By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
After watching the new action thriller
"Shadow Force" from
Sacramento/San Francisco State University alum, director and writer
Joe Carnahan ("Copshop"),
Kerry Washington ("The Six Triple Eight") has officially claimed the top spot as my favorite on-screen female assassin.
The young actor
Jahleel Kamara ("Rise") who plays her son Ky Sarr also delivers a surprisingly heartfelt performance that completely won me over. And
Omar Sy ("Out of Control") brings the heat blending bravado and raw machismo in his role.
In the film, Washington and Sy star as Kyrah Owens and Isaac Sarr, former leaders of a covert multinational special forces unit known as the Shadow Force. After breaking protocol--most notably by falling in love, starting a family, and abandoning the mission--they find themselves at odds with the organization's ruthless leader, Jack Cinder (a superb Mark Strong, TV' s "Dune: Prophecy").
Now, on the run with their son, the couple is desperately trying to stay under the radar as their former team has a large bounty on their heads and hunts them down.
The Shadow Force may be a lethal squad, but they'd be making a serious mistake underestimating Kyrah and Isaac--two elite operatives who know every move in the playbook. For Kyrah, this isn't just survival, it's about reuniting with her son. She has been apart from him for too long, and even though Ky is safe with his father, she will stop at nothing to protect him and bring their family back together.
In a bid for support, Kyrah reaches out to a high-level CIA contact known as "Auntie Clanter" (a funny Da'Vine Joy Randolph, "The Holdovers," and TV's "Only Murders in the Building"). But when her partner, "Unc Owens" (Cliff "Method Man" Smith, "Power Book II: Ghost"), starts making offhand comments about Kyrah and Isaac, "Auntie's" instincts kick in and it turns out her suspicions about him may be more than justified.
The second half of "Shadow Force" ramps up with a barrage of intense action featuring speedboats, motorcycles, and car chases, which include Kyrah's killer, custom, bulletproof Mustang, tearing through it all.
The film also delivers slick, martial arts–inspired fight sequences, including a showdown between Kyrah and Isaac, whose competitive streak fuels a constant battle to prove who is the better fighter, and the better shooter.
One of the most unexpectedly delightful aspects of "Shadow Force" is its playful sense of humor. Much of it is centered around an ongoing love for Lionel Richie. I had to double-check the credits to see if Richie was one of the film's producers, given how often he's mentioned and how prominently his music is featured throughout the film. As it turns out, Isaac's devotion to Richie has clearly rubbed off on Ky, who is eager for his dad to cue up his favorite tracks during car rides as he belts out every lyric like a true superfan. Even Method Man and Ky have a laugh out loud moment about the Wu-Tang Clan.
"Shadow Force" hits theaters just in time for Mother's Day weekend, going up against box office heavyweights “Sinners" and "Thunderbolts." But don't let it fly under your radar. It is a worthy entry that deserves to be seen on the big screen. I hope it makes a splash of its own. And honestly, I am already on board for whatever wild ride filmmaker Joe Carnahan dreams up for Kyrah and Isaac in "Shadow Force 2."
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays now at 5:17 p.m. and 6:47 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Look At This Trailer For
"SHADOW FORCE"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
