The Shanghai Restoration Project soundtrack stands out as perhaps the most memorable aspect of this gangster film. Beyond that, it’s largely an awkwardly assembled animated story centered on a suitcase containing ¥1 million stolen from a boss who seems to be nearing the end of his influence. To emphasize this, he tasks a hit man—who has seemingly transitioned from a ruthless operative to more of a caretaker—with recovering the money. The target, whom we quickly realize possesses the cash, intends to give it to his girlfriend who is struggling financially. The likelihood of his survival? It’s not really in doubt; the narrative drifts along with an almost predictable quality that highlights the animation's straightforward approach. Many of the characters evoke those rub-on transfer sheets from childhood—they feel flat and often disproportionate compared to each other or their settings, particularly when there's any action or shifts in lighting. The film uses the bleakness of the setting and the weather to establish a sense of threat, while the dialogue does little to develop the characters. Could this be intended as an allegorical commentary on communist China—a city that, like everything else depicted, has clearly experienced better times? It’s possible, but as a crime thriller, it feels remarkably simplistic.

Source on TMDB