Shinjuku Incident: Guerre de gangs à Tokyo

Jackie Chan's darkest film yet is a quality piece of drama exploring life within Japan's Yakuza gangs. It's a very atypical film for the star, better known these days for his kid-friendly fare in American family films. For fans of Asian thrillers, the gangster elements will be largely familiar, but they're introduced in a novel and interesting way; it's the first film I've seen detailing the plight of Chinese refugee immigrants in Japan.

The twisty-turny plot offers up many twists that are difficult to predict, and the on-screen action is never less than interesting. Jackie gets the opportunity to focus on his acting rather than his martial arts for a change, and he shines as the conflicted farmhand-turned-gangster. Although this isn't an action film per se, there are many memorable set-pieces, not least a large-scale climax that makes for riveting entertainment.

The film's well-shot, if a little dark, and features decent turns from actors in supporting roles (Japanese actors Naoto Takenaka and Masaya Kato are both excellent). Daniel Wu's character in the film undergoes a particularly frightening and believable transformation. The scenes of violence and torture may not be for every viewer's taste, but THE SHINJUKU INCIDENT is a rewarding experience for those viewers exploring Jackie's progression as an actor.

In the early 1990's, a Chinese man named Steelhead illegally enters Japan by way of a cargo ship, which sinks off the coast. He is looking for his fiancé Xiu-Xiu, who disappeared in the country years before. Stranded miles from nowhere without his papers, Steelhead somehow makes it to Tokyo, where he rendezvouses with friends from back home. They teach him the tricks of the underworld, and he is soon the de-facto leader of an all-Chinese gang. Still searching for Xiu-Xiu- and incurring the wrath of the Yakuza- Steelhead comes to realize that the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side, and that life in Shinjuku may not be worth living at all.

Directed by Derek Yee, 'Shinjuku Incident' is a dark drama that makes for a refreshing change of pace for star Jackie Chan. Yee and co-writer Chun Tin-nam's screenplay focuses on the experience of illegal immigrants, examining how some are taken advantage of and left with no prospects outside a life of crime. Their version of Shinjuku is a violent, inhospitable place populated by bottom-feeding scum and insidious gangsters. Steelhead's story- of an outsider being perverted by the depravity of the city- is a sadly believable one, at times feeling reminiscent of films like 'Manila in the Claws of Light.'

This is not to say the screenplay is without fault. Secondary characters are generally ill-defined and- more often than not- sequences involving the Yakuza feels like a pale imitation of the work of Kinji Fukasaku. Additionally, the character of Steelhead is initially morally ambiguous, though paradoxically becomes more virtuous as he rises in the criminal underworld. Perhaps this was done to acquiesce to Chan's cardinal rule that he never plays a villain- or an irredeemable one, that is. Whatever the reason, it is a strange bit of characterization that feels slightly jarring and out of place within the gritty urban drama that the film is billed as.

'Shinjuku Incident' features assured cinematography from Nobuyasu Kita that highlights the grime and degeneracy of the city. Oliver Wong's impressive production design adds to locations a feeling of authenticity, which the detailed set decoration compounds. Furthermore, the costume design from Satoe Araki and Angelo Bernardo Castillo is striking, with Xiu-Xiu's kimonos and various Yakuza outfits being particularly memorable.

Jackie Chan stars as Steelhead, delivering a restrained performance that ranks alongside his very best. Chan has proven himself an adept dramatic performer before, in projects like 'Heart of Dragon' and- to some extent- the first two 'Police Story' pictures. Here he showcases a great amount of vulnerability, disappearing inside the character in a way he had not done before. Though Steelhead has a moral code and plenty of redeeming qualities, it is still the closest Chan has ever come to playing a bad guy; and he does it brilliantly.

Chan's co-stars prove themselves to be up to his standard, with a few being especially deserving of praise. Daniel Wu stars as a friend of Steelhead's named Jie, who has an interesting character arc that Wu realizes brilliantly. A multifaceted talent, Wu threatens to steal the picture at times with his remarkable ease of performance. Additionally, Fan Bingbing does excellent work as Steelhead's love interest Lily, demonstrating the boundless charisma and pure acting prowess that has endeared her to so many. Also worthy of note is Naoto Takenaka's performance as Inspector Kitano, which is- simply put- faultless.

A gritty urban drama, 'Shinjuku Incident' offers fans of Jackie Chan something a little different. Violent, exciting and nicely shot by Nobuyasu Kita, the film has many positive elements. While the story may lose steam in the latter half, and a few of the secondary characters are underwritten, it is still entertaining and suspenseful. For fans of Chan- and of Hong Kong cinema in general- 'Shinjuku Incident' is well worth a watch.

This is a totally different style of movie that we are so used to see from Jackie.

It is however a very touching story that i highly recommend to others to watch.

The movie is enticing all the way and the directory has done a fantastic job in his filming and story telling.

