Cast Member: Vicki Zhao Wei

It has numerous nods to the Shaw Brothers classics and harks back to those swordplay flicks of yesteryear, making you smile, cry, jump for joy and shout like a banshee, like any good martial arts film should.

It never quite capitalises on a spirited beginning, eventually becoming more of a leaden-footed drama than a blood and thunder action flick.

I’ve lost 90 minutes of my life that could’ve been more productively spent on getting rid of those pesky nostril hairs. Make sure you don’t make the same mistake.

Not to everyone’s tastes, could have been a little shorter and hardcore Yen fans may be let down by the lack of dynamic hand-to-hand combat but ‘Painted Skin’ is still a stylish slice of fantasy filmmaking.

‘Painted Skin 2’ ramps up the CGI spectacle and melodramatic romance, all but forgets the action and excitement and thus is a rather hollow but undeniable pretty to look at fantasy.

Despite having no conclusion of its own, all of the groundwork of the characterisation and story make the next chapter an exciting prospect.

Part 2 is certainly the superior one, but both deserve individual credit for reviving the dying embers of John Woo’s career.

As is often the case with Chow’s movies, what really sets it apart from other outings in the genre is the inclusion of a heartfelt story.

Those with a spare couple of hours and a penchant for attractive women shooting up enough plate glass to build a large greenhouse should rent this today.

With a clearly impressive budget and a star-studded cast, it is to be expected that the film is padded out and not always as engrossing as it should have been.

‘The Postmodern Life Of My Aunt’ is expertly made, superbly shot and mostly involving. Yet there’s something missing in this odyssey of an elderly woman’s experiences in the city.

‘Three’ could be the least involving, least exciting action thriller in recent memory. That it has Johnnie To behind it is a particularly sad thing to report.