Now you can’t say this movie doesn’t have an interesting story behind it. The second in the new Silk Screen series, Shadow Magic is about the introduction of silent movies into China which sowed the seed for China’s early film industry.
During the early 1900s, a few enterprising Westerners introduced silent movies into China and were probably dismissed by the general masses as evil brainwashing foreigners, save a few curious and innovative locals who saw the enormous potential in them. It is through one of these locals, Liu JingLun, that Shadow Magic unfolds.
This film has all the right ingredients, almost if they ran them off a checklist.
- Exotic location? Check. — Peking, 1902 after Boxer Rebellion.
- Interesting historic backdrop? Check. See above.
- Appealing narrative? Check. — young Chinese photographer, Liu JingLun (Xia Yu) who befriends foreigner Raymond Wallace (Jared Harris) so he can find out more about this new fandangled Western contraption, the cine-camera.
- Crises faced by character? Liu has to conduct his friendship with Raymond in secret. His friendship is tested when it is exposed. [busted!]
- Liu also falls in love with Ling, daughter of a famous Peking Opera star but cannot marry her for too many reasons to mention in this review [go watch the film].
Other good aspects — the film looked good, and the cast was pleasant but somehow, at certain moments during the movie, I catch myself feeling like I’m watching a history lesson, albeit a charming one with a few subplots thrown in.
Shadow Magic had all the right qualities but, alas, presented them all too predictably, more the shame as it could have been a lot more engaging if it hadn’t stuck to such a regimented outlook. Nevertheless the audience I was with applauded at the end so it really hit the spot for some. Could that person be you?