Jackie Chan, the man, hardly needs an introduction. With a career spanning over six decades and more than 150 films, Hong Kong’s kung fu superstar has captivated audiences around the world by performing his own death-defying stunts. From leaping between buildings (Rumble in the Bronx, 1995) to careening down something akin to a fireman’s pole from several stories high (Police Story, 1985).
Despite being well past retirement age, the legend shows no signs of slowing down. Chan made this clear while collecting a Career Leopard award at the recent Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland: “I am 71. I still can fight,” he informed a delighted audience.
Indeed, recent works like The Foreigner (2017), Hidden Strike (2023) and Karate Kid: Legends (2025) prove that the martial arts master can still handle physically demanding roles.
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You can also expect plenty of combat in Chan’s latest film, The Shadow’s Edge (2025), which is set right here in Macao. This movie is a gritty crime thriller attempting to put a new spin on the genre by incorporating high-tech and artificial intelligence (AI) elements. Keep reading to find out more about The Shadow’s Edge and how it makes use of Macao as a backdrop.
What’s the plot of The Shadow’s Edge?
The Shadow’s Edge sees Chan play Wong Tak-chung, a former police officer and old-school tracking expert called out of retirement by the Macao Judiciary Police. Why? Their AI surveillance system has failed to stop a gang of high-tech thieves from stealing an exorbitant amount of cryptocurrency.
Together with a crew of young local cops, Wong must work to bring down the gang – including its elusive leader, Fu Longsheng (played by Hong Kong veteran Tony Leung Ka Fai). Matters are further complicated when Wong’s team includes He Qiuguo (played by Zhang Zifeng), the daughter of his late police partner, who died in the line of duty. Meanwhile, betrayals and unexpected plot twists enliven a cat-and-mouse chase between the Judiciary Police and Fu’s criminal crew.
Where in Macao was the film shot?
The Shadow’s Edge features a great many recognisable locations from across the city. One of the first to make an appearance is the towering Bank of China Macau Branch Building, in Praia Grande, where the initial crypto heist scene was shot.
Other locations include Calçada da Igreja de S. Lázaro, Rua da Ribeira do Patane, MS Blossom Cafe on Praça de Ponte Horta, Rua do Almirante Sérgio, Macao Tower (which doubles as a financial centre), the roundabout at the Macao Stadium, the Cotai East LRT station and Coloane Village.
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One of the most thrilling scenes takes place at Wynn Macau, where the thieves evade police among the glittering branches of the Tree of Prosperity – a massive gold and brass leaf sculpture located inside the casino’s foyer. Another scene unfolds in Wynn Palace’s staff area, where the cast employ improvised weapons like a clothing rack.
Not everywhere in the movie will feel familiar, however. Locals might be scratching their heads over a scene depicting what’s supposed to be Macao’s outdoor market. This was actually shot in the Guangdong city of Taishan’s Taicheng Historic District. Other scenes were shot in Jiangmen, Guangdong Province.
Is this movie an original story?
The Shadow’s Edge is a loose adaptation of the 2007 Hong Kong action film, Eye in the Sky. Both are about cops capturing thieves using surveillance techniques and both star Tony Leung Ka Fai as the criminal mastermind. Crucially, The Shadow’s Edge updates aspects of Eye in the Sky to reflect contemporary tensions between traditional and high-tech surveillance technology. It also stars Chan – an obvious upgrade.
“We reinvented the surveillance versus countersurveillance dynamic to explore what fascinating sparks would fly under today’s technological standards,” director Larry Yang has told the media.
Who stars in The Shadow’s Edge?
As mentioned, Chan and Leung play the main characters. The movie marks their third collaboration, and first in 20 years. The pair previously worked together on Island of Fire (1990) and The Myth (2005). Leung, incidentally, is a four-time winner of the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor
The two Hong Kong veterans are joined by a cast of young mainlanders, including 23-year old Zhang playing Chan’s sidekick, He Qiuguo. Zhang has been making a name for herself as one of the most talented Chinese actresses of her generation, working alongside giants like Feng Xiaogang, Chen Kaige, Andy Lau and Zhou Xun.
Twenty-eight-year-old Ci Sha, well known for his roles in fantasy and martial arts films and TV series, takes on the challenge of playing twins in The Shadow’s Edge.
A number of Chan’s friends and regular collaborators also make an appearance. Yuen Qiu, the landlady from Kung Fu Hustle (2004) has a blink-and-you’ll-miss-her cameo. Yu Rongguang, who previously worked with Chan in films like New Police Story (2005) and The Karate Kid (2010) has a small role as a policeman.
Who is the director?
Larry Yang. Originally from the northeastern mainland city of Harbin, Yang was educated at the Beijing Film Academy and the University of Edinburgh, in the UK. His rise began with his maiden feature, Nana (2012), which bagged a nomination at the Five One Project Awards – a highly prestigious prize organised by the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.
Yang followed Nana up with other successful films, including Mountain Cry (2015), My Other Home (2017) and Adoring (2019). The Shadow’s Edge is his second collaboration with Chan, following 2023’s Ride On, which saw the Hong Kong action star take on the perhaps relatable role of an ageing stuntman.
Is this film worth watching?
That depends. The Shadow’s Edge doesn’t rank anywhere close to Chan’s best films, but fans of the martial artist’s action style and elaborate choreography will definitely find it worth a viewing. At roughly 142 minutes, the crime thriller has been criticised for being overly long, with John Lui of The Straits Times calling it out for “aimless bloat” and “lazy screenwriting.”
On the flip side, some reviewers have given The Shadow’s Edge a glowing assessment – even calling it Chan’s best action film in recent years. This isn’t particularly high praise given his offerings of late have been rather lacklustre. Bleeding Steel (2017), Vanguard (2020) and Panda Plan (2024) certainly set a very low bar.
When can I catch The Shadow’s Edge?
The Shadow’s Edge was released across mainland China on 16 August, with limited advanced screenings held between 6 and 15 August. The release date for Macao has already been set for 25 August, with screenings in Hong Kong scheduled from 11 September. Expect to see a Cantonese-dubbed version available for the Macao and Hong Kong releases.
Is this the only Macao-based film that Jackie Chan has starred in?
No. There have been a few, most notably Drunken Master (1978). One of the classic martial arts comedy’s most memorable punishment scenes, when Chan tries to maintain horse stance while balancing porcelain cups on his body, was shot in none other than Lou Lim Ioc Garden. The Chun Chou Tong Pavilion doubled as the movie’s Wong Kei-ying Martial Arts School.
Chan also shot one of Project A (1983)’s action scenes along the slope near Our Lady of Carmel Church and Rua da Restauração.
More recently, his film Skiptrace (2016) featured scenes shot at MGM Macau. On the shoot’s sidelines in 2014, Chan told the media that he “knew Macao so well when it had only one casino,” noting that today it was “totally different.”
Are there any classic Jackie Chan outtakes in the credits?
Bloopers and outtakes have long been a beloved staple of Jackie Chan movies since 1982’s Dragon Lord. The Shadow’s Edge is no exception. Stick around after the blooper reel – an end-credit scene teases a possible sequel.
