User Reviews

Fans of Chow Yun Fat can finally exhale; he has made a decent Hollywood movie at last.

I went to see "The Corruptor" this past Saturday in HK. While it's not an especially good film, it's a solid piece of entertainment. Most importantly, it allows Chow Yun Fat to be Chow Yun Fat. Whereas he was stiff and tentative in "The Replacement Killers", in "The Corruptor" Chow burns up the screen. From the very first few seconds of his appearance in the movie you can see that "The Coolest Actor in the World" is back in form.

In fact, it's the acting that saves the movie. The story is a tired one, but Mark Wahlberg and especially Chow are charismatic and make their characters sympathetic. Chow also develops an onscreen chemistry w/ Wahlberg that was completely absent in his partnership w/ Mira Sorvino.

Because of it's uninspiring storyline, however, "The Corruptor" will probably still not make Chow a household name in America. But it will win him lots of new fans. Let's hope this upward trend in Chow's career continues w/ "Anna and the King".

On the surface this is just an old fashioned tale of a slightly wet newbie cop teaming up with a hardened veteran , in short it`s a buddy movie that were very common in the late 80s/early 90s but what sets THE CORRUPTER apart from similar movies is just how stylish it all is . James Foley started his career by directing videos but with one brief exception this doesn`t really show too much with his action style being inspired by the likes of John Woo and Hong Kong action movies . There`s some superb technical aspects such as the editing and the cinematography is breath taking especially the scenes where light filters through windows and we see the spectrum imposed on the characters faces

There are some flaws to the movie of course . One is Foley has cast actors whose native tongue is not English which does cause some unintentional sniggers namely when the characters mention the word " Fokkien " , yeah okay I know it`s set in Chinatown but as is common in movies no one will complain if the characters speak perfect English no matter their ethnic origin or upbringing . The script does get a bit confused and complicated in the final third which did spoil the movie slightly and some people will no doubt be put off by the sometimes over the top violence , but as a violent thriller I was entertained by this movie

Wahlberg and Chow both perform very believably and work well on screen together. This partnership reminded me of Training Day (with Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke). That is, the green cop being "educated" by the seasoned cop and we're not sure if the seasoned one is corrupt or not. I also thought it was shot well with good use of lighting. The action scenes were well directed and quite spectacular in some cases (eg. the car chase and several shoot-outs) without going too over the top. The plot was a little hard to follow at first, but I blame this on myself, not the storyline. It's commendable that so much thought was given to the script and plot so it didn't always seem we were just waiting for an action scene. The drama added intensity and suspense well, too. For example, the tension between Chen and Wallace. The thread with Wallace and his father added good depth to his character and the story, as did the fact that he and Chen retained their partnership in fighting even when the suspected worst was revealed about Chen. It was also notable the role music played in the film. For example you always knew when the Asian punks were about to show up due to the rap music. The subtle music in dramatic dialogue scenes gave the scenes a good atmosphere.

The direction and cinematography for this film is excellent. I am without a doubt a film conaessiour and I find this film to be very satisfying. Chow-Yun Fat is incredible and plays his role to a T. He also completes some of the most amazing action sequences I have seen in any action film. Mark Wahlberg produces one of his best performances to date and teams up well with Chow Yun Fat. All in all this film is entertaining and has flashes of greatness with astonishing camera shots and an superb cast. ONE film you should give a chance, 8 out 10 rating.

The Corruptor is a film about New Yorks China town and the special police department who are there to put a stop to the extortion and illegal goings on there.The Problem is the cops are just a mixed up in the dirty dealings as the criminals. This is not a bad film at all , it is very violent and the body toll mounts up by the second.Is New York really like that?? The acting is good too . the only thing that really lets this film down is the unsatisfactory script, the film never really gets to where sets out to go. But dont let that put you off to much because apart from that it is Watchable. 6 out of 10

One of the first Mark Wahlberg action movies I've seen very good cast solid movie

Poor Chow Yun-Fat: he pays his dues in HK cinema, rising to Asian superstar, and gets a crack at Hollywood fame only to share the limelight with an ex-boy-band singer/underwear model in a mediocre crime drama.

