This review may contain spoilers
It's worth your time
Like what the headlines said, it really is worth spending your saturday night watching this movie. In fact, unlike most movies where I find them to be sometimes too short for any character development to happen, this movie really utilises its time well.Let's start with advantages:
Firstly it knows how to grab the viewer's attention. From the very first scene, it convinces you that this movie is worth watching. The intro scene is not creepy, but I'm not sure if others will think the same since I can tolerate horror and thriller. I was smiling at the whole intro, not because I'm a lunatic for smiling at the scene full of dead bodies which gives off a gloomy atmosphere, but because of the set, the details, the acting. When I saw the old lady, of course sshe gives off creepy vibes. She really gave me the chills, and I really appreciated her acting. The starting scene, for me, was so interesting, especially when the face of the corpse came off and was latched onto another person by insects.
Next, the movie does not include useless characters and useless scenes. It goes straight to the point, and every scene progresses the story in a steady pace. However, I do not like the maid's attitude. Her name was Xiao something, I can't remember her name. She kept calling for the officials despite her master telling her that there are no witches in the house. How has he not fired her yet? Or at least give her a good scolding?
Other than that, let's talk about the sets, the makeup, and the costumes. Right after the intro scene is when the movie officially starts. There was a scene when there's a close up shot of the FL, and the makeup was done so neatly! The costumes were definitely not cheap too. It was well designed, especially the appearance of the master of the two demon ladies. The two demon ladies' outfits were nice too, but its just the same type of clothes with different patterns and colours. The set is something more impressive than the other two points. Each and every set, like the part of the street where the ML was selling his paintings, only need a certain part since scenes involving the streets take less than half an hour. But you can see the immaculate details in that scene. The smell of money will hit you right in the face. Movies can sometimes have better qualities than dramas since it is shorter to produce.
Lastly, the ending. Out of all the main characters, only two still lived. Initially, I thought that the Taoist Priest is annoying, something like that monk in The White Snake. But no, he is useful and reasonable, and I'm glad he survived. The other one who lived was the ML. So he has a wife that was extremely sick, and fell in love with the demon, the FL. I thought he's cheating on his wife but it turns out he only respected his wife like how a married couple should, with no intimate feelings whatsoever, but thing is, he couldn't live with her. Why does he feel that way, I also have no idea. It could be an arranged marriage for all we know. On the other hand, he loved the demon lady, but stabbed her in the end knowing she's a demon. He thought that she killed his wife, and told her that he never liked her despite painting her before. After he stabbed her, he stabbed himself. The demon lady sacrificed her life so that he could live, even though he misunderstood her. The ending tore me, and I couldn't ask for a better ending. My favourite line was from the Taoist Priest, "Humans and Demons can never be together". My favorite scene was when the ML discovered the FL's letter. The demon just wants to be loved.
So in the end, the movie still stuck to the realistic side. The ML didn't forgive the FL just because she's the FL. He did according to what he think is right, and as much as I hate him for misunderstanding her, it's completely alright since he had no way of knowing. No one told him anything.
Now, the movie has its downside too.
Firstly, many things were not explained. There are very minor, but it still bothered me a little regardless.
1. Why could the demon pass through the tailsman? It's not like she inhabited the ML's wife's body.
2. The ML is a scholar, given the way he was dressed when he went out. He earns money by selling his paintings, and lives in a lavish house. Given my experience in watching historical dramas and all, a painter that earns money like that, instead of an auction hourse, is usually poor or at least 'middle-class', as they call it.
3.Why is the FL's 'sister' so afraid of the clothes that their master gave them? Maybe I didn't catch on but what's the disadvantage of wearing such clothes? And what are those clothes made of that could cause such disadvantage?
4. Why did their master kill the FL's 'sister' in the end? Because she talked too much to the ML that it eases the tension? She could've helped the master defeat the humans, but the master choose to kill her own people in the most crucial time, how laughable.
5. Where was the ML's wife buried? How did she pass away?
6. Who was the one in the bathtub when the maid ate something and saw the change in face? Is it the FL's 'sister'? Because when the maid ran to find her master, the FL was with him and his wife. So why is the maid convinced that the demon is the FL, but did not think of the fact that some other demon might come uninvited?
And although I've praised the quality of the set, I couldn't praise the set where the FL's 'sister', the officer and the Taoist Priest first fought. They were previously on a street, and the next they were somewhere on a hill. I don't know why, the transition was so smooth, so why didn't I like it? Is it because the set of that scene looks fake? I don't know but what I do know is that I do not enjoy that scene.
Overall, the downside of this movie is minor, so I wouldn't discourage you from watching it. Enjoy!
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Exquisitely directed
This is a hidden gem. I am two years late watching this short film. It’s a shame that this wasn’t promoted well because everything about this film is exceptionally great. Newcomer actors portrayed their role really well you can’t tell that they are still new actors.It has a dark and mysterious theme but done jn an exquisite way. The director is known for dark themed work that leaves a viewer enthralled.
The entire production did well with wardrobe, scene sets and props. It will not disappoint.
You need to focus on every detail to truly grasp the story and watch til the very end to explain few things.
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It's better than the current 7.3 rating. Worth a shot!
There are many “Painted Skin” movies and dramas, and they all are adapted from the collection of “Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio”. I think this newest movie version deserves more than the current 7.3 rating on MDL. For a lower budget web movie without any big name actors, this movie has a simple plot that flows well. There’s a beginning, middle and end, and they all make sense. I don’t feel that the movie was too rushed or too draggy within its 1 hr and 20+ min runtime.This “Painted Skin” has a different story from the 2020 movie, which is more of a BL. Maybe it was rated higher because of the BL craze? I actually like the 2022 version more and felt that the production quality is pretty good for a web movie. The intro is a little creepy but really reels you in. The tone is set right from the get-go. The costumes, sets, fight scenes and especially the CGI is really good. I’ve seen other big budget productions with way worse production quality and make my eyes roll with crappy green screen scenes.
The acting of the cast is decent, though not extraordinary. At least, I don’t feel distracted because of anyone’s subpar acting. Nita Xia and Shi Guo Hui are both beautiful actresses and could definitely play the role of a demonic seductress. Kenji Chen is a handsome fellow and I don’t blame the female lead for falling in love with him at first sight. The supporting cast is small with many veterans, who all play their roles well.
Overall, I recommend this movie if you enjoy a fantasy forbidden romance, with a slight horror tone to it. However, don’t expect a star-crossed lover type super romance. There are no fluffy or cute scenes. “Painted Skin” is an easy watch and nothing really stands out for me to say is annoying, irritating or terrible.
Completed: 8/26/2023 - Review #345
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