SYNOPSIS:
An
American man returns to a corrupt, Japanese occupied Shanghai
four months before Pearl Harbor and discovers his friend has
been killed. While he unravels the mysteries of the death,
he falls in love and discovers a much larger secret that his
own government is hiding.
MOVIE REVIEW:
No thanks to the financial woes of The Weinstein Company, this World War II espionage thriller hasn’t seen the light of day in many countries- though we in Singapore should count ourselves lucky. Set in the days just prior to the Japanese invasion of Shanghai, this Mikael Hafstrom film has been beset with problems since two years ago when the Chinese authorities refused to allow it to be filmed in the country. But no matter- after a good one year plus in the editing suite, it’s finally finished, and this reviewer is proud to say that it actually is pretty good.
Boasting a pan-continental cast, the film centres around American spy Paul Soames (John Cusack) sent to look into the matter of the death of his best friend and fellow spy Connor (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). His investigation leads him to local mafia head Anthony Lan-Ting (Chow Yun-Fat) and Anthony’s beautiful wife Anna (Gong Li) whom Paul develops an instant attraction to. Paul’s snooping also gets the suspicion of the Japanese security chief (Ken Watanabe) and soon the myriad characters become embroiled in a game of betrayal and double-crosses.
As scripted by Hossein Amini (best known for dramas like “Killshot” and “Four Feathers”), what ensues is a gripping yarn of intrigue and suspense. For the most part, Amini keeps his cards close, leaving his audience guessing the web of deceit that binds these characters together. Hafstrom also does a commendable job keeping the film humming along at a brisk and assured pace, and even though it does seem that the ambitious film tries to be too many things- romance, political thriller and historical drama- all at once, there’s never a dull moment to be had.
The ensemble cast are also uniformly excellent in their roles. John Cusack’s signature understated acting suits his character of a American spy posing as a journalist, especially given the low-key and unassuming nature Paul is supposed to be. Chow Yun-Fat’s role doesn’t demand much of him, but it’s still pleasant to watch the iconic actor in a Hollywood role that does not cheapen him. Perhaps the standout here is Ken Watanabe, the Japanese actor whose star is fast rising in Hollywood after “Inception”- his seemingly one-note villain character takes a decidedly more complex turn in the last third of the film, and Watanabe fleshes out these complexities with aplomb.
Those expecting an explosive finale may inevitably be disappointed, as Hafstrom is keener to offer answers than action. Nevertheless, he does use the big reveal at the end to make a convincing point how it isn’t always easy to let your mind rule over your heart, reaffirming that the film’s priority in delineating these complicated relationships among its shady characters in a time of upheaval. What action there is in the movie seems merely perfunctory given the film’s intention.
Unconventional this may be not, but Hafstrom has made a solid thriller that is also a throwback to the classic noir thrillers of the 40s and 50s. Production designer Jim Clay does a wonderful job recreating the look and feel of 1940s Shanghai, complemented by Benoit Delhomme’s stylish cinematography that captures the gaudy glitziness of the place. Far better than its troubled production history would suggest, “Shanghai” is riveting enough to keep you duly entertained.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
NIL.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Audio is presented only in Dolby Digital 2.0 so don’t expect anything from your back speakers. Visuals are clear but nighttime sequences could do with better contrast.
MOVIE RATING:
 
DVD
RATING :
Review
by Gabriel Chong
Posted
on 7 December 2010
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