The Corrupter | Blu-ray (Warner)
Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for The Corrupter, a 1999 action/thriller directed by James Foley (Glengarry Glen Ross, At Close Range).
The Corrupter stars Hong Kong screen legend Chow Yun-fat (Project Gutenberg, The Killer), Mark Wahlberg (The Departed, Mile 22, The Big Hit), Ric Young (Kiss of the Dragon), Jon Kit Lee (Romeo Must Die), Brian Cox (Braveheart) and Byron Mann (Double Edge, The Man with the Iron Fists).
Nick Chen (Chow Yun-Fat) is not your average New York cop. Working in Chinatown has its multifarious cultural nuances and its fair share of ubiquitous enticement, both of which are reflected in detective Chen’s weary face. He had to get into bed with the highest echleons of the Chinese Mafia as a way of augmenting his own career, while maintaining a semblance of control over the dime-a-dozen hoods who proliferate on this turf. To make matters worse, he now has to break in rookie detective Danny Wallace (Mark Wahlberg), who has asked to be assigned to the Chinatown division. And all of this under the suspicious eye of Internal Affairs.
Order The Corruptor from Amazon.com today!
I enjoyed this movie! Back in high school, I was excited to learn that the director of the profane Glengarry Glen Ross was doing a gritty crime thriller with Chow Yun-Fat, and it delivered. Chow of course was brilliant and gave the movie a sense of class while most of the other characters were vulgar, and Mark Wahlberg did well under his tutelage.
I wished Chow Yun-Fat did more gritty crime flicks in Hollywood.
I liked this one too. I consider it CYF’s best Hollywood film. I have a feeling it was supposed to be more “gritty drama” and less “action-based”, especially given the director’s track record (he wasn’t really an action film director, as you said). And some of the injection of action scenes seem somewhat forced. Plus, you can’t go wrong with the soundtrack, filled with 3EB songs (a sign of the times!).
James Foley said in interviews that he wasn’t a fan of HK action, but watched some HK films to get more of an appreciation and preparation for what he wanted to present.
I felt like the action scenes jumped out at the audience when they weren’t expected, so he did a good job of knowing where to place them and film them. Maybe the movie was intended to have less action, but it was very welcome here.
Right. One thing is for sure… you cannot deny that awesome car chase. Punches are not pulled with that one.