Film Review: The Shadow Strays

No one is making action movies like Timo Tjahjanto. Even when he and his “Mo Brothers” collaborator Kimo Stamboel made stuff like Killers or Headshot, which certainly evoked the kind of modern kinetic and gruesome martial arts action popularized by the works of Gareth Evans, they had a certain vibe to them that stood out. And when Tjahjanto went solo, and made The Night Comes For Us, one of the finest action films of all time, he has elevated his style into something that combines the complex choreography of modern martial arts classics with the kind of gore you would see in something right out of the French extreme movement.

This continues with his latest film, The Shadow Strays, which follows 13 (Aurora Ribero), which obviously isn’t her real name. That’s because she is a trainee with the Shadow organization, a network of underground assassins who specialize in quick, undetected kills with the kind of combat skills that can fight off anyone who comes in their way. After a mission goes a bit sideways, her mentor Umbra (Hana Malasan) makes the decision for 13 to be sent to Jakarta for some time alone to collect herself. There, she befriends a young boy Monji (Ali Fikry), who gets kidnapped by a crime syndicate after his mother was murdered. And she goes on a solo rescue mission to get him back.

Much of Tjahjanto’s work revolves around two common ideas. One is the notion of found family, and how they can sometimes contain their own toxicity that can lead to further trauma, not necessarily bringing out the best in one another. The other is the notion of finding the power to do some good when for so long, the cruelty of everything around you has been spent trying to tell you to do otherwise, and how despite the futility of the fight, it is still a fight worth having. Both of these ideas come around in this film as well, particularly in regards to our lead character, and her relationship with her peers and the boy. It’s the beating heart of the film, you care because she cares, and you want to see her win.

As you would expect, the action is astounding. While it doesn’t go quite as gnarly as The Night Comes For Us, it is still very consistently bloody and full of limbs and heads being chopped off left and right. I was quite amused at even how this was emphasized by the sound design, which adds a delightful wet squish sound to every gunshot and sword slice. You feel every hit, punch, kick, stab, and bullet in this film on a visceral level. And of course, the choreography is absolutely mesmerizing to behold. The work from the action design and stunt team and everyone who had a hand in the on-set effects work deserves all the kudos. Plus, Aurora Ribero’s performance, along with her athleticism during the fight scenes is incredible to see.

If there’s one thing that holds this back from hitting the instant classic status of something like The Night Comes For Us, it’s simply that the emotional stakes aren’t always as clear scene to scene. Because of the crime syndicate, the Shadow organization, and the ways they intersect with criminal and political forces, there is a lot of characters and exposition required to fill you in on stuff that can sometimes detract from the immediacy of any given situation. I think we’re reaching a breaking point when it comes to these “secret society of assassins” action movies. It’s doesn’t hurt the film as you’re watching, I was able to follow things perfectly fine, but it is very ambitious, and occasionally the reach exceeded their grasp. But still, this is one hell of a feat for action filmmaking, and it’s an absolute blast to watch from start to finish, and I can see myself revisiting this often. I love what Timo Tjahjanto is able to pull off, and the way he manages to execute so many of his ideas with the level of craft on display. I hope that once he crosses over with his upcoming Nobody 2 and the Train To Busan remake, that he will finally get his flowers on a mainstream level, and not just with action fans.

The Shadow Strays is now streaming exclusively on Netflix.

And in case you haven’t read my recent announcement, please read this.