In the early 1990's, a Chinese man named Steelhead illegally enters Japan by way of a cargo ship, which sinks off the coast. He is looking for his fiancé Xiu-Xiu, who disappeared in the country years before. Stranded miles from nowhere without his papers, Steelhead somehow makes it to Tokyo, where he rendezvouses with friends from back home. They teach him the tricks of the underworld, and he is soon the de-facto leader of an all-Chinese gang. Still searching for Xiu-Xiu- and incurring the wrath of the Yakuza- Steelhead comes to realize that the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side, and that life in Shinjuku may not be worth living at all.

Directed by Derek Yee, 'Shinjuku Incident' is a dark drama that makes for a refreshing change of pace for star Jackie Chan. Yee and co-writer Chun Tin-nam's screenplay focuses on the experience of illegal immigrants, examining how some are taken advantage of and left with no prospects outside a life of crime. Their version of Shinjuku is a violent, inhospitable place populated by bottom-feeding scum and insidious gangsters. Steelhead's story- of an outsider being perverted by the depravity of the city- is a sadly believable one, at times feeling reminiscent of films like 'Manila in the Claws of Light.'

This is not to say the screenplay is without fault. Secondary characters are generally ill-defined and- more often than not- sequences involving the Yakuza feels like a pale imitation of the work of Kinji Fukasaku. Additionally, the character of Steelhead is initially morally ambiguous, though paradoxically becomes more virtuous as he rises in the criminal underworld. Perhaps this was done to acquiesce to Chan's cardinal rule that he never plays a villain- or an irredeemable one, that is. Whatever the reason, it is a strange bit of characterization that feels slightly jarring and out of place within the gritty urban drama that the film is billed as.

'Shinjuku Incident' features assured cinematography from Nobuyasu Kita that highlights the grime and degeneracy of the city. Oliver Wong's impressive production design adds to locations a feeling of authenticity, which the detailed set decoration compounds. Furthermore, the costume design from Satoe Araki and Angelo Bernardo Castillo is striking, with Xiu-Xiu's kimonos and various Yakuza outfits being particularly memorable.

Jackie Chan stars as Steelhead, delivering a restrained performance that ranks alongside his very best. Chan has proven himself an adept dramatic performer before, in projects like 'Heart of Dragon' and- to some extent- the first two 'Police Story' pictures. Here he showcases a great amount of vulnerability, disappearing inside the character in a way he had not done before. Though Steelhead has a moral code and plenty of redeeming qualities, it is still the closest Chan has ever come to playing a bad guy; and he does it brilliantly.

Chan's co-stars prove themselves to be up to his standard, with a few being especially deserving of praise. Daniel Wu stars as a friend of Steelhead's named Jie, who has an interesting character arc that Wu realizes brilliantly. A multifaceted talent, Wu threatens to steal the picture at times with his remarkable ease of performance. Additionally, Fan Bingbing does excellent work as Steelhead's love interest Lily, demonstrating the boundless charisma and pure acting prowess that has endeared her to so many. Also worthy of note is Naoto Takenaka's performance as Inspector Kitano, which is- simply put- faultless.

A gritty urban drama, 'Shinjuku Incident' offers fans of Jackie Chan something a little different. Violent, exciting and nicely shot by Nobuyasu Kita, the film has many positive elements. While the story may lose steam in the latter half, and a few of the secondary characters are underwritten, it is still entertaining and suspenseful. For fans of Chan- and of Hong Kong cinema in general- 'Shinjuku Incident' is well worth a watch.

Jackie Chan's darkest film yet is a quality piece of drama exploring life within Japan's Yakuza gangs. It's a very atypical film for the star, better known these days for his kid-friendly fare in American family films. For fans of Asian thrillers, the gangster elements will be largely familiar, but they're introduced in a novel and interesting way; it's the first film I've seen detailing the plight of Chinese refugee immigrants in Japan.

The twisty-turny plot offers up many twists that are difficult to predict, and the on-screen action is never less than interesting. Jackie gets the opportunity to focus on his acting rather than his martial arts for a change, and he shines as the conflicted farmhand-turned-gangster. Although this isn't an action film per se, there are many memorable set-pieces, not least a large-scale climax that makes for riveting entertainment.

The film's well-shot, if a little dark, and features decent turns from actors in supporting roles (Japanese actors Naoto Takenaka and Masaya Kato are both excellent). Daniel Wu's character in the film undergoes a particularly frightening and believable transformation. The scenes of violence and torture may not be for every viewer's taste, but THE SHINJUKU INCIDENT is a rewarding experience for those viewers exploring Jackie's progression as an actor.

Tietou/Steelhead/Nick (Jackie Chan) leaves his rural Chinese village to search for his love Xiu Xiu who had disappeared in Japan. He travels illegally on a freighter but he cannot return home after an incident. With his friend Jie/Joe, they try to survive on the fringe. He saves Detective Kitano's life in a raid. He discovers that Xiu Xiu/Yuko Eguchi had married Yakuza leader Eguchi who is more open-minded than other Yakuza. He starts to build a Chinese pretty crime family but Jie would rather have a roasted chestnut cart. Taiwanese triad leader Gao discovers tampering in his pachinko machine and savagely cuts up Jie. He sneaks in to avenge Jie but overhears a plot to kill Eguchi. He saves Eguchi's life and he is given territories to control. He tries to govern within the law and puts Jie in charge of new people. The years pass by and the gang becomes corrupt. He tries to give himself up to Kitano. Jie becomes more brutal and Yakuza boss authorizes the overthrow of Eguchi.

Jackie Chan's character is way too moral. His desperate goodness feels clunky. It's nowhere near the silliness of 'Rumble in the Bronx' but the attempted grittiness is betrayed at almost every point in the story. The violence gets a little bloody but feels limited. The big action scene is the bad guys throwing rocks. I do want Jackie Chan to branch out into more gritty and less kung fu fighting action. This is not quite there although I like the attempt.