You’ve probably seen the thumbnail of a blood-spattered girl staring into your soul while scrolling through Netflix. That's The Shadow Strays (2024). It’s not just another action flick. Honestly, it's a two-hour-and-twenty-minute endurance test of neon-soaked hyper-violence that makes John Wick look like a PG-rated Saturday morning cartoon.
Directed by Timo Tjahjanto—the guy who gave us The Night Comes for Us and the "Safe Haven" segment in V/H/S/2—this movie is a massive swing. It’s loud. It’s messy. It’s undeniably Indonesian in its kinetic energy. While some critics are calling it a masterpiece of the "Guns n' Katanas" subgenre, others are complaining about its runtime. But let’s be real: you don't watch a Tjahjanto film for a tight, 90-minute character study. You watch it to see how many creative ways a human body can be dismantled with a tactical knife.
What is The Shadow Strays 2024 actually about?
The plot is basically a classic "assassin with a conscience" setup, but with a younger, more volatile protagonist. We follow 13 (played by Aurora Ribero), a teenage prodigy within a secret organization of killers known as The Shadows. After a mission in Japan goes sideways because she hesitates, she's benched in Jakarta.
Then things get complicated.
She meets Monji, a kid whose mother was murdered by a powerful crime syndicate. When Monji disappears, 13 goes rogue to find him. It’s a simple hook. You’ve seen it before. But the way Tjahjanto layers the world-building—the bureaucracy of the assassins, the weirdly specific hierarchy of the villains—gives it a flavor that feels distinct from your standard Hollywood action fare. Aurora Ribero, who previously did mostly romance and drama, puts in an insane physical performance here. She doesn't just look like she's fighting; she looks like she's vibrating with trauma and adrenaline.
The Action Choreography: Is it too much?
Short answer: No.
Long answer: Maybe, if you have a weak stomach.
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The action in The Shadow Strays 2024 is relentless. We’re talking about long takes that move through warehouses, nightclubs, and cramped apartments. Tjahjanto uses a "more is more" philosophy. If a guy gets shot, he doesn't just fall down. He gets shot, stabbed, thrown through a glass partition, and then maybe hit with a car for good measure.
The "Warehouse Fight" is already being cited by fans as a standout. It’s a masterclass in spatial awareness. You always know where 13 is in relation to the twenty guys trying to kill her. That’s the difference between a great action director and a mediocre one. There's no "shaky cam" to hide bad choreography. It’s all there on the screen, raw and punishing.
Why the 144-minute runtime matters
A lot of people are dinging the movie for being too long. They aren't necessarily wrong. There's a middle section involving the villain's family dynamics—specifically the relationship between the corrupt politician and his psychotic son—that slows the momentum.
But here’s the thing.
Without that buildup, the final hour wouldn't feel so earned. The movie spends time making you hate the antagonists. By the time the final showdown happens, you aren't just watching cool stunts. You’re waiting for these people to get what’s coming to them. It’s operatic. It’s Shakespearean, if Shakespeare used Uzis and machetes.
The "Shadow" Organization and World-Building
One of the coolest things about The Shadow Strays is the "Shadow" organization itself. It isn't portrayed as some cool, sleek club. It’s depicted as a cold, cult-like entity that strips children of their identities. The relationship between 13 and her mentor, Umbra (played by Hana Malasan), is the emotional core. Umbra is terrifying. She's the "perfect" version of what 13 is supposed to be—devoid of empathy and strictly professional.
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Their dynamic provides a necessary contrast to the chaotic violence of the Jakarta underworld. While the gangsters are messy and emotional, the Shadows are surgical. When these two worlds collide, the movie shifts from a rescue mission into a philosophical battle about whether you can ever truly "quit" a life of violence.
How it compares to The Night Comes for Us
If you’re a fan of Tjahjanto’s 2018 hit The Night Comes for Us, you’ll find The Shadow Strays to be a spiritual successor, though it’s arguably more polished. The Night Comes for Us was darker, grittier, and felt almost like a horror movie disguised as an action film.
