It stars Alec Baldwin, supported by John Lone, Penelope Ann Miller, Peter Boyle, Ian McKellen, Jonathan Winters, and Tim Curry.

The Tulku, a holy man who exhibits otherworldly powers, abducts Cranston and offers him a chance to become a force for good.

After acquiring a rare coin from Khan, Cranston learns that it is made of bronzium, a metal that could be used for nuclear fission, and that Margo's father Reinhardt—a scientist working on energy research for the War Department—has become uncharacteristically reclusive and aloof.

While Margo and Reinhardt disarm the bomb, The Shadow pursues Khan through the hotel and defeats him by hurling a broken shard of glass into his frontal lobe.

In an attempt to differentiate The Shadow from other superhero films of the time, Koepp 'focused on the copy line, 'Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?'

[10] The Shadow was shot on the Universal backlot in Hollywood on five sound-stages over sixty days with a five-day mini-unit tour of location shooting, and a week lost when an earthquake destroyed the Hall of Mirrors set.

For the antagonist, rather than a fully developed theme, Goldsmith used a musical effect in horns and synthesizers imitating a howling sound, a technique that would later echo in his scores for The Ghost and the Darkness (1996) and The Edge (1997).

Diane Warren also composed a period-style big-band piece, "Some Kind of Mystery", performed by Sinoa during the film's first nightclub scene.

[14] In 2012, Intrada Records released a two-CD set that features the world premiere of the entire soundtrack composed by Goldsmith, and (among other bonus tracks) the complete original album cut on the second disc.

[citation needed] The Shadow was meant to be a summer blockbuster and the starting point for a new film franchise with toy, game, and clothing lines.

It suffered from competition for its target audience with, among others, The Lion King (earlier during its run) and The Mask (later on), and was ultimately a financial failure.

The website's consensus states: 'Bringing a classic pulp character to the big screen, The Shadow features impressive visual effects, but the story ultimately fails to strike a memorable chord.

[23] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "B" on scale of A to F.[24] Brian Lowry of Variety wrote that, despite similarities, the Shadow "lacks the visceral appeal of Batman and won't strike the same chord.

"[25] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a grade 'D', adding: 'The trouble with setting a special-effects fantasy in the low-tech ’20s is that unless the American-kitsch elements are injected with something approaching Steven Spielberg's speedy bravado, we become all too aware that the actors are simply standing around B-movie sets spouting cardboard dialogue.

[27]) Michael Wilmington, writing for the Chicago Tribune, gave his take on the film: "The Shadow shows what can happen when you overdress pulp.

'[28] Jack Yeovil of Empire gave it 3 out 5 and called it "A pleasant, eye-pleasing movie" he further praises the production design and effects, "but the plot never really gels, and for an action fantasy is rather cold".