Indonesian films have gained worldwide recognition with The Raid series. Now, another blockbuster to join the list is The Shadow Trace, which started streaming on Netflix on October 17, 2024. Written and directed by Indonesian director Timo Tjahjanto (The Night Comes for Us, Headshot), this action crime thriller is packed with brutal action, gore, and emotional moments with a runtime of 2 hours and 24 minutes. The film, which premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, has received critical acclaim with an 89% score on Rotten Tomatoes. But is this film for everyone? Let’s take a deeper dive into its action, cast, and overall impact!
What’s the story?
The story of The Shadow Trace revolves around a 17-year-old teenage assassin named Codename 13 (Aurora Ribeiro). She is a ninja-style trained killer in a secret assassin group called "Shadows". During a mission to kill a Yakuza leader in Japan, she accidentally kills a civilian, causing the Shadows to suspend her. Upon returning to Jakarta, 13 befriends an 11-year-old boy named Monji (Sebastian Cero). Monji's mother is killed by a crime syndicate, after which he is kidnapped. To save Monji, 13 embarks on a bloody journey of revenge against her mentor Umbra (Hana Malasan) and the Shadows organization. The story features an election subplot linked to a crime syndicate, 13's past, and some extremely brutal action scenes.
Analysis: Why did the film work?
The reason The Shadow Stress succeeds as an action film is because of its raw, unfiltered action style. Timo Tjahjanto brilliantly mixes the silat martial arts, a trademark of Indonesian cinema, with Hollywood-style neo-noir visuals. The pacing of the film, especially the first hour, is very fast, which grips the viewer. The friendship between 13 and Monji gives an emotional anchor to the film, which would otherwise have remained just an action fest.
The strength of the film lies in its characterization, especially that of 13. She balances her innocence as a teenage girl with her lethal skills as an assassin very well. The moral ambiguity of the Shadows organization - the question of whether they are heroes or villains - adds an interesting layer to the story. But, the election subplot and some of the underdeveloped secondary characters drag the film back a bit. The film would have been more impactful if it had been trimmed by about 20 minutes and focused the story more.
Performances
Aurora Ribeiro brings this film to life. Her physical performance as 13 is amazing - her agility, strength, and intensity in the fight scenes make her an action star. Her vulnerability is very well displayed in the emotional scenes, especially in the flashbacks to her past and her relationship with Monji. Critics have praised her as “the beating heart of the film,” and rightly so.
Hana Malason is very interesting as Umbra. She brings depth to her role as a mentor, an assassin, and a loyalist of the Shadows. Her final fight scene with 13 is the highlight of the film, and her physical performance here is amazing. Young Sebastian Cerro plays Monji very naturally. His innocence and tragedy give the film an emotional core. His scenes with 13 are very touching, but his character feels a bit underwritten.
The rest of the cast: Actors like Adipati Dolken (Ario), Taskya Namya (Arma) and Christine Hakim (Senator Sumitra) did well in their roles, but the impact was somewhat reduced due to the lack of screen time and development for their characters.
What are the highlights?
Action and choreography: This movie is a full meal for action movie fans! Timo Tjahzanto, along with Muhammad Irfan and Trisna Iravan, creates amazing fight scenes using silat martial arts. The nightclub massacre scene, the warehouse shootout, and the scene where 13 enemies are massacred in a van are guaranteed to give you goosebumps. Critics have compared the film to John Wick or The Raid, but the Indonesian brutal touch makes it unique.
Cinematography and Music: The film's neo-noir visuals, bloody scenes, and dynamic camera movements give the film a grand scale. Ajaneesh Loknath's background score makes the action scenes more thrilling. The lighting and color palette give the film a dark, gritty feel.
Emotional Connect: The friendship between 13 and Monji, and the flashbacks to 13's past add some emotional depth to the film. These elements make the film stand out as more than just an action fest, but also a character-driven story.
What are the downsides?
Runtime: The runtime of 2 hours and 24 minutes is a bit long. While some of the action scenes are amazing, some scenes in between feel dragged. The impact would have been greater if the story had been edited tightly under 2 hours.
Lack of depth in the story: The story is very straight forward - an assassin protecting a boy against his organization. However, the character development and emotional depth feel a bit lacking. The election subplot is also not well integrated.
Extreme gore: The film is filled with very bloody and gory scenes. While it may be enjoyable for hardcore action fans, it may be overwhelming for sensitive viewers. Critics have also warned that it is not for the “faint-hearted”.
How was the film?
The Shadow Strike is a thrilling experience for action movie fans. Timo Tjahnto succeeds once again with his signature brutal action. Aurora Ribeiro's performance, silat style stunts, and neo-noir visuals make the film one of the best action movies of 2024. The friendship between 13 and Monji, and the moral complexity of the shadows give the film some emotional weight. However, the long runtime, simple story, and overdone gore may be a letdown for some.
The film works as a badass action movie, but it would have been even better with a slightly tighter story line and editing. The film's biggest win is introducing a talented actor like Aurora Ribeiro to an international audience.
Who should watch it?
Those who like hardcore action movies like The Raid, John Wick, or The Night Comes for Us.
Those who enjoy gory, bloody fight scenes.
Those who want to see female action stars (Aurora Ribeiro is a show-stealer!).
Who might skip it?
Those who don't like gore and extreme violence.
Those who watch for a strong story or emotional depth.
Those who find long runtimes boring.
Where to watch?
The Shadow Stress is available on Netflix with Indonesian, English, Spanish, and French audio options. You can select English or other languages for subtitles.
Our rating: 3.5/5
The Shadow Stress is a thrilling ride for action movie fans. Aurora Ribeiro's dynamic performance, Timo Tjahzanto's brutal action, and neo-noir visuals make the film one of the must-watch action films of 2024. But, the long runtime and simple story took a bit of a backseat. What did you think of this movie after watching it? Share your thoughts on X!