Movie Digest
Mad Scientist has created a highly developed humanoid robot with sympathetic nerves that can satisfy desires. Unexpectedly, the robot began to develop its autonomy. With the use of black technology, it swapped the skin of Su Xin for its own and hid next to her boyfriend, Wang Sheng. On the other hand, a police officer named Li Dongbin has become interested in the peculiar serial murder case, and a threat is covertly developing.
The Feel-Good Part
Because of the use of prosthetics and makeup, the effects on the robot are generally lovely.
The Disappointing Factor
The humor in the film often comes as a surprise, making it difficult to know whether you should laugh or not. The finale can be somewhat disappointing to watch as there is a dead end to the search for love by the robot, and there isn’t a proper closure. The film tried to bring in a lot of futuristic elements, but the execution was poor.
In-Depth Analysis
The chapter ‘Painted Skin’ from the classic Chinese novel Liao Zhai did serve as the inspiration for the movie. It is about a robot whose primary purpose is to please its master but later gains consciousness. But it is now attempting to become more human and wants to learn more about what it thinks defines what it means to be human and experience love. The events were predictable because of the generic and straightforward nature of the storyline. The conclusion is entirely artificially produced, and nothing remarkable occurs. In any case, the story does not contain any big surprises. The showdown is merely an attempt to pass for one and is uninspiring. There was material that could have engaged in more detail, so it would have been better if the movie had aimed for a more contemplative conclusion. Su Xin frequently gives the impression of being a spoiled girl who, while being admittedly rather self-assured and even having a job, is not all that interested in her boyfriend and somehow comes off as a little stereotypical. In terms of the personality of Su Xin, all of this is not very convincing, but at least Su is more entertaining as a robot. She dismantles the social strata in China, calling out the culture with an obsession with money and highlighting how getting married is merely a facade for others, with no real commitment to a relationship. The fact that capital controls the people of China is even depicted quite well in one scene, but occasionally the socially critical undertone comes off as a little preachy.
Star Power
Hayden Kuo playing the role of Su Xin and the robot Su Xin was great to see. She did a great job in switching between the two characters. They assembled a strong cast of actors and actresses, and their individual and group efforts helped the film tremendously.
Overall Opinion
This film does not have a great sense of the sci-fi genre. If you want to watch a movie mindlessly, go for it and do not analyze the scenes while watching.
