REVIEW: The Shadow's Edge (2025 Film) - Starring Jackie Chan and Tony Leung Ka-fai

Review by Jon Donnis

Larry Yang's The Shadow's Edge is a big, slick action thriller that manages to keep its head while delivering the kind of set pieces you only get when Jackie Chan is involved. The story follows a cyber-criminal gang that vanishes with billions, forcing the police to rebuild an elite surveillance team led by retired tracking expert Wong Tak-chong, played by Chan. It sounds like standard cat-and-mouse fare, yet the film rises above thanks to sharp direction and a cast that knows exactly what kind of film they're in.

One of the best things here is the balance between plot and spectacle. Too many Jackie Chan vehicles lean on action while the story struggles to keep up, but not this time. The narrative is tight, easy to follow and engaging from the opening heist to the final confrontation. Chan himself does not appear until around the twenty-minute mark, but when he does, he commands the screen with the quiet authority of a veteran who knows his craft. His Wong Tak-chong might not share a name with the cop from Police Story, yet it feels like a spiritual continuation of that iconic character. He is older, wiser and more strategic, and Chan plays the part with the kind of lived-in gravitas that only comes from decades of experience.

Zhang Zifeng shines as rookie officer He Qiuguo, bringing depth and determination to a role that could have been generic. Her evolving relationship with Wong has genuine warmth, adding a father-daughter layer to a film that might otherwise be all chases and fights. The action scenes are every bit as inventive as fans would hope. There is one sequence in particular that looks so impossibly dangerous it seems like computer trickery, only for the post-credits outtakes to reveal it was all done for real, (a car flipping over as Jackie moves out of the way). This is classic Jackie Chan, mixing precision choreography with real-world stunt work and a sense of fun that no amount of CGI can match. Tony Leung Ka-fai, meanwhile, makes a superb antagonist. As criminal mastermind The Shadow, he is a perfect counterweight to Chan, and their eventual showdown carries the weight of two veterans testing each other's limits.

The negatives are more minor than major. At 142 minutes the film runs long, and a tighter edit might have given it a slightly sharper edge. The lack of an English dub will also be a barrier for some viewers. The Mandarin dialogue is subtitled and while the translation is clear, the rapid pace of some scenes can leave you scrambling to keep up. Still, these are small complaints in a film that otherwise delivers on nearly every front.

The Shadow's Edge is proof that Jackie Chan can still anchor a big action thriller without resorting to nostalgia alone. He embraces his age, using it to bring texture to a character who relies on brains as much as brawn, and the result is one of his most satisfying films in years. With gripping set pieces, a clear and engaging story, and performances that hit every note, this is a must-see for action fans. A confident and highly entertaining return to form. Score: 9 out of 10

Trinity CineAsia presents The Shadow’s Edge in UK and Irish cinemas from 3rd October

NEWS: LEGEND Rolls Out Thirteen Channel Premieres This October

By Jon Donnis

LEGEND is bringing a full slate of action and adventure to TV screens this October, with thirteen channel premieres spanning westerns, thrillers, sci-fi, martial arts and hard-edged revenge tales. It's a line-up of heroes, villains and anti-heroes, each fighting their own battles across decades of cinema.

The month kicks off with the sweeping western Mackenna's Gold (1969) on Thursday 2 October. Gregory Peck stars as a marshal forced to lead a gang of outlaws to a hidden canyon rumoured to be filled with gold, with Omar Sharif as the ruthless chief determined to claim it.

On Saturday 4 October comes Hitman (2007), Xavier Gens' adaptation of the best-selling video game. Timothy Olyphant plays Agent 47, a genetically engineered assassin caught between the demands of his profession and an unexpected crisis of conscience, complicated further by his bond with a mysterious woman played by Olga Kurylenko.

Dwayne Johnson takes the wheel in Faster (2010) on Sunday 5 October. Fresh out of prison, his character is on a single-minded mission to avenge his brother's death, tearing through those responsible in a relentless pursuit of justice.

Thursday 9 October sees Craig Fairbrass in London Heist (2016), a gritty British thriller about a career criminal whose father is murdered and stolen money goes missing, pushing him deep into a violent underworld of betrayal.

The pace continues on Friday 10 October with The Replacement Killers (1998). Chow Yun-Fat stars as an assassin who refuses to carry out a hit on a child, only to find himself hunted by his own employers, with Mira Sorvino as the forger who becomes his unlikely ally.

Sylvester Stallone returns in Rambo: Last Blood (2019) on Saturday 11 October. The battle-scarred veteran has retired to a quiet ranch life, but when a cartel kidnaps someone close to him, he unleashes a brutal mission across the border.

Eric Roberts fronts Hitmen (2023) on Thursday 16 October as a wealthy businessman who sets a bounty on those responsible for his grandson's death, sparking a deadly competition among the world's most dangerous killers.

Saturday 18 October brings Jason Statham in The Bank Job (2007), a heist thriller inspired by the infamous Baker Street robbery. A seemingly straightforward vault raid becomes entangled with secrets far more dangerous than money.

Antonio Banderas stars in The 13th Warrior (1999) on Sunday 19 October. Based on Michael Crichton's novel, it follows an exiled ambassador who joins a band of Norse warriors to face a terrifying, almost mythical enemy.

Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan collide in The Foreigner (2017) on Thursday 23 October. Chan plays a grieving father hunting down the terrorists responsible for his daughter's death, while Brosnan's government figure holds secrets that complicate the chase for justice.

Vin Diesel fights both alien predators and human mercenaries in Riddick (2013), airing Saturday 25 October. Left to die on a hostile planet, his only chance of survival is to trigger a beacon that attracts bounty hunters, forcing a violent showdown.

