Difficult to follow and delivers awful performances, even from actors we know are capable of great work - seriously, what Jonathan Rhys' Meyers accent in this movie? Other than a mistake I mean. _Final rating:★½: - Boring/disappointing. Avoid if possible._

The first half of this movie is bafflingly bad--So Bad It's Good--but steadily improves over the remaining half, such that it's almost pretty alright towards the end. The obvious problem is that they blew their budget on casting Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Cam Gigandet, and there wasn't enough remaining to execute what is a decent idea. The production value is low, the scripted dialogue is awful, and JRM is just collecting a paycheck. But Gigandet gives it his all--and he's naked a few times, too! If you have nothing else to do, I wouldn't dissuade you from watching The Shadow Effect.