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
