The Shadow's Edge

The Shadow's Edge marks what may very well be Jackie Chan's finest film in the past decade. At 70, Chan proves once again that his legacy isn't just built on nostalgia but on his continued ability to deliver electrifying action that feels fresh and sharp.

The fight scenes are the undeniable highlight. With crisp editing and tight choreography, the action flows seamlessly from one sequence to the next. Credit goes not only to Chan's relentless dedication but also to the fight director and camerawork, which cleverly amplify his movements. By relying on very few stand-ins yet framing him to appear faster and sharper than his age would suggest, the team has crafted fight scenes that honor his physicality without hiding his years.

True to Chan's style, the film isn't just about fists and kicks. Sprinkled in are moments of light drama and well-timed comedy, enough to draw out both smiles and tears without overstaying their welcome. The villain, portrayed by Tony Ka Fai Leung adds genuine weight to the narrative, delivering a performance that stands toe-to-toe with Chan's presence.

As for the story, the plot twists strike a solid balance-surprising enough to keep audiences hooked, yet never crossing into corny territory. It's a mature kind of unpredictability that feels fitting for a veteran action star's return to form.

Verdict: The Shadow's Edge is not only a thrilling showcase of Jackie Chan's enduring artistry but also a reminder of why he remains one of cinema's most beloved action legends. It's fast, funny, heartfelt, and easily his best in the last ten years.

On Friday, August 22, the Bright Future of Humanity Global AI Film Competition officially kicked off at the Steven J Ross Theater on the Warner Bros. Studio lot in Burbank, the heart of Hollywood filmmaking. Veteran Hollywood producer Ellen Eliasoph was invited as a special guest and spoke during the forum session.

After the event, casual conversation turned to the recent Chinese box-office hit The Shadow's Edge. The film's director Larry Yang and producer Victoria Hon are close friends of Eliasoph, who later joined a special "Expert Screening" session on August 26 to watch the film.

The film tells the story of a hacker gang that steals billions in cryptocurrency and outsmarts the police AI surveillance system known as "Sky Eye." With no other options, Macau police recruit retired surveillance master Huang Dezhong "Jackie Chan" to mentor rookie officer He Qiuguo "Zhang Zifeng" and rebuild the "mysterious surveillance team." Together, they face off against criminal mastermind Fu Longsheng "Tony Leung Ka-Fai", in a tightly wound game of cat and mouse. Within the framework of a crime-action thriller, the film cleverly weaves in trendy elements of AI and cryptocurrency, while contrasting old-school tailing methods with modern surveillance technology, creating fresh narrative tension.

The film's greatest strength is its pacing. The story unfolds almost like it's in "fast-forward," yet character development doesn't suffer. Jackie Chan's Huang Dezhong turns logical deduction into part of his physical performance-"action in sync with thought"-delivering exactly the kind of high-energy summer spectacle audiences crave. While calling it Chan's best performance in a decade might be overstating things-his acting and action remain firmly in his signature style-this is certainly the best project he has been part of in the past ten years. Director Larry Yang's brisk pacing and light comedic touch also mesh perfectly with Chan's current on-screen persona of "retired but not resting."

Tony Leung Ka-Fai, as always, delivers an outstanding performance. His portrayal of Fu Longsheng is chilling, cunning, and nearly unhinged, carried off with great ease. Surprisingly, his action sequences are even more intense and plentiful than Chan's, raising concerns about whether the 67-year-old star could endure such physical demands. Yet whether in action or dialogue, his face-offs with Chan generate riveting tension, especially in three key scenes-the elevator, the market, and the home confrontation-all of which are highlights of the film.

The film also carries forward the aesthetic of "Hong Kong street realism." Many pivotal moments unfold in everyday settings: subtle probing in an elevator, psychological sparring in a marketplace, and veiled confrontations over a shared meal. These lived-in details bring the characters vividly to life. The fraught intimacy between Fu Longsheng and his son Xiwang-expressed through a bowl of noodles or the act of shaving-captures the delicate balance of affection and menace in their relationship.

