The Corruptor (1999)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

James Foley

Writer (WGA):

Robert Pucci (written by)

Release Date:

12 March 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

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...

Plot:

With the aid from a NYC policeman, a top immigrant cop tries to stop drug-trafficking and corruption by immigrant Chinese Triads, but things complicate when the Triads try to bribe the policeman.

Plot Keywords:

Triad | Police | New York | Chinatown | Corruption

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Yun-Fat Chow	...	Nick Chen (as Chow Yun-Fat)
Mark Wahlberg	...	Danny Wallace
Ric Young	...	Henry Lee
Paul Ben-Victor	...	Schabacker
Jon Kit Lee	...	Jack
Andrew Pang	...	Willy Ung
Elizabeth Lindsey	...	Louise Deng
Brian Cox	...	Sean Wallace
Byron Mann	...	Bobby Vu
Kim Chan	...	Benny Wong
Bill MacDonald	...	Vince Kirkpatrick
Susie Trinh	...	Amy San
Ho Chow	...	Black Eyes
Olivia Yap	...	Tai
Lynda Chiu	...	Kim

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, language and sexuality.

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Cantonese

Color:

Color (DeLuxe) (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #36007) | Iceland:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Germany:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Germany:16 (cut) | Netherlands:12 (cut TV version) | Australia:MA | France:-12 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Chinatown, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

The ship in the film is the Great Lakes grain carrier "S.S. Canadian Mariner." Not really suited for crossing the ocean.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: Before shooting out the tires on the red vehicle, the 2 officers unload dozens of pistol and shotgun rounds towards the approaching vehicle. NYPD does not authorize firing at a moving vehicle when the vehicle alone is being used as a weapon. Also, with pursuing Patrol Cars behind the red vehicle, they were essentially firing at other officers.

Quotes:

Sean Wallace: [to his son] Got a drink? I'm drier than a ninety-year-old tit.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Malevolent (2002)

Soundtrack:

Eileen's Theme

Everyone has a secret

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!