Although the title "The Corruptor" is named for the various forms and forces of corruption commonly found in inner-city police departments -- or at least as portrayed in the movies -- the filmmakers probably should have called this one "The Squib Master."
In film parlance, a "squib" is a small explosive device commonly deployed to simulate the effects of gunfire, whether such impact occurs in bodies, walls, cars, etc..., and is used to give that "realistic" effect of a bullet (or bullets) piercing, shattering or basically blasting something (or someone) to bits.
One doesn't need to look any further than this film for a prime example of them, as it appears that New Line Cinema's special effects department must have had an inventory reduction sale on the little devices. About as violent as they come and with enough gunfire for several action films, "The Corruptor" is yet another release where more attention was apparently paid to staging elaborate shoot 'em up scenes than delivering an original or entertaining story, characters, or overall film.
More reminiscent of the gritty, hard-boiled cop dramas of the seventies than the more recent "Lethal Weapon" series or the violent Hong Kong films that made both actor Chow Yun-Fat and occasional directing collaborator John Woo legends there, the film will probably disappoint fans from either of those camps.
With relatively no humor or much needed comic relief (which allowed the Gibson/Glover films to appeal to mainstream audiences) and without the highly stylized and overly choreographed, near balletic action sequences found in films such as "The Killer" and "Hard Boiled," this picture -- courtesy of director James Foley ("At Close Range," "Glengarry Glen Ross") -- comes off as nothing more than a hyper violent, run of the mill crime drama.
Although freshman screenwriter Robert Pucci's plot attempts to come off as complicated -- and does contain a plot twist two-thirds of the way through that at least offers a tiny bit of complications and character conflict, although it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise to audiences -- most of it's simply a conglomeration of elements from other pictures.
The mismatched buddy film has, for all intended purposes, been run into the ground and the pairing here, just as in Chow Yun-Fat's first American release, last year's "The Replacement Killers" with Mira Sorvino, offers nothing new or interesting to the mix.
The subplot of illegal immigrants being smuggled into the country for, or being forced into, illegal activities certainly isn't new, and was most recently and similarly explored in "Lethal Weapon 4." Finally, the whole "someone on the force is corrupt" element has been done so many times on TV series and in the movies that it's doubtful anyone thinks there might be a police department in existence -- let alone in the movies -- that's actually clean.
As such, you may be asking yourself what this movie has going for it. The answer is Chow Yun- Fat. Although not given the same latitude found in his Asian-based films, this picture allows the suave actor a better chance at displaying his charismatic acting wares than in "Replacement Killers" where he was reduced to nothing more than a stoic -- but lethal -- character.
While he'll never have the appeal of his fellow compatriot and action star, Jackie Chan, Yun-Fat certainly has that special star power that makes his presence on screen that much more alluring, and he's given enough character nuances here to make him interesting.
While co-star Mark "Marky Mark" Wahlberg has occasionally displayed some of that in his acting career (such as in "Boogie Nights"), at other times he seems misplaced in certain films like last year's equally violent, "The Big Hit." As in that film, his acting style here is all across the board, and while at times he seems right for the character (the action sequences), at others he just doesn't work, particularly when more serious -- and often stilted and forced -- dialogue is required.
The rest of the performances, all of which are hampered by two-dimensional or stereotypical characterizations, are decent for what's expected of them, but are easily and certainly forgettable not long after one leaves the theater.
All in all -- and if one doesn't mind the brutal violence and loud mayhem, or the odd inclusion of a rap soundtrack for a story set in Chinatown -- the film isn't that difficult to watch and should somewhat please fans of hardcore action films.
Those looking for films similar to Chow Yun-Fat's earlier work, or of anything new or even interesting in the cop drama genre, however, won't find it here. Not horrible, but as many degrees away from great as there are bullets fired during it, this is an easily forgettable film that will probably have more success once on video than it does in the theaters. We give "The Corruptor" a 4 out of 10.
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