Jackie Chan gives a good performance in a Honk Kong style Yakuza film that seems to have done it's research and pulls off a convincing portrayal of Chinese immigration culture in Japan. However, it still finds time to be the Scarface of Chan's career with gratuitous violence, overt narrative signposting and occasional dips into melodrama.
But, as with other Yakuza films that share these artificialities, this is made up for with appropriate sympathies and a strong sense of morality which gives the film a great amount of pathos. The Shinjuku Incident is a good crime film that is bold in it's politics, given the circumstances, and is overall packed with good action, great genre moments and even a bit of social consciousness. For Jackie Chan fans and fans of Yakuza, I'd highly recommend it.
But, as with other Yakuza films that share these artificialities, this is made up for with appropriate sympathies and a strong sense of morality which gives the film a great amount of pathos. The Shinjuku Incident is a good crime film that is bold in it's politics, given the circumstances, and is overall packed with good action, great genre moments and even a bit of social consciousness. For Jackie Chan fans and fans of Yakuza, I'd highly recommend it.