The story of The Shadow dates back to the 1930s, when it was a pulp comic created by Walter B. Gibson. Evolving into a radio show narrated by the one and only Orson Welles, the tale centers around Lamont Cranston, played in this adaptation by Alec Baldwin, who purportedly knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men. His powers of suggestion and telekinesis come from the Tulku, and Cranston eventually works these powers into his crime-fighting alter ego, the cloaked Shadow. He is hunted by Shiwan Khan (John Lone), a direct descendent of the brutalist Genghis Khan, as Khan looks to continue his ancestor’s legacy and control the world, starting with New York City.
First and foremost, the cast of this film is downright staggering, even taken in a bubble. Alec Baldwin, contentious and douchey as he is, is a compelling Shadow. The supporting cast bears Peter Boyle, Jonathan Winters, Ian McKellen, and Tim bah gawd Curry, which immediately elevates the film. The acting is better than competent, and it feels like everyone wanted to show up to work on this film, despite the IP laying dormant for some three decades since its last adaptation.
This is in a time where the Tim Burton Batman movie was just a few years old, as was the Sam Raimi-helmed Darkman. As such, it was a niche for its time. If this film came out today, I can’t say that I would like its chances, even with modern production values. If it came out tomorrow, it would be just another superhero movie, but because it was a Nineties film, there is a charm and panache to it that makes most everything work. On that note, even the CG animation looks alright, especially by 1994 standards. With the Blu-Ray glow-up it looks even better, as the animation aged fairly well, all told.
The shortcomings of The Shadow lie in the storyline. As enveloping as the acting is, as pretty as the film looks, the throughline of the film holds this one down. We run into several tropes such as idiot guards (“We’re closed” is not a proper reaction to a would-be sarcophagus busting open) and a madhouse ending leave the film feeling ham-fisted, and given how solid everything else is, that’s a shame.
The Shadow is something of a deep cut, sure, but it’s worth a watch. The character work and acting is great, even if the story drags on and probably could have been pared down a few minutes for a tighter finished product. As for if it deserves a silver anniversary re-release, why not? Loathe to admit it, comic book films are in vogue, and this is a decent one, all told. It’s visually appealing with plenty of familiar faces, and it’s a fun watch.
Grab the Umbrella Entertainment Blu-Ray here.
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