Among the younger cast, Zhang Zifeng avoids being overshadowed. As He Qiuguo, she maintains a strong presence even between heavyweights Chan and Leung, her lively performance showcasing a positive generational handoff.

That said, in films headlined by Jackie Chan, younger actors often struggle to shine. The "wolf pack of adopted sons," touted in the film's promotion, feels underdeveloped. Aside from CiSha, who plays dual roles as Xiwang and Ximeng, other young actors-including Wen Junhui "Jun of Seventeen" have little screen time.

One behind-the-scenes detail stands out: Jackie Chan reminding Zhang Zifeng to thank the stunt performers "No matter what you do, learn to be a good person first." That off-screen lesson may be the film's most touching moment.

Overall, The Shadow's Edge blends old-school and modern storytelling with down-to-earth human touches. It retains the familiar hallmarks of a Jackie Chan action film while reviving a long-missed sharpness. At over 140 minutes, it does feel a bit overlong-tighter editing could have made it flawless-but the overall experience is exhilarating. A post-credits scene hints at a sequel, and if one comes, I'll be eager to watch. Ultimately, the film's success rests on Larry Yang's skill as both writer and director.

Tbh I'm not into action movie but TSE is totally worth to watch. Everything was perfect, every detail of the scene, the storyline, and the tensions were truly palpable. Their fighting scenes incredibly amazing. And I can feel the emotion. Especially the sad scenes, really touched my heart, made me cry along, for real. Big applause to all the casts and crews 👏 Great Job 👍💯

After a slew of stinkers over the past couple of years like Kung Fu Yoga, Bleeding Steel, Ride On, and Panda Plan, we all thought that Jackie Chan doesn't have what it takes anymore. Lo and behold we have The Shadow's Edge, a remake of 2007's Eye in the Sky. It promises the showdown we all dreamed of: Jackie VS the legend Tony Leung (who also appeared in Eye in the Sky), but given the stinker streak he got, anticipation and expectations are kept at a lukewarm level.

Surprise, surprise, this is arguably Jackie Chan's strongest film since 2017's The Foreigner. Even in their late 60s, this movie shows why Jackie and Tony are still legends for a reason. The supporting cast are also decent, with excellent performance by Zifeng Zhang in particular. The story is convoluted but fairly easy to follow, with the usual double crosses and in particular, really gritty and brutal action and violence, in particular from Tony Leung side. There are some comedic moments but they're few and far in between, but it doesn't detract an otherwise very serious Jackie Chan movie.

If there's any criticism, it'll be it's length. At over 2 hours, you kinda wish it trimmed down a good 20 minutes or so. The editing also leaves a lot to be desired with aggressive zooms, out of place sound effects, and jumpy quick cuts, very clearly to mask Jackie and Tony's sluggishness in combat (though the credits very clearly shows them doing most of the stunts, as do the supporting cast, so that's definitely appreciated). The CGI for some scenes in the first half is insultingly bad in the first half, which is weird considering how well the rest of the movie looked, and it has pretty shameless sequel bait *and* AI glorification, which I can tolerate the former, but boy does the latter actively detract the movie.

Criticisms aside, The Shadow's Edge is a very competent, very well made movie, that finally leverages Jackie Chan's underrated dramatic acting scenes, and absolutely uses Tony Leung to its maximum potential. It is absolutely Jackie Chan's best movie since The Foreigner, and Tony Leung's best performance in a while. I do hope for Jackie in particular, he keeps this newfound momentum, because after years of stinkers and surrounding himself with CGI animals and slapsticks, I think it's time for him to go all in for the dramatic.

When a group of thieves vanishes into thin air after pulling off a heist. The police have no choice but to call in a retired officer to help them track down the culprits.

This is a classic action-packed Jackie Chan flick. The story has a lot of themes, from cryptocurrency to technology and AI assisting police in surveillance. Unfortunately, the story has too many elements, resulting in a longer-than-necessary runtime and even a few plot holes. The action and stunts are classic Jackie Chan, and his fans will enjoy seeing him still in action. The two-hour and twenty-one-minute runtime is excessive, with many segways and digressions in the story. An excellent stream for Jackie and kung fu fans.