It feels strange that currently we are amidst a massive Superhero binge. Hollywood has managed to saturate the superhero genre but there was a time once when a Superhero film was a lifetime event. The Shadow belongs to that era- based on the pulp character from the 30s this is a polarizing film. I loved it for the most part especially the low key feel and tone. The casting is good and Alec Baldwin is more than adequate. Say what you will about the guy and his temper, he was a dashing man(and still is) and plays both The shadow and his alias Lamont Cranston quite well. Reviewers thought otherwise and even the box office was tepid but this film has developed a cult following ever since.

If I remember correctly, this is the first film I've seen with Alex Baldwin as the lead actor. Sure he did some overacting, but he wasn't half bad; that being said, he's no Christian Bale. I had fun watching this, but couldn't get past The corny lines and Baldwin's god awful nose prosthetic that looked almost like the gag prosthetic Matt Damon wears in Ocean's Thirteen. Not to mention we're meant to believe that he was a Asian warrior a long time ago, reminding me of the time John Wayne played Genghis Khan - ironically enough the Genghis Khan connection is prominent throughout the film. Worth a watch if you're into Superhero/Comic Book Films.

It's after WWI Tibet. Lamont Cranston (Alec Baldwin) is a brutal opium drug-lord known as Ying-Ko. He is kidnapped by the men of holyman Tulku. Tulku teaches him to cloud men's minds except for his shadow. Seven years later, he is back in NYC as a vigilante crime fighter known as The Shadow. Shrevnitz (Peter Boyle) is his cab driving sidekick and police commissioner Wainwright Barth (Jonathan Winters) is his uncle. Cranston falls for socialite Margot Lane (Penelope Ann Miller) but her natural telepathic power threatens to reveal his secret. Her father Reinhardt Lane (Ian McKellen) is an atomic scientist working for the War Department. Shiwan Khan (John Lone), the last descendant of Genghis Khan, is another student of Tulku. He is even more powerful than Lamont. He has resisted the change to good and plans for world domination. He has accumulated a special metal and with a mind-controlled Reinhardt, he is building an atomic bomb.This has a lot of visual style of a comic book late 20s. It's well done with the Chinese motif. The style does overwhelm the movie a bit. I wonder if the movie needs some humor to balance out the darker tones. Baldwin has a couple of snappy lines. I think he could have done more along that line. Also he needs a funny sidekick. The movie is not serious enough to go all dark.

In my honest opinion, you will never be able to find another exciting movie like this one. One of the things that made this movie so amazing was the excellent cast, a storyline that was very well written, an excellent plot, intense action sequences and mind-blowing special effects. When you have the ability to cloud peoples minds and make yourself invisible to them, you don't need a batarang or any other high tech gadget like Batman to put fear into the hearts of criminals. I truly believe that movies like this should always have sequels and hope Hollywood makes one. Taken from 1930's pulp media and then transferred to radio and movies this is definitely one of the greatest superheroes that was ever offered to a wide range of people through the years and I hope it continues.