A visually stunning and thematically ambitious animated feature from Hong Kong blends ethereal beauty with stark brutality. The film transports viewers to a realm known as the Afterworld, a waystation for souls awaiting rebirth.
This liminal space is governed by a benevolent deity and populated by diminutive, cherubic guides tasked with ushering the departed toward their next existence. Here, the unresolved angers and sorrows of the deceased manifest as intricate crimson tangles. Despite eons of effort to unravel these knots, the cycle of human malice and suffering persists, a central lament of the narrative.
The story follows one particularly inquisitive spirit guide who becomes fascinated by the emotional burdens of the souls he assists. His journey intertwines with several poignant tales: a young girl desperately seeking a lost sibling, and a princess consumed by vengeful rage following a royal parent’s demise. The guide’s attempt to prevent a corrosive evil from taking root within the princess sets in motion a catastrophic chain of events that threatens both the living world and the afterlife itself.
Presented in a mesmerizing palette of dreamlike pastels, the animation creates a breathtaking and surreal landscape. This beauty is deliberately juxtaposed with scenes of intense, often medieval-inspired cruelty, firmly marking the work as adult-oriented. The film posits a complex view of humanity, dwelling on our capacity for profound destruction while still acknowledging the resilience and beauty of the spirit.
Ultimately, it is a rich tapestry of ideas—a philosophical fairy tale that contemplates grief, hatred, and redemption. Its relentless pace and dense weave of narratives, however, may leave some viewers emotionally detached despite the undeniable power of its imagination and visual splendor.
The feature is scheduled for theatrical release.