Despite early anticipation for the crime thriller, which marks Kaneshiro’s return to the big screen, audiences left the screening underwhelmed following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 16. According to The Paperthe film received a one-minute round of applause. Many viewers later took to social media to describe the film as boring and difficult to follow.

Southern Metropolis Daily reported that some attendees even called the plot so hollow it was “sleep-inducing.” Screen Daily revealed that the original version of the film ran for seven hours before being cut to 132 minutes—an edit that allegedly resulted in major narrative gaps and weakened character development.

Still, the film drew praise for a few visually memorable moments, including a scene of Kaneshiro sleeping in a tunnel, a snow-blanketed cityscape, and an artful funeral sequence. Some viewers applauded director Juno Mak for his bold stylistic choices and experimental approach.

Produced by a Hong Kong company with a budget of HK$400 million (US$51.2 million), “Sons of the Neon Night” was shot between May 2017 and March 2018. The production included the construction of a full-scale replica of Causeway Bay.

Sources say Mak developed multiple versions of the film—ranging from two to six hours. Cast members were reportedly asked to return for reshoots, but Kaneshiro declined, stating he had fulfilled his contractual obligations. As a result, some scenes in the final cut were completed using AI technology.

In the film, Kaneshiro plays the heir to a financial conglomerate seeking to erase his family’s dark legacy. The ensemble cast includes Hong Kong actors Louis Koo as a hired assassin, Sean Lau as a morally ambiguous detective, and Chinese actress Gao Yuanyuan as a psychotherapist. Other cast members include Tony Leung Ka Fai, Richie Jen, and Lo Hoi Pang.

While director Mak and cast members Koo, Leung, and Gao walked the Cannes red carpet, Kaneshiro was absent. According to Udnthe 51-year-old actor has been living a reclusive life in recent years and working as a farmer.

Kaneshiro last appeared on the cover of Elle Men China in June 2022 and starred in a mobile game commercial in March 2021. His most recent film before “Sons of the Neon Night” was “This Is Not What I Expected” (2017).

Born to a Japanese father and Taiwanese mother, Kaneshiro began his career as a pop singer in 1992 before transitioning to acting. He has since earned both commercial success and critical acclaim through collaborations with directors such as Wong Kar Wai, Peter Chan, Zhang Yimou, and John Woo.