The Corrupter, directed by James Foley, opens promisingly enough with a shootout in a shop that could have been straight out of a John Woo movie, but soon settles into tedious mode with the introduction of Mark Wahlberg, who exudes all the personality of a dim sum dumpling. Wahlberg plays cop Danny Wallace, assigned to the Asian Gang Unit in New York, working alongside Lt. Chen (Yun-Fat), who is in the pocket of the Tong triads. It eventually turns out that Wallace is internal affairs, his job to collect the dirt on Chen, but predictably, he comes to realise that although Chen isn't playing by the rules, he isn't such a bad cop after all. Yawn.

There's quite a lot of shooting, with satisfyingly bloody squib-work, and a half-decent car chase scene midway that results in the deaths of numerous innocent bystanders, but this is heavily outweighed by the forgettable drama, which isn't helped by some dreary guff about Wallace's strained relationship with his father (played by Brian Cox). It wouldn't be long before Chow Yun Fat returned to his homeland to make films, and judging by The Corrupter, who could blame him?

A young Caucasian cop , Danny Wallace (Mark Wahlberg) , is assigned to New York's Chinatown precinct and partenered with a shrewd veteran , Nick Chen (Chow Yun Fat) . The expert policeman attempts to eliminate drug-trafficking , illegal immigrant and corruption at whatever cost and he'll stop at nothing to get it , but two Chinese bands confronting each other . Then things get complicated when the Triads try to bribe the cop . Both , Danny and Chen are drawn into a cobweb of treason and deception. If you have a secret , he knows it. If you have a weakness, he exploits it. If you have anything good in you, he destroys it...You can't play by the rules when there aren't any. Geen recht. Geen regels. Geen gerechtigheid. No law. No rules. No justice.

Nail-biting action movie with thrills , action-packed , violence , betrayal and bloodletting shoot'em up . The movie has a John Woo style , there are amount of shoot-outs , frenetic action and running men while they are shooting . The thrilling script and interpretation are top-drawer , and there's crossfire enough to satisfy the average appetite for destruction. Chow Yun-Fat finally receives a Hollywood stardom that already had before internationally in Asia . Nevertheless , the action segments suffer in comparison to his work in John Woo films . While Mark Wahlberg is fine as the tough cop and he showcases the talents that previously showed in other movies . A good starring duo , Chow Yun-Fat as Nick Chen and Mark Wahlberg as Danny Wallace giving acceptable performances , being well accompanied by an appropriate support cast , such as : Ric Young , Paul Ben-Victor , Byron Mann, Jon Kit Lee , Andrew Pang , Frank Pellegrino , Tovah Feldshuh, Elizabeth Lindsey and special appearance by the veteran Brit actor Brian Cox as Mark Wahlberg's father who get into trouble .

It contains an adequate and evocative cinematography by the Spanish Juan Ruiz Anchia who has photographed various James Foley's films . The motion picture was competently directed by James Foley , providing from his standout cast some top-drawer interpretations . Foley originally did not want to do John Woo's trademark "Mexican Standoff" in this film , but producers begged him to include these kinds of rip-roaring scenes . Foley is a fine craftsman ; however , he got two Razzie Nominations for Worst Director , as in 1988, he was nominated for Who's That Girl? (1987). Then in 2018, he was nominated again for Fifty Shades Darker (2017). Foley is a good director who has made movies in all kinds of genres with penchant for dramas . As Foley has directed important and some successful movies , such as : ¨Reckless¨ , ¨At Close Range¨ , ¨After Dark my Sweet¨ , ¨Two Bits¨ , ¨Fear¨ , ¨The Chamber¨ , ¨The Corruptor¨, ¨Confidence¨ , and directed one Oscar-nominated performance: Al Pacino in ¨Glengarry Glen Ross¨ . Rating : 6/ 10 . Acceptable and decent movie ; it will appeal to action fanatic enthusiasts and fans of the phenomenal duo of main actors : Chow Yun-Fat and Mark Wahlberg.

I've read through quite a few of the reviews and have noticed quite a diversity of opinions. First off I wasn't very impressed with the way Asian people are portrayed here. If you can't tell by my name, I am Asian but that is not a justification for my comments. Almost every aspect of the Asian culture that was portrayed was a negative one. Some true, some not but in most cases, the needless violent and senseless depictions are not always necessary. That's my spiel on the ethnic perspective.

Now, the movie. I thought Walberg stole the picture. His performance was one of his best and will only get better with experience and age. I've been watching Chow Yun Fat do movies for almost 15 years now and I have seldom seen a poor performance and he does an admirable job in this film, with what he's given. His English has improved dramatically but I think the biggest problem with this movie is the direction. Even being Asian, I had a hard time following some of the dialogue. It was either spoken too fast or just poorly worded. Secondly, some of the scenes were shot with hand or mobile cameras resulting in scenes that were very 'bumpy'. I almost got car sick watching some of these scenes.

