British flight officer Maude Garett (Chloë Grace Moretz) is on a top-secret mission. No one knows what it was, not even the soldiers she's with aboard a dilapidated B-17 plane. All they know is that she's carrying a super confidential package, and she's determined to protect it at all cost.
The year is 1943, and World War II is raging on. It's only natural for these men to be up on their toes. Who knows what surprises conflict can bring; she's maybe a spy sent by the other side. So they trapped her inside the plane's turret.
Garett tries to convince the group she's not a mole. Though despite all of her effort, the conversation always ends up about her gender.
It wasn't long until the enemies reveal themselves.
Garett noticed that Japanese warplanes are scouting them. But upon reporting what she saw, they accuse her of wanting attention. She retaliates, of course. She knows what she saw. And besides, that's only one half of the problem. Hiding behind the shadow of the clouds is a sinister creature ready to prey on the people onboard.
It's all up to Garett to save everyone and complete their respective missions.
"Shadow in the Clouds" is an intense, unique, and empowering film anchored by Chloë Grace Moretz's emphatic performance and Roseanne Liang's direction.
"Shadow in the Clouds" carries a straightforward message about feminism. What makes it standout is that it doesn't need any fillers or smokescreens to demolish toxic machismo. Liang directly confronts the issue with sharp and on-point arguments.
What holds back the film, though, is its silly plot. It opens with a cartoonish infomercial about Gremlins tearing down a plane. A figure that serves as a metaphor for irresponsible officers during flight. It wasn't inane, at first, until the film literally includes it in the narrative as one of the main villains.
Other than the laughable CGI rodent, some sequences are just unbelievable. You must check it out to see.
But despite all of its crazy antics, "Shadow in the Clouds" remains a very entertaining film. It's a treat from start to finish, with compelling acting and an idea and message that works.
3.5/5
