from the scenes to the costumes. Although at times the costumes did not all seem to be consistent. I really liked the armors wore by both Jing'er and Hou Xin even the ones from when they were younger. I liked the flowy and dramatic kimonos but at times it did not seem to fit, maybe if it was less culturally distinct, but then Yoshitaka Amano was involved with the design. The make up seemed more evident on Xiaowei but then I think it was intentional to show that she wore a painted skin and we see to scenes were she is painting a face.
The pace seemed a bit slow at times. I felt more was needed for the plot and characterization and development. I had questions about demon mythology and where some ideas came from.
The acting was all around good, especially the women. There was a lot of eroticism interlace between Jing'er and Xiaowei.
The story seemed to be created to make the audience feel particularly sorry for Xiaowei. Although a lot was left vague. If one did not see Painted Skin, Painted Skin II would be more of the injustice done to Xiaowei but if one saw Painted Skin and paid some attention to some details it puts into questions a lot of what is said about Xiaowei in Painted Skin II.
All in all a good fantasy film, not great but if you are interested in that sort of story. I would say give it a watch.
I will follow about Painted Skin and Painted Skin II. How they relate, what happened to Xiaowei's character and because she is the only one that is in both beside the actors how the story is then told. Point of view plays quite a role in what we are told about Xiaowei's situation.
In this movie Xiaowei escapes from a ice frost prison and then devises a plan to become human. However, in order to do this by an up coming eclipse she needs a human heart that has be given voluntarily.
Xiaowei meets a princess who seems to be the perfect person to allow her to become human.
Painted Skin Resurrection starts with the voice of a male narrator telling us that a Fox Demon(Xiaowei) broke demon law by saving the life of a human man and thus was punished. After about 500 years a bird demon flew over the ice/frost prison and become attracted to the Fox Demon's beautiful face. Thus the bird demon came everyday circling over. Then the bird plans on the surface of the ice and peaks at it until a crack appears and Xiaowei flies out and is seen running away from the mountain where she was imprisoned then she flows the bird the flies over her. When then see Xiaowei being carried inside a massive litter with a man. From whom she asks if he would give her everything including his heart. Just then the bird demon, Qu'er(Yang Mi) appears behind the man and rips out his heart. Xiaowei looks out the window and says that an eclipse was approaching and we find out that a demon could become human if a human gave them their heart voluntarily. Then we are made to see Xiaowei being chased by dark figures. A masked horseman appears and the defeat the men taking Xiaowei away. As Xiaowei and the horseman ride off we see that the dead men turn in shadowy snakes and disappear. At the camp fire Xiaowei begins to play her Pipa (Chinese lute) when a drop of water falls from a leaf and turns to frost. And as if, it was alive it creeps up and begins to envelope Xiaowei. Xiaowei runs behind the mask figure who by their sole presence the frost fades away. Xiaowei tries to seduce the figure, whom she finds out is a woman. Instead of killing her like Qu'er suggests Xiaowei thinks she can use the woman. The woman is Princess Jing'er who takes Xiaowei to a border city call the White city. There they meet the soldier Hou Xin that Jing'er loves. Knowing she can use the situation. Xiaowei possesses Hou Xin's eyes as she dances for the soldiers. From then Hou Xin is uncontrollably attracted to Xiaowei. Jing'er and Hou Xin are together at the beach remembering the past, when Jing'er had asked if Hou Xin (then her bodyguard) loved her. He does not answer. Jing'er runs off and is attacked by a large bear. The bear strike to her face leaves three large claw marks. Jing'er from then wear a quarter gold mask to find her scars. Jing'er confesses to Hou Xin but he replies only that he want to protect the Princess. Jing'er leaves heart broken and jumps off a cliff into the water where Xiaowei saves her. Revealing that she is a demon. Qu'er meets a young man, who is descendant of a demon hunter. A drop of his blood burns her and she runs to Xiaowei telling her she knew pain and thus love. Xiaowei says only human can. Xiaowei tells Jing'er that she can help her be with Hou Xin if they trade skin but that Hou Xin will be seeing Xiaowei. The women trade skin. At the beach, Hou Xin asks Xiaowei why she has Jing'er's dagger and fighting moves. But when he smells her hair, the fox shadows in his eyes turn them black and he makes love to Xiaowei (actually Jing'er). The golden dagger Jing'er has was the one he used to kill the bear and she had been adding jewels to for the last 8 years since he left her side. The next day when the woman are back in their own skins, Xiaowei