The Shanghai Job (aka S.M.A.R.T. Chase) is an Orlando Bloom movie. Which means I had to watch it, even without knowing what it was about. It's not the first time I've done so, and it certainly won't be the last. It's almost as if I have this deep-seated love for a celeb that can't be quenched or denied.
I enjoyed Bloom as a broken man, scheming to regain his honor, with the bleach blond boy band hair. Fighting, driving, out-smarting the bad guys, and sexy as hell.
But beyond my fangirl reactions, it's neither terrible nor great. Somewhere right in the middle, as IMDB ratings would suggest. It feels like a foreign movie for a foreign market, thus there are some really simple plot choices and reactions. It's not stupid, like a Transformers movie, but it really doesn't ask much of the viewer.
There's action, there are reveals that could be termed twists, and a fairly satisfying conclusion, but it's also just safe and enjoyable. Nothing surprising, but that also means it's kind of bland and easily forgettable.
I can't say the movie isn't enjoyable, but I might also be slightly biased. It kills some time, it makes popcorn taste a little bit better, but there's also nothing missed if you never watch it.