The movie slowed down in quite a few spots and towards the end I couldn't wait for the movie to end. The story is basically about two cops who grow to trust each other in a world of lies and deceit. What is white is not always white and by the end of the movie, everything becomes clear but the ride is not an easy nor enjoyable one.

Both Walberg and Fat could do much better with scripts that allow them to show a bigger range in acting and character development. Neither are acting rookies (especially Fat) they just need better scripts. Look for bigger and better things for them to come.

Overall... 5/10 (passing grade mainly because of Walberg and Fat's acting)

Nick Chen is a tough as nails New York cop who works on both sides of the law. When a new rookie cop is assigned to his unit he sees how the local crime boss tries to corrupt him and Chen reconsiders his ethics. All the while a few twists and turns show who is really playing who.

This is by no means a very original movie, especially for Chow Yun-Fat. His first American film, 'The Replacement Killers,' also was kind of a re-run, but what is there to say? He's good at this type of stuff.

Just like 'The Replacement Killers' this film was also a flop at the box office and it is probably through its gritty and uncompromising tone. Yeah, there's action and intense shootouts, but it is not like 'Die Hard' or anything. Innocent people die, the ending isn't happy, but what matters is that the film isn't cheesy - it pulls no sucker punches or cheap thrills. It sticks to the characters while keeping the action secondary, but no less intense. The plot too is also pretty interesting and is a little more intricate than 'The Replacement Killers' or Chow Yun-Fat's cult hits from Hong Kong like 'Hard Boiled.' It is not quite a masterpiece of genre, but remains a solid crime thriller nonetheless. 8/10

Rated R: strong violence, and profanity

A surprisingly watchable action film. The story is not the typical Hollywood cliche. Chow Yun-Fat and Wahlberg play multi-faceted characters. While this film is better than the standard action film, it could have utilized the great Chow Yun-Fat better. John Woo and Ringo Lam where are you?

In a world of no rules (as the log line says), films like this are bound to happen. Without a foundation from which to tell a story, corruption isn't just something that happens to be part of the title of this film, it's at the very core of why this film even exists.

Very briefly, this film is about two cops who work in the middle of gangland Chinatown in New York. One cop, Nick Chen (played by Chow Yun-Fat), knows that he has to break some rules to get to the bad guys. The other cop, Don Wallace (Mark Wahlberg) is a rookie cop who seems to be as straight-laced as Jimmy Stewart. So with this cliche all set, the film moves into a storyline of two gangs at war with each other and detectives Nick and Don dive in head first.

After all of the set-up then, the rest of the film is a very bad attempt at being clever: The double- and triple-crosses aren't nearly as surprising as finding the morning paper on your doorstep every morning. The action is gratuitous and lends nothing to the film, let alone the imagination. The violence is unbearable and most alarmingly, goes towards glorifying gang warfare and not discouraging it. The sex is... well, it's what it is in all movies these days: unnecessary, uninvolving, brutal, irresponsible, and stupid. The high-key lighting style of the cinematographer is completely out of place in this film since there's nothing to really be suspenseful about. And this film absolutely does not merit any comparison to the film-noir genre even though you get the sense (if being pounded over your head with something means "sense") that the director tries for it. For all of the black and white spaces created by using high-key lighting, the underpinning absence of a clear morality actually undermines this story instead of enhancing it.

Usually, audiences assume that when you're a cop, you stand for all that is good. Well, at least that's what people used to assume. In any case, even in an absence of a clear line of good and bad, a strong story with good, strong characters will arise and tell a tale that makes people think about what is good and bad. This film just makes you wonder if there are any good cops out there at all (I don't mean boy scouts).

Why does everyone have to be so corrupted in movies these days? Why does it have to be so dark? I don't believe the line that says, "It's dark because that's reality." It's only a portion of reality and even then, it's only because certain people in this society think it's cool to have a smoking gun and a smoking piece of garbage in your mouth. How dumb is that?

Bottom line is, this film lacks a moral underpinning that makes all movies great. Whether this morality is challenged, questioned, or turned upside-down makes no difference. At least a morality exists. In THE CORRUPTOR, there is no morality to do anything with. That's why in this film, the violence is gratuitous, the sex uninteresting, the double- and triple-crosses obvious. It's just a stupid movie.

