A Jackie Chan film with Less Action - Shinjuku Incident

Shinjuku Incident (2009) - Hong Kong

Cast: Jackie Chan, Daniel Wu

Direction: Derek Yee

Genre: Drama, Crime, gangster

Jackie Chan, the action king is the favorite star of most action freaks. He has attracted the kids and teens by the funny actions he does in his films. It’s rare if action freaks don’t like him. Likewise it is rarer if we see him deviating from his usual and typecast action movies. Isn’t it? Yes. After acting in numerous action films and having achieved an unbreakable action hero image, Chan turned his focus towards drama with powerful story and least action. 

 

 The plot follows the rise and fall of Chinese immigrant workers into gangsters amidst the native Japanese clans. Chan plays Zhao aka Stealhead, an illegal immigrant from a Chinese village among many others, and does odd jobs for living. He wants to get legal status in Japan and protect the fellow immigrants from native gangsters’ assault and law enforces. After a couple of conflicts with native Yakuzas and Thai gangsters, he rises to prominence as the boss of his fellow immigrants.

Shinjuku Incident is a heavy drama with least action. The plot is dark and set in an amazing manner, with Chan in a completely different and ‘never seen before’ performance. He delivers a stand out, laudable performance and steals the show. I must say that this is the best film of Chan’s career. It was produced by Chan himself. I wondered why Chan hasn’t acted in movies like this before. Also this is the most violent of all his movies, with some brutal killings and bloodshed. But it suits very well to the tone of the film. Added to Chan, the supporting cast also gave more than average performance. Chan’s ex lover and his present lover, inspector Kitano, gang leader Eguchi, and fellow immigrant Jie did their roles above the mark. The film tells a moral truth that newly found power and money makes people tend to become corrupt, sinister, and aggressive and lose their control. Trusts, love, deceit, defeat, guilt, regret, all of these are in Shinjuku. The film has more dialogues and emotional expressions rather than fist fights, martial arts and chases. There are of course fights in the movie of course, but not Chan’s usual comical type. 

Chan’s and hardcore action fans may get disappointed if they expect much action like his earlier movies Police Story, First Strike, etc. Those who are very much fond of dramas, this is highly recommended. Please do watch the Hong Kong version. The English dubbing is not so good.

My rating: 8.3/10

The Name is Bond, James Bond - Era of Daniel Craig

Daniel Craig is all set to take a ride in his upcoming film Skyfall as the fictional MI6 spy James Bond for the third time. The 23^rd Bond film is scheduled for release on October 26 2012, also marking the 50^th anniversary of the series. With the marvelous and catchy performances in previous two bond films and also in his recent Fincher directed universally acclaimed The Girl with Dragon Tattoo, Craig became one of my favorite actors. Javier Bardem, the assassin who threatened us in No Country for Old Men now takes the seat of main bond villain. The cast also includes another finesse Ralph Fiennes, and Judi Dench as M for the 7th consecutive time. The movie is directed by Sam Mendes, famous for American Beauty. With all these factors, my expectations are soaring towards Skyfall.

 

Most of the successful persons get criticized from different directions, mostly by the media before they achieve. Craig too didn’t escape from them. There were numerous protests and internet campaigns opposing him when he was chosen as a replacement for Pierce Brosnan. Daniel was even mocked as “my name is bland, James bland” because he is not tall and handsome as how they have seen the bond in previous films. For those who think he is not handsome, please watch the movie Layer Cake. What a stylish and stunning performance! And that landed him directly the opportunity and made EON head Barbara Broccoli to choose Craig as a strong contender for the next bond. The producers too were under lot of oppositions as to whether the decision of choosing Craig is correct. Nevertheless, he achieved what he deserved by his flattering performance in Casino Royale and returned as even grittier and vengeful in Quantum of Solace. There lies his success story and the blue eyed actor is back again in Skyfall. He is a bad guy working for good people which is how Craig describes his characterization as Bond. He has given a new dimension to the most famous spy film series as a newly promoted, dark and gritty, dangerous and ruthless killer agent. He is completely different from other versions of bond.

In Daniel Craig era of bond, there are many firsts. Chosen as bond at the age of 38, he is the first actor to portray bond who is younger than the series itself. He is the first blond actor to play bond and also portrayed as a rookie for the first time, learning his lessons to whom he must trust. Many film enthusiasts told that Craig truly represent Ian Fleming's James Bond from the original novel as ironic, brutal and cold. He is more vulnerable as a rookie agent, and emotional too, the aspect which was largely missing in Roger Moore or Sean Connery’s bonds. Bond movies are usually noted for the stunt and fast action scenes. But most of the yesteryear bond actors never afforded to injure themselves and so used body doubles. But in Craig’s era, he did all his stunts in both the films by his own. Right from falling on the roof of bus to jumping from a three storey building, he did all by his own. A close realism in action scenes are accomplished, obviously without relying on Q’s gadgets..!!

No matter whatever people tell, he is the best bond actor and there is no second thought from me in this.  I am eager to watch it in big screens..!!!