Given my background, i can very much identify with the characters in the movie.

Life is full of surprises, highs, lows, twists, irony, love, hate, joy, pride and all these are found in the movie.

Just loved it.

I want to start by saying this: if you're a fan of Jackie Chan's usual slapstick acrobatics and comedy that doesn't mean you should shy away from this film. Yes, many of those movies are great but it's also nice to know he can...you know...actually act. Just think of it like Robin Williams doing One Hour Photo. Sure, you knew him as Mork, but he was absolutely perfect for his role in One Hour Photo as the insanely creepy photo lab guy. And so it goes for Jackie Chan. His bread and butter will always be goofball kung fu films but man...he can definitely act if he has to.

In terms of plot there really isn't much you haven't seen before in this film. If you've ever watched a movie about a guy crossing the Yakuza while trying to get the girl, not a whole lot will be new here. I did like the added sense of unity that most Yakuza movies lack with all of the Chinese immigrants. Also, the film touches on the often tenuous relationship that China and Japan share. That's not usually presented in a realistic manner...maybe in Jet Li's Fist Of Legend (still one of the best kung fu flicks to date in my opinion), but that's more of a period piece. And forget about all of those Men Behind The Sun films...while they may be somewhat accurate they're more like snuff films than a real historical look. This may also be (to my knowledge, anyway) Jackie's first Category III movie (for westerners who are unfamiliar, this would be the equivalent of the US's Unrated status or maybe the UK's 18 rating. And I think the Aussies have MA-18? Whatever). So it took Chan until his 50s to make a movie with enough substance to carry such a heavy rating.

I'd definitely recommend this for Jackie Chan fans...especially the ones who started to feel like they'd gotten a bit tired of seeing him doing the same "awe shucks" good guy hero thing. Don't get me wrong...Dragons Forever ranks right up there for me among kung fu films, but you can only milk that for so long, you know? Hell...even Adam Sandler moved on and, let's face it, he's not the most mature guy in the world. But Chan succeeds where Sandler failed...he proved he can be counted on in a dead serious role and deliver as good as ever.

Contrary to many, at least outside the US, I was introduced to Jackie Chan through Rumble in the Bronx. It was his first big hit in the US, and it ushered in a bunch of other Chan films (i.e. Superop, First Strike) into theaters. It was invigorating to see someone with Chan's skills as a fighter, using martial arts like a dancer and doing it all (sometimes painfully) himself. Then audiences could dig in to one of two things: his previous catalog of work from Hong Kong (i.e. Police Story series, Drunken Master), or films like Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon/Knights and his stint in Hollywood. But now he's in his mid-50's, and one wonders if we might see the last of Chan as a real action-oriented star, especially considering forgettable drek like The Spy Next Door is still playing in theaters.

But there is perhaps some hope, and coming in part from Chan himself (for this film he's exec-producer). In The Shinjuku Incident, we see a step forward for Chan in being simply a dramatic actor, as opposed to doing tons of fights and martial arts. Sure, there's still a few stunts to pull in the film, but nothing more than hitting someone with a stick or chopping off a hand really "happens" in terms of the stunts (or, of course, running). Chan is at the service of the story as an actor, and maybe we'll see more of these thrillers or dramas with him as the star; whether they range from greatness to crap is left to be seen. Shinjuku Incident is a nice step in a direction quite removed from The Spy Next Door, and is worth seeing for Chan first, then as a decent Yakuza movie.

The premise has Chan, as a character nicknamed "Steelhead" for his work early on in the film as a laborer, coming to Japan to work menial jobs and find a girl he knew in his village. But he also needs to become a legal citizen (there's a lot of illegals coming into Japan, we learn, as it's the 1990's before China's economic boom), and soon becomes absorbed into a life of crime. Or rather, he does a couple of jobs- one especially for revenge for a friend whose hand was cut off- and ascends to become head of a triad. The story mechanics are a little complicated at times- you do have to pay attention to who is in charge where or who has a vendetta against someone else (in the last third it becomes clearer and more focused to understand)- and the characters are well laid out.

As far as being quite original, I'm not sure. These sorts of stories and ideas have been dealt with before, and none other than Takashi Miike has made a career in part on doing stories about Yakuzai and/or Triad gangs (his first film was even called Shinjuku Triad Society, and concerns a similar theme present in this film: China vs. Japan gangs). And by the end the drama is a bit forced, and a resolution involving a USB is a little circumspect, just as a contrivance really. But it's competently told and filmed by Tung-Shing Yee, who has a history with crime films, and he can always come back to his star when he needs a strong dramatic lead (not that some of the other actors, like the one playing the amputee with a facial scar who becomes a drug dealer, don't do their best too).

I was surprised by how moving Chan could be, if not as memorable as in his Drunken Master days, and it's a good sign of things to come as he goes on in years. It's a small, exciting movie with no big surprises and some interesting dramatic beats.