The Shadow’s Edge Review

Remakes have played a fundamental role in cinema since its infancy; some of the earliest remakes date back to 1896. There are many reasons to remake a film, though such efforts inherently carry risks. A remake, whether deliberate or subconscious, implies that there is something worth improving upon in the original—after all, why would you remake something perfect? Take Disney’s The Lion King, which was remade to utilise cutting-edge visuals for modern audiences, or Heat, remade to realise the director’s definitive vision. In the case of The Shadow’s Edge, it aims to tell a cat-and-mouse story of an old-time surveillance expert targeting a dangerous adversary who can manipulate security systems and conceal their identity amid a world saturated with surveillance.

The Shadow’s Edge begins with a heist. Fu Longsheng (Tony Leung Ka Fa), an older man and the leader, directs his five adopted sons in stealing millions of cryptocurrency. However, the sons push their luck by stealing more than planned after discovering a secret crypto stash. Consequently, they are pursued by the police but manage to escape through quick disguise changes. They gang successfully outsmart both the police and the surveillance system, Sky Eye. To bring the gang to justice, the police decide to bring in Wong Tak Chung (Jackie Chan), a retired tracking expert, to assemble and train a team to catch the gang the old-fashioned way— with boots on the ground.

Cat-and-mouse stories are simple in concept but can be complex in execution. What distinguishes average from exceptional examples is that complexity. I saw the Devil and Age of Shadows excel by subverting genre expectations. The complexity of The Shadows Edge lies in the idea that even with the most powerful AI-driven surveillance systems designed to predict a target’s next move, prove ineffective against these thieves. This tension is captivating and keeps viewers on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

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The initial heist—and this applies to most of the action scenes—is overly edited, whether to hide obvious doubles or to heighten tension. Nevertheless, the opening is so visceral that I was genuinely engaged. The disguise changes were nothing short of slick, establishing a genuine threat. Tony Leung Ka Fai is convincingly menacing as the leader Fu Longsheng, displaying a remarkable range from compassionate to chillingly sinister. He faces his match in Jackie Chan’s Wong Tak Chung. Introduced with Jackie Chan’s signature over-the-top humour, the character quickly reins it in, delivering one of his strongest performances since The Foreigner.

Watching Wong build his surveillance team and giving each member an adorable codename like Pork Bun is engaging. However, the only fleshed-out team member is the rookie detective he mentors, He Qiuguo, played commendably by Zhang Zifeng. Her character is deeply connected to Wong’s past on the force, which adds emotion to this thriller. The rest of the cast are competent, if somewhat forgettable. Jackie Chan delivers some of his best action scenes in nearly a decade, despite their flaws.

Larry Yang does a great job writing and directing this ambitious film, though with flaws. The first 20-30 minutes suffer from awkward pacing and editing compared to the smoother flow of the latter two hours. While I don’t fully agree that the best editing is the one you don’t notice, I do feel The Shadow’s Edge overcomplicates its editing, perhaps trying to compensate for a lack of style. However, once it finds its rhythm, the film takes off and delivers true spectacle.

The Shadow’s Edge stands as Jackie Chan’s finest film in nearly a decade, offering thrilling, if imperfect, action in a pulse-pounding game of cat-and-mouse set in the digital age. It’s an edge-of-your-seat thriller that captivates from start to finish, leaving you exhilarated and eager for more long after the credits roll.

★★★★

In Cinemas from October 3rd / Jackie Chan, Tony Leung Ka Fa, Zhang Zifeng, Ci Sha, Wen Junhui / Dir: Larry Yang / Trinity CineAsia / 15

About the Author

Robert Ewing

Author

I am a freelance film critic and writer who specialises in Anime and Asian cinema. I have adored film since a young age, having watched films that were far too old for me, such as RoboCop, Die Hard, and Hot Tub Time Machine, to discovering the heights of foreign cinema through films like Headhunters and Battle Royale. Growing up with such a diverse catalogue of films that I cherished sparked my desire to discuss them. This passion eventually led me to become a reviewer. Dissecting films, speaking to filmmakers I admire, and showcasing the best of Asian and anime cinema is how I live my best and truest life.

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