Shanghai Surprise Reviews

SHANGHAI SURPRISE opens in 1937, the year of the Japanese occupation of China, as drug kingpin Walter Faraday (Paul Freeman) is trying to escape with a shipment of opium. Faraday is chased into the bay by army guards and shot. One year later, the story picks up as Gloria Tatlock (Madonna), an innocent missionary, convinces Glendon Wasey (Sean Penn), a sleazy American, to help her find the missing opium to use on injured Chinese soldiers. But others are searching for "Faraday's Flowers" as well. A no-expenses-spared production from Britain's Handmade Films, SHANGHAI SURPRISE performed abominably at the box-office. Penn and Madonna both do a fine job with their roles, the supporting roles are excellent, the direction is passable, the camera work and art direction are accomplished, and the script mindless and predictable. There's nothing to create outrage, and there's nothing to stimulate excitement, which is probably why there was no substantial interest in SHANGHAI SURPRISE.