Le corrupteur

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

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

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.

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.

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.