Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- lavish
- melodramatic
- darkly romantic
- fantasy movie night
- visual spectacle night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film entertaining and technically lavish, with especially strong performances from Zhou Xun and Zhao Wei, despite an overlong and uneven script.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Xiaowei seeks mortality and human belonging by consuming hearts and pursuing willing love.
The film emphasizes its icy prison, masked princess, supernatural transformations, and lavish costume production.
The relationship between Xiaowei and Princess Jing becomes the film's central emotional and dramatic axis.
Jing conceals facial scars beneath a gold mask while Xiaowei uses seductive beauty as part of her supernatural quest.
Films like Painted Skin: The Resurrection, and why
The Forbidden Kingdom
lavish Chinese fantasy action, supernatural creatures, romantic melodrama, and elaborate visual effects
A Chinese Ghost Story
Chinese costume fantasy combining courtly romance, female-centered emotional conflict, and stylized supernatural spectacle
The Warlords
mythic Chinese setting, seductive supernatural forces, tragic romance, and ornate action filmmaking
The Legend of the Evil Lake
female-centered fantasy melodrama with beauty, transformation, sacrifice, and heightened visual design
Movie Details
- Director
- Wuershan
- Release Date
- 2012-06-28
- Runtime
- 131 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (112)
Cast
- Zhou Xun
- Chen Kun
- Zhao Wei
- Yang Mi
- William Feng
- Chen Tingjia
- Lenox Lu
- Kris Phillips
- Gordon Liu
- Li Bingyuan
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Hi-YAH Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Apple TV Store
- Buy
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Painted Skin: The Resurrection about?
- An imprisoned fox spirit and a scarred princess become entwined in a lavish struggle over love, identity, and the price of becoming human.
- What is Painted Skin: The Resurrection like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Painted Skin: The Resurrection as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Painted Skin: The Resurrection violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Painted Skin: The Resurrection as moderate.
- What did critics think of Painted Skin: The Resurrection?
- Critics broadly found the film entertaining and technically lavish, with especially strong performances from Zhou Xun and Zhao Wei, despite an overlong and uneven script.
- Which films are like Painted Skin: The Resurrection?
- Films with a similar feel include The Forbidden Kingdom, A Chinese Ghost Story, The Warlords, and The Legend of the Evil Lake.
- How long is Painted Skin: The Resurrection?
- Painted Skin: The Resurrection runs 131 minutes.
- Where can I watch Painted Skin: The Resurrection?
- In United States, Painted Skin: The Resurrection streams on Hi-YAH Amazon Channel.