reminds Jing'er that Hou Xin spent the night with her. Jing'er order's Hou Xin to kill Xiaowei, the demon, but Hou Xin doesn't. She tries to attack Xiaowei but Hou Xin steps in the way. Soon an envoy arrives saying that Jing'er was to have married into the Wolf Tribe days before but disappeared. Jing'er refuses to go get married saying she is Hou Xin's woman . The Wolf Tribe then approaches the city threatening to attack. Hou Xin goes out to face them. One of his soldier's dies defending him. Jing'er goes out and tell the Wolf Tribe that she would come for the marriage in 3 days if they left Hou Xin and the City live. The tribe agrees. As Xiaowei is playing her pipa she is again enveloped by the frost but Jing'er wraps herself around her driving it away. Xiaowei tells Jing'er that she loved a man, but is being punished because she saved her lover and his wife. Xiaowei tells Jing'er that if she gives her, her heart they can exchange skin and she could be with Jing'er(now Xiaowei) but she would have to eat human hearts to maintain her skin and the frost might come when she becomes a demon. Jing'er gives up her skin and the woman exchange skin. Jing'er goes to get married, where she is told that the tribe just needed her heart to bring back their prince who turns out to be the man that died because of Xiaowei in the beginning. Xiaowei(now Jing'er) goes to an injured Hou Xin and again his eyes turn dark when he catches Xiaowei's scent and they make love, but he asks her why she had no heart beat. Xiaowei runs and can see nothing but people's beating heart. Encounter's the demon hunter(never given a name) but his blood stops her from taking his heart. The demon hunter tells Hou Xin about Xiaowei being Jing'er and vice versa. At first Hou Xin doesn't believe until the demon hunter touches him and the spell on his mind clears and his remembers everything. He finds Xiaowei who can't bring herself to eat a heart, tells her he always loves her but would forever be bewitched by Xiaowei's skin. He slashes his eyes and the fox shadows leave him. He takes Xiaowei to go find Jing'er that was about to be killed with the help of Qu'er. Has they fight the Wolf Tribe shaman Qu'er is destroyed when the shaman slashes her with a sword that hand the demon hunter's blood. Qu'er turns into a phoenix and brings back birds that destroy the shaman. Hou Xin asks Jing'er(Xiaowei) to bring Xiaowei(Jing'er) back. Xiaowei(Jing'er) has completely been turned into a frozen figure. Xiaowei possessing Jing'er body wraps herself around her has the eclipse comes over head. Both woman are lighted into the skin and become one. The figure of Xiaowei drops down into Hou Xin's arms then turns back to Jing'er, her scars disappearing. The demon hunter tells us that if a demon got a voluntarily human heart they would merge into the human and spent it with the human for the rest of their natural life. The bird form of Qu'er appears near him. The last scene we see Hou Xin and Jing'er riding off together when the scarf flies off his eyes.
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| Princess Jing'er |
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| Hou Xin |
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| Xiaowei's true form (Different from wormy one of Painted Skin) |
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| Queen of Wolf Tribe and the Shaman |
Painted Skin: Resurrection was beautifully shot from the scenes to the costumes. Although at times the costumes did not all seem to be consistent. I really liked the armors wore by both Jing'er and Hou Xin even the ones from when they were younger. I liked the flowy and dramatic kimonos but at times it did not seem to fit, maybe if it was less culturally distinct, but then Yoshitaka Amano was involved with the design. The make up seemed more evident on Xiaowei but then I think it was intentional to show that she wore a painted skin and we see to scenes were she is painting a face.
The pace seemed a bit slow at times. I felt more was needed for the plot and characterization and development. I had questions about demon mythology and where some ideas came from.
The acting was all around good, especially the women. There was a lot of eroticism interlace between Jing'er and Xiaowei.
The story seemed to be created to make the audience feel particularly sorry for Xiaowei. Although a lot was left vague. If one did not see Painted Skin, Painted Skin II would be more of the injustice done to Xiaowei but if one saw Painted Skin and paid some attention to some details it puts into questions a lot of what is said about Xiaowei in Painted Skin II.
All in all a good fantasy film, not great but if you are interested in that sort of story. I would say give it a watch.
I will follow about Painted Skin and Painted Skin II. How they relate, what happened to Xiaowei's character and because she is the only one that is in both beside the actors how the story is then told. Point of view plays quite a role in what we are told about Xiaowei's situation.
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