NZIFF 2025 Craccum Coverage | Resurrection

Review by Veronica Zuo

This film confused me so much that I’m writing in first person because I can’t figure out enough to write it like I understand what’s going on. Judging by the other cinemagoers I overheard after the screening, thankfully it wasn’t just me. Directed by Bi Gan, Resurrection is a Chinese science fiction drama centered in a world without dreams, where a creature called the Fantasmer is the only exception. Divided into five acts that move through twentieth century China, reality and dreams collide as the Fantasmer journeys through these periods. 

While without a doubt visually stunning, I found any narrative coherence was thrown out the window. I don’t mind slow pacing or a good long take, but even I found the ones in this film temporally challenging over its two and a half hour runtime. There was a vagueness present where much of the plot felt almost understandable, but not quite within your grasp. Unfortunately, the riddle-like dialogue didn’t help. At some point I gave up figuring things out and stayed for the vibes, which were definitely there at least. Navigating through the war-torn 1930s in moody grey and blue, to the multicolored lights of the city on New Year’s Eve, the visuals had me in a trance just enough to keep me engaged. 

Resurrection feels like a fever dream, not recommended for your average cinemagoer. I might come to understand it another time, but not for now. Or it’s just meant to be a mood film. Maybe some things aren’t meant to be understood.