They say everyone has a secret. The Corruptor is a prime example of this saying because everyone in Chinatown is hiding something in this movie. Detective Nick Chen, played by international star Chow Yun-Fat, heads the Asian Crime Unit in his precinct. Chen is a decorated hero with many years on the force. He is also in the back pocket of Uncle Benny, the leader of the old-line gang in the city. Because of this he is fighting even harder to take down the Fukienese Dragons, a gang of young Chinese recently arrived to America. Adding to his problems Chen has a new cop in his unit, Mark Wahlberg plays Danny Wallace. Wallace is a rookie with his own secrets including a father who owes the Italian mob a large sum of money. The Corruptor is fun! Any movie that starts off with an entire storefront exploding and the one `survivor' being gunned down as he comes out the door is bound to grab your attention. Many gunfights and chase scenes later you even realize there is a story here. Mark Wahlberg continues to improve as an actor though it is hard to think of him as anything other than `Marky Mark.' Chow Yun-Fat is the main reason to see this movie. He was a star in China for many years before we were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of him. His English has improved immensely from his first American movie, The Replacement Killers, and his charisma is at the level that it always has been. When Chow is on the screen it is hard to watch others and it will definitely be interesting to see him in the remake of The King and I with Jodie Foster. James Foley directed this movie. It's not for everyone but if movies like Hard-Boiled and The Killer entertained you then check out The Corruptor. It's worth it!

I still wonder why Hollywood gives Mark Wahlberg any work. His dramatic range is nil. If it weren't for his aww shucks schtick he would have no schtick at all. His performance in this movie is the single worst thing about the movie. There are other things that aren't so good, but nothing else is nearly as bad.

That being said I have nothing but good things to say about Yun-Fat Chow. This is the kind of character he plays best. Edgy, complex and dynamic, a tough cop and a bad cop that is at heart a good guy.

The story is that Mark Wahlberg is sent into the chinatown precinct to fill a staffing shortage. The lead detective in that precinct, played by chow, is corrupt and in the pay of the Tong. Over the course of the movie Wahlberg's character is sucked into the corruption as well. The story is pretty standard cop drama fare with a few twists, but nothing spectacular. Really the best part of the movie is watching Chow, the worst is watching Wahlberg.

Wahlberg was meant to play this role, which may be his best yet. It will be a cop movie classic, esp. with the realistic portrayal of Chinatown (I have lived near there in San Francisco for 14 years). Brutal, but honest, it shows the ubiquitous racism of all races. The Chinese Triads still exist in sex and drug smuggling. The "sweatshops" are somewhat better now, but the simpleminded racism still exists on all sides. Despite the usual snooty superciliousness of most critics, I thought the characters were quite well developed building up to a human aspect that the audience identifies with. It is true in San Francisco that cops in my city surrender to the inevitability of street crime in the poorer sections of the city.

The Corrupter rides high on style and action, some of it's action sequences are awesomely and coolly shot. Parts of that car chase were breathtakingly thrilling, I felt I was there. It's a huge surprise, considering the film is directed by James Foley who makes films I LIKE, he's best still being in my opinion, the very underrated, At Close Range. A second inning onto the American market, Chow Yun Fat, lives this film up. I agree, he is the coolest Asian actor, who can act. Speaking of actors, their all terrific. Wahlberg's solid as the young rookie, undercover cop, partnered with the shady head of the Asian task force, Fat, who thinks he can play on both sides of the law and still come out clean and cool, like his parading self. Ric Young who's the godfather of Chinatown, controlling the whole corrupt show, while buying a few cops, is so slick and slimy, in his role, he's lovable, a big paunchy China doll. Most impressive though as rising hood, climbing up the ladder, very quick before his time, is Byron Mann, as Bobby Vu, while too, I also liked Brian Cox, always solid, as Wahlberg's, bum of a gambling, ex cop, and weathered father, who always implores his son to get him out of his indebted messes. Too, The Corrupter has an darn interesting story, if sometimes confusing, and this I think could be it's fault, where to un confuse it, you might have to wrack your brain a bit. But it has more meat to it, than Chow's last simple storied, show and cool action piece, The short, sharp, and sweet actioner, The Replacement Killers. Also I liked Paul Ben Victor as the Head FBI chief, butting heads with Fat, a mutual and silent hate exchanged. Fat shows great emotion, especially in parts where he finds out, he's bitten off more than he can chew. Too, you will notice some faults in some action parts of The Corrupter, but Foley, has crafted a very slick action pic, the early scene with Fat shooting up a light store, had me underestimating the action side of it, when I saw it at the cinema in 99. From here, it was confirmed I was in for one hell of a ride. The movies cool from the word go, and I mean from the word "Go" the cool, deviously, and shady fitting music score by Carter Burwell as the opening credits fade in and out of The larger font movie Title was an impressive start, where an explosion in the first scene, is a great invitation, which you'll get here among a little bit of T and A, too that doesn't go astray, where Fat always looks after his partner. The action finale on that big ship, even though played out a bit, is climactic, involving and again, cool, if shockingly affecting, not just for one thing. Foley too, plays around with some beautifully overhead shots of the big Apple. Here's a film he should be proud of, despite a lot of negativity from a few real movie critics, towards it. I almost love this as much as ACR. One of the coolest films you'll ever see.

