Shanghai (2010)

“Conner and I had joined the Navy like our fathers and grandfathers before us. Our lives were set. Birth, school, Yale, war. The great American tradition. ” – Paul Soames

Number of Times Seen – Twice (27 Dec 2010 and 9 May 2021)

Brief Synopsis – An American spy is sent to Shanghai in 1941 to try and find out how and why a reporter friend was found dead.

My Take on it – Great thriller that works really well.

The time and place of the story is quite unique and stays suspenseful throughout.

The cast is great and John Cusack is perfectly cast in the lead role.

His narration throughout helps keep things feeling focused, informative and mysterious as the story progresses.

The supporting cats is also great with Chow-Yun Fat, David Morse, Gong LI, Ken Watanabe, Hugh Bonneville and Jeffrey Dean Morgan all helping create such an engaging atmosphere for the story to unfold in.

The story finds a way to stay intriguing throughout and the various twists and turns along the way help facilitate that feel.

The fact that this story takes place right before the Attack on Pearl Harbor helps show the growing atmosphere of the feel of impending war.

They also do a wonderful job showing the political atmosphere of the time including allowing the viewer to see the way that the various countries on both sides of the war reacted to one another in both social and political situations.

Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – The project was set to roll in early 2008 in China, but the authorities blocked the shoot just a few weeks before production was set to begin. China’s exit meant walking away from sets that had been built, at a cost of three million dollars. The Weinstein Company shifted the shoot to London and Thailand, where sets have been built re-creating Shanghai’s old colonial architecture. (From IMDB)

Rating – Globe Worthy (7/10)