The Shinjuku Incident (DVD)

Jackie Chan forgoes his usual cocktail of fisticuffs and frolics and turns his attentions to something more serious in director Derek Yee’s latest offering; The Shinjuku Incident. Chan plays Steelhead, a Chinese immigrant who makes his way to 90’s Japan in search of childhood sweetheart Xiu Xiu (Jinglei).

However any hopes of a life of happiness over the ocean are soon dashed. Steelhead and brother Jie (Wu) are reduced to menial labour and unsavoury dealings with the black market to make a pittance. And if life as a struggling immigrant wasn’t bad enough, Steelhead finally makes contact with his long lost love only to discover she’s changed her name and is now hitched to a local mob boss. Soon Steelhead’s dodgy dealings descend to greater depths and to make things worse, he’s soon forced to contend with increasing police interest.

The performances are all pretty impressive, with Jackie Chan putting in a fine turn as Steelhead. Despite all his bumbling antics in the likes of the Rush Hour series, here he’s given a full opportunity to flex his real acting muscles and he does so with relish. Steelhead’s relationship with one time fiancé Xiu is particularly entertaining and aptly performed, but it’s his relationship with little brother Jie that really stands out and sees Chan hit the highest notes. Still, it’s doubtful this film will turn public perception of Chan around completely. He handles the difficult material admirably but is far from pitch perfect. It’s a performance that’s a pleasant surprise, rather than a revelation. 

The director is also deserving of praise because The Shinjuku Incident looks fantastic. Shots are chosen well, the camera is handled expertly and the colours look sharp and boast a real depth. The script itself is a pretty weighty one, beginning in melodrama territory before finding its footing in crime drama, but the writing is sharp and committed to its central characters and things rarely veer too far off point.

The film has its drawbacks though. The romantic edge is perhaps a little overplayed and unnecessary. It occasionally scrapes too close to soppiness, often at the expense of more engaging story strands – particularly the brotherly bond between Jie and Steelhead. Some early scenes set in China are also misplaced, overly romantic and scream of setup for heartbreak to come. For the most part though, the film manages to traverse genres successfully, even when it veers off into gangster territory in its last act.

Overall Verdict: Jackie Chan still has a way to go before he’s shrugs off his action shackles completely, but he nonetheless turns in an impressive performance in this superior crime drama.

Special Features:
Making of
Behind the scenes featurettes
Extended and deleted scenes
Trailers
Interviews

Reviewer: David Steele