Walking Shadow

A perfectly ghastly entry in what was shaping up as an eagerly anticipated annual event, A&E's end-of-Summer dramatization of a Spenser novel.

As I was initially fearful, the re-casting of Ernie Hudson was a blunder… a shaven head and a leather coat does not a "Hawk" make! The new co-henchman character of "Vinnie," who didn't have a line of dialogue in the entire screenplay, was infinitely more interesting. Hudson makes one long for the over-the-top version portrayed by Avery Brooks in the Robert Urich TV series and subsequent tele-flicks.

The director… Po-Chih Leong, who somehow has made the transition from the Shanghai cinema school to teleflicks… must have seemed like a good choice given the setting, the Chinatown of an East Coast port city which is an entryway for an illegal alien smuggling scheme, apparently has seen one too many Ang Lee films, and tried mixing alternative points of view in a style reminiscent of the late '60s Roger Corman drug flicks. It detracted from an already incompletely realized narrative and was nothing more than an absurd stylistic conceit. (No cohesive story? Dazzle'em with camera-work!)

Author Parker makes another of his fatuous, wordless cameos, and director Leong gives him a slow zoom close-up that suggested his character is to play a larger role in the narrative. Of course, he doesn't, and in that three second shot, Parker overacts on a par with Steven King in his cameos.

Joe Mantegna was clearly hampered by the direction and the script (by Parker and his wife Joan, to whom all of his novels are dedicated). Even the always excellent Marcia Gay Harden was forced to struggle with a suddenly silly "Susan Silverman." Oddly, Eric Roberts comes off reasonably well in a role as a sympathetic villain, although that suffers from poor direction as well!

What a disaster! I actively hated this tele-flick!

I can enjoy pretty much any adaption of a Parker novel and Walking Shadow lends itself pretty well. The major issue for these movies is casting. I'm getting used to Mantegna as Spenser but don't think I'll ever come to terms with Harden as Susan Silverman. I think that in Susan, Parker has created a character that cannot be satisfactorily duplicated. Also, Ernie Hudson is NOT Hawk. I always thought Dennis Haysbert would be a good match. Just an opinion.

All in all, a good effort. Here's hoping A & E keeps putting these out.

Although Robert Urich captured the physicality of the Spenser character, Joe Mantegna carries off the character's flippant one-liners and quiet badass manner in a more mature manner. Mantegna's calm, reasonable explanation of his (Spenser's) job to the leader of a Chinese Tong is a dead on perfect novel-to-film translation.

Unfortunately, some other parts of the movie don't hang as well. I love Ernie Hudson, but can't buy as him Hawk. But then again, who could follow Avery Brooks's portrayal of the character? If Brooks was unwilling to reprise his role, then it should have been renamed and given to another actor who could have made it his own. And Spenser's visions should have been more intergrated into the plot. Was he seeing these visions as a warning that he should get out of the private eye biz?

Minor qubbles aside, I loved WALKING SHADOW as I've loved all of A&E's SPENSER movies and I hope they continue to produce them. Joe Mantegna seems as if he's really comfortable playing Spenser and he throws off them smart ass/sarcastic lines REAL good. I luv ya, Joe..

All I can say is this movie is very good. It's the 3rd instalment of the Spencer movies, and it is the best. Eric Robert is the reason I saw this and he is a great actor in this great film on A&E. Joe Montena is AWESOME as Spencer and the rest of the cast is so good. I'm glad they made these specil movies foe A&E. It's a trhiller about a who done it and you will be a little surprised at the ending. I was really into the story and the suspence and just plain old great acting by the whole cast. A must see for anybody who loves crime stories. Our of 4 stars I give it 3 1/2 stars. Watch and just enjoy!