MovieChat Forums > Shanghai Surprise (1986) Discussion > There is absolutely no way this deserves...

There is absolutely no way this deserves to be in the bottom 100.

posted 20 years ago by Howlin Wolf
6 replies | jump to latest

I'm not arguing it's a classic by any means, but Sean Penn is always watchable and I've seen FAR worse adventure films. The glaringly obvious flaws are Madonna's 'novice' acting (that's being kind) and the over-reliance towards the end on double-crosses and twists, but these things alone shouldn't consign it to the movie dustbin. Seems like the public at large wanted a reason to get at the 'Poison Penns', and this was the handiest excuse of the time... 6/10.

You gave me a glimpse of real life, then told me to carry on with falsity.

[–] agcohn 16 years ago

This film was terrible. I only saw it recently, and couldn't have cared less about the real-life relationship between Penn and Madonna. This film was an unwatchable, obnoxious mess.

[–] Alfabeta 12 years ago

Agreed. This movie has the same curse as most ok-ish movies that are on these bottom lists. It's one of the biggest movie disappointments, not worse movies, but since people rarely make this distinction, the pissed off "victims" unfairly put it on their worst movies lists.

[–] Howlin Wolf 12 years ago

I'd buy that; that's a very reasonable way of looking at it.

Born when she kissed me, died when she left me, lived whilst she loved me

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Howlin Wolf 10 years ago

Rightly so!

"Your mother puts license plates in your underwear? How do you sit?!"

[–] Treg1980 10 years ago

Sorry, don't agree with you. I love Madonna, always have since I was six years old (1986), but this movie is horrible and total garbage. Yes Penn is always watchable, but even he sucks in this one.
Madonna, wel... woohoo... she doesn't even deserve to be called actress. And I remember that even her biggest fans back then were happy to leave the theatre because of this boring piece of crap.

Yes, Shanghai Surprise totally deserves to be at the bottom!