The Shadow Strays feels more like an anime brought to life. The colors are more vibrant. The camera movements are more stylized. It’s still incredibly violent, but there’s a certain "cool factor" that wasn't as present in his earlier work. It feels like a director coming into his own, realizing he can balance the gore with genuine cinematic beauty.
Key Technical Details
- Release Date: October 17, 2024
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
- Director: Timo Tjahjanto
- Lead Cast: Aurora Ribero, Hana Malasan, Ali Fikry, Adipati Dolken
- Language: Indonesian (with multiple dubbing/subtitle options)
- Genre: Action / Martial Arts / Crime Thriller
What Most People Get Wrong About the Movie
There’s a misconception that this is just a female-led John Wick clone. That’s a lazy comparison. While John Wick is built on a foundation of "gun-fu" and gentlemanly rules, The Shadow Strays 2024 is built on "Pencak Silat" (Indonesian martial arts) and raw desperation.
The characters in this movie aren't invincible superheroes. They get hurt. They get tired. They make mistakes. 13 isn't winning because she’s the strongest; she’s winning because she’s the most willing to suffer. That’s a very different vibe than the sleek, suit-wearing assassins of the Wick-verse. It’s much more in line with Gareth Evans' The Raid, though with a more emotional, character-driven focus.
Cultural Impact and the "Indo-Action" Wave
Indonesia has quietly become the global capital for high-tier action cinema. Between Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, and now Aurora Ribero, the country is consistently putting out choreography that puts Hollywood’s CGI-heavy fights to shame. The Shadow Strays 2024 is a massive part of this movement.
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It shows that there's a huge global appetite for international cinema that doesn't pull punches. Netflix’s investment in these types of regional projects is paying off, as these films often trend in the Top 10 globally, proving that "subtitle barriers" are largely a thing of the past for action junkies.
Is it worth your time?
Look, if you hate blood, skip it. Seriously. There is a scene involving a broken bottle and a throat that will stay with you for a while.
But if you value craft, stunt work, and a story about a girl trying to reclaim her humanity in a world that wants to turn her into a weapon, you have to watch it. It’s one of the most ambitious action films of the decade. It doesn't care about being "balanced" or "safe." It wants to overwhelm you.
How to get the most out of your viewing
To truly appreciate what Tjahjanto has done here, you should:
- Watch with the original Indonesian audio. The English dub is fine, but you lose the grit and the specific vocal performances of the cast. The subtitles are well-translated and easy to follow.
- Pay attention to the background. The production design in the "Slums" and the "Red Light" districts is incredibly detailed. There’s a lot of visual storytelling happening in the environment that explains the corruption of the city better than the dialogue does.
- Expect a slow burn at the 60-minute mark. The movie takes a breather to set up the final stakes. Don't turn it off; the payoff in the final 40 minutes is absolutely worth the wait.
- Look for the horror influences. Tjahjanto started in horror, and you can see it in how he frames the villains. They aren't just bad guys; they’re often framed like monsters in a slasher film.
Actionable Next Steps
If you’ve already watched The Shadow Strays 2024 and you’re looking for what to do next, here is how to dive deeper into this specific brand of cinema:
- Watch "The Night Comes for Us": Also on Netflix, this is Timo Tjahjanto’s previous action masterpiece. It features Joe Taslim and Iko Uwais and is even more brutal than Shadow Strays.
- Explore the "The Raid" Franchise: If you haven't seen The Raid: Redemption and The Raid 2, you are missing the foundation of modern Indonesian action. These films set the standard that The Shadow Strays follows.
- Follow the Cast: Keep an eye on Aurora Ribero. Her transition from teen dramas to this level of physicality is unheard of, and she’s likely to be a major face in international action for years to come.
- Check out "Headshot": Another Tjahjanto collaboration that focuses heavily on martial arts and amnesia, serving as a great bridge between his early work and his current style.