Product Details

• Actors: Sean Penn, Madonna, Paul Freeman, Richard Griffiths, Philip Sayer
• Directors: Jim Goddard
• Writers: John Kohn, Robert Bentley, Tony Kenrick
• Producers: Denis O'Brien, George Harrison, John Kohn, Robin Douet
• Format: Color, Original recording reissued, NTSC
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
• VHS Release Date: November 15, 1989
• Run Time: 97 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6301464958
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #489,808 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Painfully bad, July 13, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Shanghai Surprise (DVD)

I am a huge Madonna fan. I love her music. I love her movies (not because I think she can act but because they're always so bad they're good). But this movie is an exception to all the others. It's just bad. Words can't describe. I think what made it so painful was the fact that it went on forever. Just when you think it's over something else happens. Once that's over with something ELSE happens. After that, something ELSE happens. And then something else. And then something else. And all that really happens is Madonna and Sean Penn run around like idiots. I'm sure this movie must be really embarassing for them. Madonna's performance is so wooden and if Sean weren't cute he wouldn't be any fun to watch either.

I wish I could give this movie 0 stars.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Bad... but perversely enjoyable, March 17, 2004

By 

H. R. Trigg "howietUK" (Swindon, Wilts United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shanghai Surprise (DVD)

The story is rubbish, the acting is bad, however I did enjoy it in some perverse way! (One of those, its so bad its good films perhaps?)
Know-one comes out of this film unscathed. Penn's character is completely annoying; his histrionics really grated on my nerves and Madonna's acting has never been worse (the crying scene has got to be seen to be believed).
The scenery is beautiful though, and possibly the only other noteable thing this film has going for it, is that Madonna is absolutely stunning in it.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Must For The Madonna Completist!, April 17, 2007

By 

Leonard Huang (Nanuet, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shanghai Surprise (Special Edition) (DVD)

It's hard to believe that 21 years have passed since this Madonna-Sean Penn disaster was first released. And time has not worked any wonders on this clumsily plotted, awkwardly incompetent movie. What you get with this SPECIAL EDITION release is a beautifully remastered picture with 5.1 sound, a gaggle of special features which are quite funny (one of which I'm actually on--listen for me on the fans commentary, I'm the bitchy New Yorker in the room!). It's a movie only a dedicated Madonna fan could love, and if you are one, then you simply must upgrade!