Review of Shinjuku Incident (2009) by Ryo S — 14 Sep 2012
An illegal Chinese immigrant organises his community and creates a gang who can stand up to the criminals who prey on them on the streets of Tokyo. Jackie Chan attempts a more serious role in this gritty crime drama in which his trademark slapstick comedy, acrobatics and crazy stunts are glaringly absent.
Instead he plays an ordinary man turning to crime as his only escape from the poverty and prejudice that threatens to consume he and his friends. It has a much darker tone than his usual projects and is certainly the bloodiest Jackie Chan film I have ever seen, but at the same time he cannot help but overcook the more melodramatic aspects of the story and his need to play the hero means the script speedily glosses over his criminal activities which means his character does not quite ring true.
It does have some decent action sequences however and Derek Yee has a nice eye for the underbelly of modern Asian society. An interesting departure for its normally more family-friendly star.
This review of Shinjuku Incident (2009) was written by Ryo S on 14 Sep 2012.
Shinjuku Incident has generally received positive reviews.
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