Demon Busters!

Painted Skin
Directed by Gordon Chan, starring Donnie Yen, Vicki Zhao Wei, Zhou Xun, Aloys Chen, and Betty Sun.

While out protecting the innocent and being all around swell guys, General Wang and his troops save a beautiful young woman from a group of bandits. Wang (Chen) promises young Xiao Wei (Zhou) that he will be her protector from now on. Upon their return home, Xiao Wei goes to live with Wang and his wife Peirong (Zhao). While Wang professes his undying loyalty to a suspicious Peirong, Xiao Wei beings stealing the hearts of all the other men in the village. Literally. Wang and his men didn't realize it when the "rescued" her, but Xiao Wei is a bit of a wolf in sheep's clothing, or, in her case, a demon in human skin.

Not long after the village receives it's inhuman visitor, it recieve's another visitor in the form of the former general, Pang (Yen). Before forcing himself into a life of exile, Pang was general, with Wang his subordinate and closest friend. Unfortunately, the two had a dispute on the field of battle, leading to a rift in their brotherly bond. Being a super badass former general and kung fu expert, Pang is asked to discover the source of evil that has taken the town hostage, and to destroy it.

Armed with disbelief, Pang sets out to stop the foul being only at the behest of the lovely Peirong. This causes the rift between Pang and Wang to deepen, and furthers the distrust between Wang and Peirong, as she believes Xiao Wei to be a demon that has designs on her husband, and Wang is unwilling to admit or believe anything. Even though he is pretty much the best thing ever, former general Pang is aided by evesdropping, self-proclaimed "Demon Buster" Xia Bing (Sun), as he and Peirong risk everything they have to stop the demon before it's too late.

Based on several stories from Pu Songling's Strange Tales From a Chinese Studio, Painted Skin is pretty much awesome. Gordan Chan throws together an odd mix of technique, music and action to make a sloppily fun horror-fantasy-romance-comedy-drama. The acting is superb, and even Yen manages to do more than preen for the camera, giving an engaging and fun performance. Painted Skin is definitely not fine cimena by any means, but it is a terribly entertaining film. In fact, if one were to look for a contemporary film that is more fun than Painted Skin, they'd be hard pressed to find it.

Films of note:
Gordon Chan - Beast Cops
Donnie Yen - In the Line of Duty IV, Once Upon A Time in China II, New Dragon Gate Inn, Iron Monkey, Ballistic Kiss, SPL, Seven Swords, Flashpoint
Zhao Wei - Shaolin Soccer, Chinese Odyssey 2002, The Postmodern Life of My Aunt, Red Cliff
Zhou Xun - Beijing Bicycle, Hollywood Hong Kong, Perhaps Love


Next time: All HK films with If u care..., My Heart is That Eternal Rose, Your Place Or Mine, and When I Fall in Love...With Both.