Exciting version of the popular comic books and broadcasting tale about the immortal crusader called ¨The Shadow¨ with very watchable FX and lots of fun . Several visual designs provide the highlights for those in the mood for a journey back to the radio past or a quick superhero adventure . As our stalwart hero , a billionaire playboy named Lamont Cranston (Alec Baldwin) is a master of illusion and defender of justice thanks to his alter ego . Aided by companion Margo Lane (Penelope Anne Miller) and a Cabman (Peter Boyle) he battles super-criminal named Shiwan Khan (John Lone) . He discovers his destiny and a old legacy as a superhero called The Shadow , the invisible man who walks , a seemingly relentless crime fighter . A mask and raincoat he finds himself battling his nemesis , the deadliest descendant of Ghengis Khan . He's helped by an attractive woman and both of whom travel to dangerous streets N.Y. to thwart a nasty criminal . Khan is a cold and megalomaniac killer who murders cruelty his victims, he wants to take a power to dominate the world , he is supported by a particular ally , a smarmy villain (Tim Curry) and his hoodlums . The hero and villain have equal powers , yet the heroine can be hypnotised by one and no other . The picture charges into a tale of a hero who turned from evil in Tibet and reemerged in New York City as a superhero holding extraordinary power to fight in that most wretched lair if iniquity . As in 30's New York City, the Shadow battles his enemy who is building an atomic bomb. But the caped crusader is trapped inside a locked chamber being helped by his girlfriend .
The Shadow is shown in this highly stylized big screen adaptation of the 30's radio show , the once starred by Orson Welles . Film gets exotic locations , derring-do adventures ,rip roaring , action-packed , tongue in check , it's a cinematic roller coaster pretty entertaining and with well made set pieces action , including numerous and elaborate FX . This exciting picture provides splendid production design by Joseph Nemec , while done more dynamically elsewhere , are fun and outstanding . This is an ambitious fantasy adventure with breathtaking special effects ; it has some well-staged scenes whose effectiveness owes much to Russell Mulcahy's strong pictorial sense . Older kids , teenagers may find the proceedings a bit hokey and paying little attention to logic , but everyone seems to be having a good time . The picture is a crossover among comic-strip hero , superhero feats , Saturday matinée serials and old-fashioned thirties movies . As this runs like an old Republic serial of the thirties or Forties on a multi-million dollar budget . Its arresting visuals , lavish realization and crude energy put filmmaker Russell Mulcahy on the map . Much of the dialogue springs as if balloons from the printed page and the interpretation is appropriately rudimentary . The picture has great loads of action , special effects abundant , glamorous cinematography by Stephen Burum and spectacular Jerry Goldsmith's musical score , including an enjoyable leitmotif .
The motion picture includes an interesting script by prestigious David Koepp and was rightly directed by Russell Mulcahy . Russell for some time worked in Britain as a filmmaker of video clips , but returned to his native country , Australia , to make his first fictional movie , ¨Razorback¨ . He was able to get the backing for what proved to be his greatest success ¨Highlander¨ . It led to two sequels , the first of which was realized by himself titled ¨Quickening¨ . He subsequently directed ¨Resurrection¨with Charlie Sheen and ¨Talos the mummy¨ , among others . Despite major stars and big budgets with which to work have not fulfilled their potential and he seemed less commanding with players than with action . The flick will appeal to adventure fans and comic-books enthusiastic . Rating : Good and amusing. Well worth seeing.
