Introduction to the Movie
Family life and being part of an elite attack squad don’t usually mix. This is the problem faced by the central characters in Joe Carnahan’s new action film. The movie features Kerry Washington and Omar Sy as Kyrah and Issac, who used to be part of the title organization until they fell in love and had a baby. They’ve been laying low since then, with Issac staying at home to take care of their little son Ky, while Kyrah continues to work in the field, taking out the many assassins assigned to kill them for their betrayal.
The Story Unfolds
As Issac explains to his son, he and Kyrah used to do "God’s dirty work" around the globe before they realized the mistake of their ways and became good people. The script, written by Carnahan and Leon Chills, tries to add a bit of quirk to the mix. Issac is largely deaf without his hearing aids and apparently removes them under the theory that his combat instincts are heightened. Both parents and child love Lionel Richie’s music excessively, which leads to numerous needle drops and cute moments like Little Ky fully grasping the lyrics of "Brick House".
Action and Suspense
Issac’s efforts to stay under the radar with his son go awry when a bunch of masked, heavily armed bank robbers burst into the local branch. Issac carefully removes his hearing aids, takes out the robbers, all of whom are caught on video and become viral. Kyrah and Isaac’s old boss, Jack Cinder, naturally becomes aware of this, and they immediately know it’s not good when he shows up for the first time, lounging in a pool in his beautiful waterfront house.
The Pursuit Begins
After Issac’s exposure to the world, Kyrah returns to join him to protect Ky, leading to a joke about which of them is the better shot. "We don’t want another Odessa," Kyrah emphasizes, leaving the audience wondering what the hell happened in Odessa, because it sounds more interesting than what’s happening here. As Cinder and his team of goons close in on their prey, Kyrah and Issac embark on the kind of globe-trotting endemic to this type of thriller, visiting locations that would be identified on screen as if they were found in a travel agency.
The Cast and Their Roles
The pursuers include the sweetly named "Aunt" (Da’Vine Joy Randolph, fun) and "Unc" (Cliff "Method Man" Smith), who secretly try to protect them. This represents Randolph’s first big-screen appearance since her Oscar-winning turn in The Holdovers, which, when it comes to supporting actors, only serves to illustrate the much-overhyped "Oscar curse". Washington and Sy do their best to elevate the proceedings, but even they find it tough to make it interesting. Strong tries even harder, investing his malignant portrayal with the kind of intensity usually reserved for Greek tragedies.
Conclusion
All of this leads to the inevitable ultraviolent confrontation, complete with loyalty reversals, betrayal, and a high-speed motorboat chase that’s been done better in James Bond and Mission: Impossible films. You won’t be surprised to find out that Issac has taken out his hearing aids again. The movie’s outcome is an actioner on autopilot, with too much repetition and not enough originality to keep the audience engaged. Despite the efforts of the cast, Shadow fails to impress, making it a forgettable addition to the action genre.