I tuned into this because it starred Chow Yun-Fat, the excellent co-star of Jodie Foster's Anna and the King. I had never seen him before that, and was fascinated to see him in Sleeping Tiger Hidden Dragon. In The Corruptor, he is an Asian-American cop (Nick Chen) on the Chinatown beat. And he's been around for awhile. The precinct is surprised (and annoyed) to discover that a young Caucasian cop has been assigned to them, Danny Wallace. It starts out as a buddy movie, with Chen and Wallace getting to know each other, as Chen becomes the mentor for Wallace. There are a fair number of layers here: this is not your average martial arts flick with lots of action and not much story (although it had its fair share of fast action). Chinatown itself is complex, and it impacts the various characters in different ways, forcing them to make philosophical and emotional choices along the way. Without giving away what the movie evolves into, I'll just recommend it to Chow Yun-Fat fans, as well as fans of twisty cop movies. Not a keeper for me, but definitely worth the first view.

How good can a movie be where Mark Wahlberg is by far the best actor (of course, there is Brian Cox but he doesn't count - he never counts because he always quite flawless and his parts are always too small)? I mean what can you expect from a movie called "The Corruptor" starring Chow Yun-Fat?

The answer is: maybe little. And indeed, the movie is quite a bore. Screenwriter Pucci did a lot of research work trying to stuff the story with themes like loyalty and loneliness, but finally it's only, if you want, a portrait of brutal American streets. The biggest plus can be found on the technical layer: The Corruptor has one of the best (or at least: most authentic) car-chase scenes of the past few years.

What else can I say? Oh, I think Chow's English has improved lately (unfortunately this does not apply for his acting), and the Chinese girls are really sexy (to the girls among you: of course, there are some scenes where Marky Mark is shown stripped to the waist, just for the fun of it). Apart from these tiny little plusses the film is only interesting if you enjoy bang-bang films.

With the aid from a New York City policeman (Mark Wahlberg), a top immigrant cop (Chow Yun-Fat) tries to stop drug-trafficking and corruption by immigrant Chinese Triads, but things get complicated when the Triads try to bribe the policeman.

Roger Ebert wrote, "Director James Foley is obviously not right for this material. It's a shame, actually, that he's even working in the genre, since his gift is with the intense study of human behavior." High praise for Foley, who made the excellent "Glengarry Glen Ross", but has also gone on to work in the "Fifty Shades" franchise. Maybe Ebert was too kind.

For some reason, this film seems like it had the script of an exploitation film but the budget of a major feature. This ends up with sleazy situations and bad dialogue that do not belong in anything this major. One wonders how this was not a major stumbling block for Wahlberg, though it may not be his only misfire.

The Corrupter is beset by expectations of Yun-Fat Chow in another John Woo flick. This isn't a John Woo flick (and I mean the old John Woo pre-American Studio), but it does evoke moments that are very John Woo/Yun-Fat Chow esque ala The Killer and the blind girl.

This film is a character study of Nick Chen and Danny Wallace (played very well by Mark Wahlberg) as cops that must make decisions that may compromise their professional and personal integrity, but the lines drawn are not as simple as that. The film really asks people under what circumstances is it okay to bend the rules in order to achieve results that otherwise would not be possible? Would it be okay to let one guilty person go in order to catch ten more in the future? Would it be okay to convict one innocent person in order to catch a thousand guilty in the future?

Danny Wallace joins Nick Chen in the Chinatown task group. Danny is forced to ask himself whether the short term actions, and their moral implications, are worth the long term good of the force, himself, and his family.