Shinjuku Incident (2009)

Touches You

Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

Don't listen to the negative reviews

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

I thought this was a really moving film. A man who lives in china flees to japan to look for his girlfriend who has married into a Yakuza clan. Harboring ill will towards the Japanese, Steelhead (Jackie Chan) comes to realize that in japan most economic endeavour's are made by the local gangs, and their leaders. On the street, it is anybody's game. However, in the midst of the chaos, Steelhead's brother Jie, (Daniel Wu) just could not fit into the crime scene as well as steel could. So his brother buys him a chestnut cart to further is goal of attaining his ultimate dream. Yet as with all Yakuza lords, Toshinari Euguchi, (Masaya Kato) uses the Chinese for his benefits. This places Steel in front as a called upon hit man who actually carries out his orders. Seeing as this presents itself as an opportunity to see his ex-girlfriend, steel now becomes the boss of Shinjuku district. Yet within the ranks of his new found fortunes, his so called brethren take it upon themselves to become their own opportunists behind steel's back. With the Taiwanese people as well in the middle, steel now is surrounded by betrayal, ambitious fellow countrymen, a now rebellious Jie who lost his hand by the Taiwan lord.And with the police in the mix, steel now faces a possibility that turning his life around was for nothing. Armed with information from Euguchi he makes a choice to turn it all over to the authorities once and for all before his sanity takes a plunge off of the deep end. I found this film wonderful that Jackie's acting has got a lot better than his usual comedy routine. It is a dark movie of corruption, drugs, violence, political rivalry, as well as a moralistic view on how or why people lose themselves in the gritty underworld of the Yakuza. It shows the basis of how a human being can go to such lengths to attain a certain freedom other than the daily grinds they are so used to.Being exposed to such dangerous avenues, is the reason people lose the battle of between doing the right thing, or doing it to survive. It is the loss of will, to keep one's head held high, or watch as everyone else loses to greed.I understand that at the end of the film, it showed a paragraph on why people in china immigrated to japan to escape the communistic regime, and to live without the restraints of their government. Not so long ago, the Chinese people were economically sound, but with the constant global impact of taxes, duty pay, and other forms of free trade agreements, it is no wonder money is the only moral they know now.Most if not all historic attributes to China has been abandoned. No forms of old school learning such as martial arts, or meditation is used, nor is the way of enlightening one's soul left for the young. Jackie Chan has brought a good film forward to let the public know that not all are as bound to the monetary system. Albeit for him to make this movie.Yet it is sad to see such a people lose the hopes and dreams they once held. Using old world, and archaic means to keep the people in line is what drives most to the brink. Great action, wonderful actors, brilliant adaptation to the nineties immigration pulse. Recommended for those over 18.

Well, as an avid fan of Jackie Chan, it was with some interest that I acquired this movie, especially after having read the synopsis for the storyline. So I was quite anxious to watch this movie.And now having seen it, I must admit that this is indeed a different Jackie Chan movie, albeit it is not the best of his movies. And by that I mean that this movie is different from the traditional and usual slapstick action comedies that Jackie Chan is known for. This movie is darker and more mature - more serious in nature and its story.In "The Shinjuku Incident", Jackie Chan, plays Steelhead, an illegal immigrant from China seeking to make a life in Japan. However, as an illegal immigrant, work is scarce, and often only the work that the Japanese themselves do not want to do, is available for the Chinese immigrants. Tensions run high and gangs are striving to make a living and carve out names for themselves. The gods of luck and fortune shine their grace upon the Chinese immigrants, but is that particular line of work worth the effort?"The Shinjuku Incident" is a more raw, brutal and 'realistic' movie, standing out from Jackie Chan's usual repertoire of movies. Especially as he is not a super martial artist practitioner in this movie. And it was actually quite a nice change of pace to see him in a role and a movie like this. It is quite a radical change of movie genre and character style for Jackie Chan, but it works out quite well.There is a good handful of actors and actresses on the cast list to this movie. Xu Jinglei playing Xiu Xiu/Yuko Eguchi did a great job along side Jackie Chan. Naoto Takenaka playing Inspector Kitano also stood out with his performance. I am not overly much fan of Daniel Wu, but in some movies he does a great job, "The Shinjuku Incident" is, however, not one of those movies. His character is plain and turns to worse after having his hand chopped off. Plus his acting wasn't particularly enthusiastic here."The Shinjuku Incident" is a great addition to the Jackie Chan legacy, as well as to the DVD collection of any fans of him. It is uncompromising, different, bold and hard-hitting.

Two men, Steelhead, a migrant worker from China, and Kitano, the detective who hunts illegal Gastarbeiters in Japan, are caught in the middle of an unfolding mob war in the very core of a heavy personal drama, set in Tokyo.A clear cut devotion to a code of honor unites two men from two distinctly different and opposing walks of life.When Steelhead saves Kitano's life in the beginning of the movie, we witness chemistry between the two, an unuttered understanding. When they later move to solve the crisis they became part of, we are hooked and seek to find out whether the two will clash or bond in the end.The movie is built on an intense plot with a tragic story that stands on social contrast and brings to light shady and unsolicited brutal details of how far a battle for survival can take you. Beneath layers of consumerist glamor, there's a well concealed life of pain and misery. As a rule people don't really want to go there, but Jackie Chan and his crew make it a point to sober us up and make us see the naked truth.This film is a shocker. It doesn't offer an escape into a surreal fun world where everything is peachy. Jackie Chan here is on top of his new game as a drama actor and he does well. His character has been through a lot and lives through many controversial choices. Steelhead tries to trick his consciousness into a compromise, but doesn't succeed even when swept away by the waves of criminal unrest. Kitano, in turn, is played with a classy Japanese reserved flavor. He walks the city to protect his people and in the end learns quite a bit about what life is really made of.

Steelhead arrives in Shinjuku from China in hopes of finding the woman he loves. But his innocent world is soon tainted with crime and bloodshed as well as heartbreak.If you are expecting a Kung-Fu movie...Wrong film. This is about Jackie's acting skills, and he demonstrates that he actually is a fantastic actor who can play heart wrenching roles just as well as the Kung-Fu funny man. I honestly loved the story of Steelhead pursuit to be reunited with his lover, and when he finds out that she is with another man, he descends into the world of organised crime, threatening the Yakuza.There are flaws in the film, the second half is a let down with Daniel Wu taking on the look of a 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' character. But apart from that there is not a bad actor among the cast, everyone gives a hundred percent...Yes, there are a lot of characters, which is another flaw, but you look past that and focus on Steelhead.The last Jackie Chan movie I watched was Rush Hour 3, and I just felt that his heart was no longer in mindless fighting films..I'd seen the genius of his intellect as he combined comedy with kung-fu in his earlier films...And this has re-invented him...Good job Jackie!