A thriller with a difference, this is a rare film: an action film that gives us complex human characters to care about, as well as plenty of adrenaline-pumping shoot-outs and car chases to enjoy. It's a complex film to watch, with lots of different characters and relationships. It's not simply a film about good vs. evil, the bad guys versus the good guys - here, the lines are blurred, and nobody is painted in just black and white.Chow Yun-Fat excels as the corrupted cop with a heart of gold, giving us a noble character (no stretch for him) who we really care about by the film's ending. However it's Mark Wahlberg who comes as the real surprise, giving us a man torn between doing what's right (ie. turning in his partner) and doing what his heart tells him. The two men strike up a realistic relationship, one which is very watchable, and the film keeps you guessing as to the final outcome of things right up until the very end.There are lots of sleazy criminals also kicking around, and the film is shot in gloomy locations with a lot of shadows. Typically men will be talking in an office with sunlight shining on them through the half-closed blinds. This gives it a dark atmosphere, yet it's still a very crisp, well-photographed film to watch. The action is excellent and realistic-looking, with a top car chase (my only complaint is that it could have been longer) through the streets as bullets rip through the two vehicles and a whole slew of innocent people are butchered as the carnage progresses through the city. There are also plenty of shoot-outs as the cops raid illegal brothels and drug dens, the film painting a very seedy picture of the city. The ending is unusually heartfelt, and will be tugging at your emotions (clue: it's not a happy ending).This isn't just an action film - it's a human drama too, with believable characters mixed in with the expected bone-crunching excitement. A nice surprise.

Chow Yun Fat (Chen) and Marky-Mark (Wahlberg) stars together as cops working NY's Chinatown. It's fairly apparent this is a very early movie for Wahlberg. His acting abilities are minimal. This is a typical Chinatown "buddy" movie. Substitute Yun Fat or Wahlbwrg for anybody else and it's still the same movie.The camera work is quite slick as the editing adds an edgy, streetwise feel to the atmosphere. The action for the movie was very stylish and intense as it is displayed in a very gritty way. The hand-held shots used for the car chase are a perfect example. The theme tune for the film gives it a very complex mixture of Eastern and Western culture and dark suspense. The soundtrack used throughout the film gives it a very urbanized feel and backdrop for the story. This is just predictable from start to finish but it's still enjoyable enough to watch all the way through. Action, adventure, turn coat, bad good guys, cute bad girls... it's all there.Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

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.

The Corrupter is set in New York City where decorated veteran detective Nick Chen (Chow Yun-Fat) who operates in New York's Chinatown, trying to keep the peace & prevent a turf war between rival Chinese gangs. Rookie cop Danny Wallace (Mark Whalberg) is assigned to Chen's team, the only problem is that he is American, a white American. Chen is unhappy at first but decides to try & teach Wallace the way things go in Chinatown while trying to prevent Wallace getting himself killed. During a drugs bust they arrest an undercover FBI agent, then soon after the FBI agent is killed in a Chinatown hit. The FBI think there's a leak in Chen's department & Chen himself comes under pressure. With the violence escalating & gangs kill each other for all out control Chen & his team are caught in the middle of it...Directed by James Foley I thought The Corrupter was a really average cop drama thriller with very little to distinguish or recommend it, those look for some some decent gun-play & action in particular will be very disappointed. The script tends to go for slow burning drama rather than out & out action, there's an OK car chase & a few forgettable shoot-outs but nothing else. I also felt the script was too unfocused, there are various little subplots going on, the illegal immigrants, the prostitutes, Wallace's personal problems with his father, a gang war & struggle for power in Chinatown along with various office politics & red tape that ordinary cops have to deal with. It's all pretty dour stuff to be honest, nothing grabbed me or excited me or drew me in & I just ended up feeling pretty bored, at an hour & forty minutes long The Corrupter does take a fair bit of patience to sit through & I found I had lost mine way before the end credits started to roll. The character's are alright, as far as buddy buddy cop films go they are not typical though. Chen is written as a decent man who has to bend the rules to get things done & keep the peace while the fresh faced Wallace plays it strictly by the book at first but soon realises that life on the street has no rules, they are quite well fleshed out & drawn but they are stuck in such a bland cop drama that it's hard to care or get involved in their story. All in all I just didn't think The Corrupter added up to much, with an emphasis on drama rather than action this won't appeal to your average mainstream action fan.Even with a reasonable car chase about halfway through there was far less action in The Corrupter than I was expecting, even the shoot-outs & gun-play are dull. Filmed in New York & in Canada this looks nice enough with hat gritty, low colour documentary style cinematography that some may like while other's like me will find just bland & anonymous.Taking a paltry five million during it's opening weekend at the box-office The Corrupter is a hard sell, is it meant to appeal to those interested in drama? It's surely too shallow for that. Or is it meant to appeal to the action fan? Well, there's barely any action in it. I just can't see who would like this. The acting is alright, the performances are decent enough I suppose.The Corrupter is a film that I didn't like that much, sure it's well made & reasonably acted but with a bitty story & lack of action I was left distinctly underwhelmed. Average at best for what it is & nothing special.