A
version of this review appeared in The
Age,
June 28, 2012.
A tale of passion, transformation and
beauty, this lavish Chinese fantasy can be enjoyed without worrying
about its predecessor Painted Skin (2008). The heroine
Princess Jing (Zhao Wei) is mauled by a bear in her teens, and wears
a stylish gold mask to hide the scar. Fearful that her handsome true
love General Huo Xin (Chen Kun) will be repelled by her
disfigurement, she seeks the aid of Xiouwei (Zhou Xun), a pale-faced
fox demon with a penchant for ripping out men's hearts. The pair swap
identities, a highly intimate procedure that for some reason has to
occur while both are naked in a steam bath.
It's no surprise to learn Xiouwei has
motives of her own for entering into the deal. In the meantime, a
horde of barbarians prepare to invade the kingdom, under the command
of a sneering, cadaverous sorcerer (Fei Xiang). Other characters
include a bumbling demon-hunter (Feng ShaoFeng) whose uneasy
flirtation with a tricksy bird demon (the delightful Yang Mi)
supplies the comic relief.
The director Wuershan, whose grotesque
farce The Butcher, The Chef and the Swordsman had a brief run
in Australian cinemas, aims for a lush, romantic style here. He
favours rich colours, speed ramping, sweeping music and cartoonish
special effects, while highlighting the contrasting textures of
metal, water, flesh and fabric. Even the action sequences are
prettified: a shower of burning arrows appears gorgeous rather than
threatening, and a fight between lovers feels more like a
pas de deux.
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