Movie Review: The Shinjuku Incident (2009)

Movie Review: The Shinjuku Incident (2009)

The movie is about how a Chinese tractor worker, Steel Head, enters Japan illegally to look for his long-lost girlfriend, Xiu Xiu, only to find her married to a Japanese yakuza leader. Realizing that his personal dream of uniting with Xiu Xiu is no longer possible given the circumstances, Steel Head decides to make Japan a more permanent home by starting illegal businesses with a handful of Chinese and Hongkong illegal immigrants in the Shinjuku region of Tokyo.

With the help of the local yakuza, he begins to accumulate power and gains terroritories to form a strong presence there, attracting even the worries of the local police force. Steel Head tries to convert his illegal businesses to legal ones and wants his followers to lead a more carefree life from crime but unfortunately, power corrupts and so many of his followers start to turn to more violent and dangerous crimes to finance their ever-growing lavish lifestyles. Eventually, dissatisfaction about Steel Head's peaceful ways sets in and the movie climaxes into a explosive confrontation within the Chinese community and against the other yakuza's gangs who are already discontented with the success of the former on Japanese lands.

Expect quite some violence with hands being chopped off, throats being silted, as well as characters turning dark and broody, so for those who cannot take in such scenes, just close your eyes for a moment. Sharp-eyed techies will notice LCDs and thumb-drives being out of place during the 1990s Japan but I think those are small flaws against the strong acting by the various actors and actresses in the movie.

I like the way Jackie Chan turns from a seemingly-invincible superhero in his previous movies to a reluctant immigrant who turns to crime and sheds blood, sweat and tears in the process to make his life more comfortable. The supporting cast strongly complements the movie's plot and the interwining between immigrants, yakuzas and police is also intriguing and sinister. For 120 minutes, I was well-entertained with the themes of love, survival, contentment, friendship, power, loyalty and honour and not just for Jackie, but also for the colourful supportin cast, a 4 star out of a possible 5 will not seem overly-generous for a good portrayal at the lives of immigrants sandwiched between the yakuzas, the police and themselves.