by Charles Kirkland Jr.
An injured, young assassin breaks rank from her clandestine organization to rescue a young boy from
gangsters with ultra-violent repercussions in The Shadow Strays.
Adolescent assassin Codename 13 works diligently for a clandestine collective of killers known as The
Shadows. After she is injured on a mission in Japan, her mentor, Umbra, cleans up the mess, and sends
her to Indonesia on a disciplinary probation and to heal. While laying low in the slums of Jakarta, a
chance encounter with a young boy who has run afoul of a local crime syndicate soon embroils the
restless and rebellious 13 in an unsanctioned crusade, inciting a bevy of bloody battles that paint the
town every shade of red, as well as drawing the ire of her deadly and unforgiving organization.
Written and directed by Indonesian auteur Timo Tjahjanto, The Shadow Strays stars Aurora Ribero, Hana
Malasan, Taskya Namya, Agra Piliang, Andri Mashadi and Adinia Wirasti.
Tjahjanto, half of the famed Mo Brothers, has become a relatively hot commodity since The Night
Comes for Us which he produces for Netflix. With his work with action stars Joe Taslim and Iko Uwais,
he has developed a reputation for stylish and highly choreographed action films and dark horror movies.
The Shadow Strays is Tjahjanto’s second Netflix production.
Just like Headshot and The Night Comes for Us, The Shadow Strays is a highly choreographed action
drama with incredible stunts. The opening scene alone involves an assault on a Yakuza crew by The
Shadow Organization is one of the most creative and inventive works seen since the original John
Wick. The plot of the film feels like a remix of The Professional and Proud Mary but smarter and more
skilled.
Like Iko Uwais, this film could be the breakout feature for Aurora Ribero. Her work in this feature is
stunning and sharp. Tjahjanto captures her move and ensures that the audience sees her working and
performing the action. It is great to see a woman in the lead of this type of action film. Usually a male
dominated realm, The Shadow Strays has female empowerment and equality at its heart. After all,
male-dominatedThe only drawback for the movie is that way too long. It is action but the story is a
little transparent and the conclusion is protracted. There are several times that the movie could have
been drawn to a close but seemed to be extended simply for the point of creating more fantastic martial
arts action scenes.
The big positive is that Netflix clearly has a big franchise possibility with this feature. The ending of the
film clearly outlines the definite probability of several sequels and maybe even a spin-off.
After being screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, The Shadow Strays has been rated TV-
MA for language, mature themes, and violence.
The Shadow Strays can be seen on Netflix starting October 17, 2024.