A 1994 Universal live-action film based off the pulp hero The Shadow, the movie follows the adventures of Lamont Cranston (Alec Baldwin), who uses his psychic powers as the Shadow to make up for the atrocities he committed in the past. But all is not well in the Big Apple - Shiwan Khan (John Lone), the last descendant of Genghis and fellow psychic, has come to finish his great-grandscestor's work, and he's not about to let anyone stand in his way. Margo Lane was played by Penelope Ann Miller.No relation to the Hans Christian Andersenstory of the same name.
The Atoner: Lamont's work as the Shadow is so he can atone for the suffering he caused as the ruthless drug lord Ying Ko.
Big Applesauce: Justified in that Shiwan is also here to test himself against Lamont, and if at all possible, get him to change sides.
Better to Die than Be Killed: One of Shiwan's guards willingly falls to his death rather than be captured by the Shadow.
Black and Grey Morality: Lamont knows he's a bad person and struggles with his dark side (which manifests as The Shadow, who does bad things for good reasons), while Shiwan Khan is a brutal megalomaniac bent on total world domination.
Blasting It Out of Their Hands: The scene in the Chinese restaraunt ends with Shiwan and Lamont trying to shoot each other, only to have the bullets collide in midair. They both stare at the bullets for a moment afterward, as if even they think it's cool.
Actually, more like dumbfounded.
Book Ends: "This is green. That's red." Also, "I'll know."
Brainwashed and Crazy: When Margo goes to her father's lab to find him, Shiwan puts her in a trance and sends her after Lamont. When he later confronts him about it, he tells him that he sent Margo to be killed, which would set Lamont back on the road to evil.
Brick Joke: "I'd like to give you a name," Lamont says to Shiwan, as he gave the name of a psychiatrist. Guess who takes custody of Shiwan in the end? The very same doctor.
Mr. Fanservice: Lamont (Alec Baldwin) was quite dapper in the scene when he meets Margo.
Fate Worse than Death: What the Shadow gives Shiwan Khan at the end. He destroys the villain's psychic abilities and then has him committed to an asylum by one of his minions.
Glamour Failure: The Shadow "clouds men's minds", making them unable to see him. However, he still leaves signs of a physical presence. This is used against him twice, both times ending with him getting shot.
Hall Of Mirrors: The Shadow chases Shiwan into a storage area of mirrors, and ultimately uses his powers to shatter them.
Hypnotic Eyes: Lamont and Shiwan have these, invoked with contact lenses, and changes in the lighting. The Shadow has metallic gray eyes while Shiwan's are black
I Owe You My Life: Inverted - When the Shadow saves Dr. Tam's life and enlists him as one of his agents. It's apparently how he recruits all his minions.
If I Wanted You Dead: "Kill you? *chuckles* If I wanted you dead, Ying Ko, I would have your liver on a pole right now."
Also: "I would no sooner kill you than I would destroy a Rembrandt."
Laughing Mad: Farley, until he falls to his death.
Nightmare Sequence: The first time is a warning about Shiwan's arrival, the second time is a nightmare about him pulling his face off, revealing Shiwan underneath, and the third time is a Flashback Nightmare of his time as Ying Ko.
Never Recycle a Building: Inverted - Shiwan made everyone believe that the building got torn down, though no one can remember when.
"Or if."
Not Brainwashed: Farley Claymore, who signed up with Khan in exchange for power.
Not so Different: "Accept the truth - there is no light without shadow, and you and I are that shadow."
Lamont's dream, in which he rips his own face off like a mask to reveal Shiwan's underneath.
Psychic Assisted Suicide: Shiwan uses his powers to off a museum guard who saw him in Genghis's coffin, a cab driver who took him to his lair, and a marine who insulted his fashion sense. The Shadow later uses his powers to make Farley Claymore jump through a third-story window.
Super Window Jump: Shiwan escapes the Chinese restaurant by jumping out a window after breaking the glass with his powers. Farley later dives through a glass mural, after the Shadow made him think it was an exit, with less pleasant results.
Unobtanium: Bronzium, believed by the Chinese to be what the universe was made of, and what Shiwan uses for his bomb.
Wicked Cultured: Shiwan, later on. "I would no sooner destroy you than I would destroy a Rembrandt."
Wire Dilemma: Dr. Lane is forced to disarm the bomb without knowing how he built it. And did we mention that he's colorblind?
MARGO: (strained, nudging the green wire) This is green. (nudges the red wire) That's red.
Wrong Wire: When Dr. Lane first tries to disarm the bomb, he accidentally makes the timer go to warp speed, and fixing it leaves him with only two minutes. Finally, he decides that it's "usually green"... and pulls the red wire.
Yellow Peril: Fortunately averted. While the villains are Mongols, Dr. Tam is also Asian.
You Have Failed Me: Shiwan killed one of his warriors hypnotized by Lamont.
Perhaps more pragmatic than the usual version. A minion who's vulnerable to your enemy's mind control is a definite liability.
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