The Shadow

The Shadow – Synopsis In the opening scene a thuggish, forty-something man (The Shadow, aka Sasha) brings a small group to a warehouse to make a deal. The young woman (Janice) in the group is the girlfriend of the son (Rene) of a well-connected crime boss (Jean-Luc), and a cocaine addict. The deal goes bad and she and her companions are shot, the driver also hit but managing to get away. The murdered girl’s sister (Christina) is contact by the Paris police and she comes to claim the body. Once there she is let in on the details of her sister’s death and lifestyle she has been part of since moving to France. Knowing the police have little to no chance of convicting the guilty parties Christina decides to stay in Paris and see what she can turn up on her own. Unbeknownst to Rene, his father has suspected him of stealing and making side deals, prompting him to assign Sasha to Rene as his enforcer, while his real assignment is to collect proof of Rene’s double-crossing activities. Sasha does just that, but Rene manages to get the upper hand, wiping out most of Sasha’s men and shooting the man several times. Sasha escapes by tossing himself over the side of a boat. Once in the hospital, where Christina is now working, the police step in. They know something is going on, and are hoping to crack the family apart and finally gain some convictions. Rene is desperate to finish the job on Sasha and take over his father’s empire. Rene boldly shoots his father, and begins a hostile takeover of his crime empire. After a threatening visit from Rene and witnessing his coming to the hospital to contact Sasha (under police guard) Christina decide to bust Sasha out and have him train her, so together they can take Rene down. After getting him out, Sasha and Christina meet up with some old associates of Sasha’s. At their remote cabin Christina nurses Sasha back to health and they begin her training—physical strength, weapons and reconnaissance. Christina is a natural, and despite the revulsion she feels for those who live in the violent world of organized crime she experiences a strange bond with Sasha. When René calls in the help of some lone hit men to track Sasha down, he and Christina are forced into hiding, where they finish Christina’s training and begin a sexual relationship. At the final showdown, Sasha and his allies have amassed an impressive crew, enough people for a real battle with Rene and his lackeys. There is a bloody shoot-out and hand-to-hand fights, where Sasha and his men get the upper hand. Sasha captures René and brings him to Christina, where she doesn’t hesitate to extract revenge for her sister’s death. Once the deed is done Christina has a moment of hesitation – should she also take out Sasha or walk away? In the end she asks him to come with her back to Chicago, under the promise he will only continue with his “work” on those who truly deserve it. The detective on the case knows they’ve left together, and in not so many words gives them his blessing to leave, as long as they never cross his path again.