Synopsis: A roving ghost spirit who is controlled by the Ying Yang Evil Clan, disguises herself as a human to hide on earth. Her spirit can only be saved and released by a ghost-busting monk who soon comes to her rescue.

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Views: The swan song of legendary director King Hu, is somewhat of an anticlimax considering the amount of incredible films he had already brought fans over the years. That's not to say that Painted Skin is a bad film at all – it just simply couldn't be – but more of a case of having seen it all before. The years between 1987 and 1991 saw us receive the wonderful trilogy of A Chinese Ghost Story which, in turn, spawned a host of copycat films and inspired many directors to make something similar. It seems that King Hu was one such person! Of course, Hu had co-directed the popular Tsui Hark produced Swordsman film (with Sam Hui) just a few years prior, but his 1980s productions hadn't made as much of a splash such as The Juvenizer (1981), All The Kings Men (1983), and The Wheel Of Life (1983) respectively. Personally, I believe King Hu was at the height of his game as a director from the mid 60s through to the late 70s, and had been a successful enough actor from the mid 1950s appearing in around 40 films until he mainly focused on his forte. Hu also wrote the most of anything he directed, and Painted Skin would be no exception – although this time joined by Zhong Ah Zheng who also penned The Assassin in 2015, which starred Shu Qi. That said, I didn't think there was anything too special about the script for this project, which came across as a pretty average piece. The story of Painted Skin had been told a couple of times before in Hong Kong cinema, one in 1966 by director Bao Fang and the other only 3 years before King Hu's by director Cheng Shao Feng - although I have yet to see either of them for comparison...

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If there is one thing Painted Skin benefits from, its having big names such as Sammo Hung, Adam Cheng, Joey Wong, Wu Ma star as well as a cameo by Lam Ching Ying, but the majority of all the other cast seem to be first time actors or at the very least, didn't go on to do too much more after this. Of course, after her success with the aforementioned A Chinese Ghost Story, the beautiful Joey Wong was pretty much typecast from here on in much like Lam Ching Ying was after Mr. Vampire. Wong would go on to play the role of a flirting ghost in more than a few titles throughout the next decade, and offers up one such role here as a spirit who is stuck between heaven and hell. Adam Cheng steps into the role of the scholar, in search of a woman who can carry his child since his wife in unable to have babies. But unlike the most of his roles as a dashing swordsman, Cheng plays a more subdued role than that of which he portrayed (the very same year) in Fong Sai Yuk 1 & 2 with Jet Li. The great Wu Ma and Lau Shun play a couple of odd priests, with the amazing Sammo Hung out-ranking them as a mysterious High Monk that helps save the day. Although production dates jump between 1992 and 1993 for Painted Skin, it's safe to say that (either way) Sammo was a vey busy man around this period – both as an actor and a director – with titles like Moon Warriors, Ghost Punting, Lovers Tear, King Swindler, Blade Of Fury, and Kung Fu Cult Master on the cards (most of which leave this film in the dust in terms of entertainment value). And last but not least, the greatly missed Lam Ching Ying pops in (and quickly out again) in a cameo as the Purple Monk.

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And while it has its moments in a visual sense, the cinematography in Painted Skin didn't really reach the heights of that in Hu's earlier films such as A Touch Of Zen (1971), The Fate Of Lee Khan (1973), or Raining In The Mountain (1979). This time, cinematographer Stephen Poon was behind the lens – the same guy who shot classics like Armour Of God (1986), Pedicab Driver (1989), Hero Among Heroes (1993), Shanghai Affairs (1998), Master Of Zen (1994), and many more including a host of Jackie Chan hits as part of the camera crew. In fact, one of Poon's first jobs was as a focus puller on King Hu's Legend Of The Mountain in 1979. Painted Skin is produced by Ng Ming Choi and Chung Wai Shing, both of whom have had plenty of experience in the Hong Kong film industry. That said, the latter would only work as a producer and planner throughout the 90s with films like A Serious Shock! Yes Madam! (1993), Tough Beauty & The Sloppy Slop (1995) and The Hunted Hunter (1997) with Yuen Biao, and Leopard Hunting (1998) with Jade Leung and Yukari Oshima. Ng Ming Choi on the other hand, who is probably better known as Yuen Ting – one of the Seven Little Fortunes and classmate of Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung – would star in over 70 films, appearing in many classic hits from Shaw Brothers studios and independent titles from Hong Kong and Taiwan, including a host of King Hu's more memorable films, some of which he would also help choreograph. And speaking of choreography, that is left to the brilliant Alan Chui for Painted Skin – an actor and choreographer who has starred in over 130 films, worked in the action department on titles such as Leopard Hunting (1998), Super Lady Cop (1992), The Killer (1991), Shaolin Vs Ninja (1983), Demon Strike (1979), A Chinese Ghost Story (1987), and even co-directed the fun (but very low budget) Tough Beauty & The Sloppy Slop (1995) with Yuen Biao and Cynthia Khan. To be honest though, there's really not enough action going on here for my liking – saving everything for the final 10 minutes or so. I just hope that one day we see this get restored on Blu-ray to give it the chance to shine a little more and then, perhaps, I might enjoy it a little more!

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Overall: A little uninspired and hardly vital viewing, Painted Skin feels uneven at times but is worth one watch at least if you have nothing else to do!