Set in the backdrop of World War II, this spy thriller is passable. It falters mainly towards the climax. You aren't taken aback when you find out who's the criminal. Besides it doesn't make sense why X prefers to help Y who's just attempted to hurt him badly instead of Z who wishes to redeem for his mistake by doing X a favor (which is clearly evident in the penultimate sequence). Cusack is a good actor and gives his best, but some actors simply don't fit every bill. The rest of the casting was appropriate, though.

I expected a lot with an international heavy weight cast like this one. All the way to the smallest characters are filled with great actors. The cinematography is excellent and successfully recreates the feel of 40's Shanghai, along with the a secretive atmosphere that enhances the movie noir mood. The excellent cast doesn't disappoint, John Cusack is solid and believable as an agent posing as a journalist. It's not hard to understand he would fall for the insanely beautiful Gong Li who seems to have found a fountain of youth somewhere. She plays the role of Anna Lan-Ting with a seductive and secretive flavor which is a joy to watch. Her husband, mob boss Anthony Lan-Ting, is being played by Hong Kong icon Chow Yun-Fat who exudes charm and power but still manages to walk the fine line of a character you feel attracted to but also know you should actually stay away from. His performance adds the right amount of flair the production needs. Ken Watanabe plays out his sinister vibe along with a human grace perfectly and Jeffrey Dean Morgan is believable as the friend who ended up dead. Instead of a movie about politics and war, it's more about human relations and the different side to people. How people are used and mislead at times like this, and matters of the heart play an important role in the decisions the characters make.