Presenceless, beyond

a Shadow of a :

oubt

The Shadow is latest superhero film to hit screen

Tim Bell
FILM REVIEW

The Shadow &* (Universal)
Rated Mature (at the Park and
Tiiford, Granville, Oakridge,
Coquitlam, Station Square,
Clearbrook and Richport
Cinemas).

ONSIDER THE source.

The Shadow springs

from a pulp magazine
and popular radio show
from the ‘30s.

So it’s no surprise that the
movie's biggest star is the set. If
entertainment value were based
solely on art deco, this would be
a four-star movie.

in the spirit of ‘30s paranoia,
the Yefiow Peril threatens New
York in the guise of the last living
descendant of Genghis Kran
(ohn Lone strutting around in
medieval Mongol warrior cos-
tume).

Only a sophisticated man-
about-town like Lamont Cranston
. (Alec Baldwin) can play footsie

-with Khan’s diabolical mind.

Both are graduates of the same
Asian Advanced Hypnosis course

that grants them the power to

cloud men’s minds. But while the

Shadow uses his gift of invisibili-
ty to bop the baddies, Khan

j 2. The et

KE

GEA Nias 9

Shado

dreams of global conquest.

The problem is how te market
pre-World War fl pop history to
an audience that considers James
Bond prehistoric? tn a half-heart-
ed attempt to woo adolescents,
some tongue-in-cheek humor
and lines like: “Psychically, I'm
well endowed” offer a ’90s wink-
wink, nudge-nudge attitude. But
they’re more intrusive than hip.
After two hours, the action gets
strained and repetitive.

| bet the actors had fun,
though. Besides Lone’s enjoyable
barbarism, Tim Curry plays to the
rafters in an over-the-top perfor-
mance as Khan’s crafty minion.
Penelope Ann Miller plays the
telepathic Margo Lane tuned into
Lamont’s mental 911, saving his
invisible butt with depressing
regularity. (The Shadow may
know a Jot but he keeps forget-
ting that his silhouette is a target.)
To round out the evening, Miller
effectively models some stunning
peignoirs.

Less curvy, but equally vapid,
Alec Baldwin may have his mest
fitting role — a dull, transparent
lead (great voice, though).
Comedian Jonathan Winters is
almost as invisible in another
thankless role as Lamont’s uncle
who'conveniently happens to be
the city commissioner. After a
pointless cameo in The
Flintstones and now this, it looks
like directors hire him as a favor,

chaps wistfully remembering

is former comic genius.

Beyond a shadow of a doubt,
The Shadow lacks presence.

See you in the funny papers:
With the surprise bonanza of The
Crow (also based on a “graphic
novel”), comic book heroes are

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86 The problem is how
to market pre-World
War IT pop history to
an audience that con-

siders James Bond

prehistoric. 99

now hitting the big screen almost
as intensely as TV shows from
the ‘60s. Jim Carrey is a hot
prospect in The Mask and Val
Kilmer will be replacing Michael
Keaton (I guess superheroes
shouidn’t ask for so much
money) as the caped crusader in
Batman Forever. Carrey (who
may just specialize in comic
book movies) signed on as the
Riddler. But the big news in
Toontown is that the director
who redefined the action movie,
James Cameron (Terminator,
Aliens), will heim Spiderman.
Guess who will be playing the
Webspinner? Why, the Shadow
knows (and so does Jim Carrey).
SHOWTIME HOTLINE:
Famous Piayers 681-4255
Cineplex Odeon 687-1515
Park Royal 926-6699

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