Director Timo Tjahjanto, having proved his expertise in ultra-violent action with The Night Comes for Us, returns with Shadow Strays, a gritty story about young assassin 13 (Aurora Ribero). As part of The Shadow, a covert organization tasked with carrying out deadly missions, 13 finds herself on probation after her last mission goes wrong. Her mistake—a momentary distraction after accidentally killing an innocent geisha—leaves her shaken and questioning her motivations. During this enforced downtime, she embarks on a journey of self-reflection, setting her on a path of redemption that eventually forces her to confront the very organization she once served.
Once her journey begins, the film is packed with relentless and impressive action scenes, featuring creative shots, intricate camera movements, and precise editing. From arms severed by car window glass to eyes crushed in Game of Thrones fashion, and a head flambéed on a cooktop, the violence is as inventive as it is brutal. In many ways, it’s another entry in the John Wick-style action genre.
The issue with Shadow Strays is its indulgent 144-minute runtime, which feels excessive for a film with such a thin plot. Movies like this work best when they’re tight and straight to the point, which is not the case with Shadow Strays. After an impressive opening action scene, the pace slows down for a long stretch before returning to non-stop action sequences. While visually impressive, the constant barrage of action starts to feel repetitive, lacking the escalation or variety that would keep it fresh.
The film’s script takes a predictable route with a redemption arc centered around the protagonist saving a young boy, but this well-worn storyline lacks freshness. While there’s some chemistry between them, the lengthy runtime only highlights the script’s weak points and thin character development. Aurora Ribero’s performance in the physical scenes is strong, but she lacks the charisma needed to carry the quieter, non-action moments, leaving her character feeling emotionally hollow and ultimately preventing any lasting impact.
The protagonist’s inexperience and vulnerability set her apart from typical action leads, bringing an extra edge of suspense to the fight scenes by avoiding that “invincible killing machine” trope. However, as the number of action sequences stacks up, it starts to feel unrealistic—would someone at her state really have the stamina to keep fighting at this pace? Ultimately, Shadow Strays would benefit from tighter editing; trimming at least 30 minutes could have allowed for a more enigmatic and engaging lead, and the film’s impact would likely have been stronger.