Clint Eastwood takes the lead in In the Line of Fire (1993) on Sunday 26 October. He plays a Secret Service agent haunted by his past failure to protect JFK, facing off against John Malkovich's brilliant but unhinged assassin plotting to strike again.

The month closes with Deep Rising (1998) on Friday 31 October. What begins as a luxury cruise ship hijacking spirals into survival horror when the intruders discover something monstrous lurking in the depths of the ocean.

With so many iconic names and unforgettable set-pieces, October on LEGEND promises a feast of high-stakes action every week.

TV: Sky 148 / Virgin 149 / Freeview 41 / Freesat 137

PREVIEW: The Shadow’s Edge (2025 Film) - Starring Jackie Chan

Preview by Jon Donnis

Jackie Chan returns to cinemas this autumn in The Shadow's Edge, taking on a criminal gang unlike any he has faced before.

A cyber gang makes off with billions, slipping past the police's "Sky Eye" surveillance system. With the authorities out of options, they turn to Wong Tak-Chung, a retired tracking expert played by Chan. Reluctantly, he steps back into the game, mentoring rookie officer He Qiuguo, played by Zhang Zifeng, as they assemble a small but elite surveillance team. Their target is Fu Longsheng, the "Wolf King," played by Leung Ka Fai Tony. What starts as a hunt quickly becomes a tense game, with the thieves ready to strike back at any moment.

Chan and Leung share the screen for the first time in twenty years, their last film together being The Myth. Chan, now 71, returns to a law enforcement role he has played in different forms throughout his career, this time as a veteran officer facing a new kind of threat.

Leung, at 67, embraces villainy once more. Known for taking on very different roles with each project, he balances the physical and psychological demands of the part, showing a side that is both dangerous and precise. For someone who has mostly focused on arthouse films recently, this is a noticeable shift.

The film is directed by Larry Yang, whose previous work includes Ride On and Mountain Cry, and who shapes the story into a modern take on the classic cat-and-mouse thriller.

The Shadow's Edge opens in UK cinemas on 3 October, presented by Trinity CineAsia.

REVIEW: Karate Kid: Legends (2025 Film) - Starring Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio and Ben Wang

Review by Jon Donnis

There's something quietly reassuring about a film that knows exactly what it is. Karate Kid: Legends doesn't try to reinvent the wheel. It leans into the nostalgia, embraces the familiar beats, and then slips in just enough new energy to make it feel fresh. The result is a tight, spirited martial arts drama that feels like a proper chapter in the franchise rather than just a spin-off or legacy cash-in.

This time around, we meet Li Fong, played by Ben Wang, who gives a grounded, honest performance as a young kung fu prodigy uprooted from his life in Beijing and dropped into the rougher corners of New York City. You feel the weight on him. He's dealing with grief, change, cultural dislocation, and teenage awkwardness, all while trying to stay true to himself in a world that's clearly lost its balance. His dynamic with his mother, played by Ming-Na Wen, is tense and believable, especially as she urges him to leave martial arts behind for good.

Things shift when he crosses paths with Mia Lipani and her dad, Victor, a former boxing champ turned pizzeria owner, both of whom bring a warm, blue-collar energy into the mix. Their world feels real, like something you'd find in the Bronx or Queens on a weekday evening. That comfort doesn't last long, though. There's trouble, of course, in the form of Conor Day, a smug, technically brilliant karate champion who pushes Li to his limits, both in and out of the ring.

Once Jackie Chan's Mr Han re-enters the picture, the tempo picks up. There's a satisfying rhythm to his scenes, with the humour and dry wisdom that Chan always nails. He's not just there for a cameo or fan service either. Mr Han genuinely feels like a character who's been living in this world all along, quietly shaped by loss and duty. His decision to call in Daniel LaRusso feels earned, not gimmicky, and when Ralph Macchio finally shows up, the nostalgia hits hard.

There's something almost surreal about seeing Macchio and Chan sharing scenes together. It's long overdue. And weirdly, it works. They balance each other well. Macchio still has that earnest, slightly awkward charm, and you can tell he's playing LaRusso with a bit more depth now, like someone who's seen too much but still believes in doing the right thing. The two mentors tag-teaming Li's training, mixing Miyagi-Do with Han's kung fu, gives the film a fresh twist while respecting its roots.

The action is slick without going over the top. It's not wire-fu or Marvel-level madness. It's more grounded, focused on technique and impact. When Li starts training for the Five Boroughs Tournament, the choreography steps up, and you can tell they put thought into blending the different fighting styles. Still, part of me missed the slower, more meditative training montages the older films did so well. The rooftop garden stuff is lovely, but it could've used more breathing room.

There are a few bumps. It takes nearly an hour for LaRusso to show up, which feels like a missed opportunity considering how much weight his name still carries. And while Johnny Lawrence's late cameo is a blast, it leaves you wanting more. He steals every second he's on screen, delivering some brilliantly sharp lines, and you can't help but wish he'd been threaded into the story earlier.

But the film's strength is how it ties things together. It doesn't just go through the motions. There's emotional weight behind Li's choices, especially when you learn more about his brother Bo and how that trauma has shaped his mother's fears and his own hesitations. The final confrontation hits hard not just because of the physical stakes, but because it represents something bigger for Li. A reckoning. A kind of peace.

Clocking in at around 90 minutes, it never overstays its welcome. It's lean, well-paced, and surprisingly heartfelt. You get a proper arc, some cracking fight scenes, moments of genuine humour, and that warm, familiar glow that only Karate Kid stories seem to manage without turning saccharine.

Karate Kid: Legends isn't trying to be clever. It doesn't need to be. It knows the formula, it respects it, and it executes it well. And with Ben Wang leading the way, there's every chance this franchise might still have a few more rounds in it.

A confident, well-crafted return. I'd give it a solid 9 out of 10.

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