The Corruptor
| The Corruptor | |
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 Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | James Foley |
| Produced by | Dan Halsted |
| Written by | Robert Pucci |
| Starring | Chow Yun-fat Mark Wahlberg Ric Young Byron Mann and Brian Cox |
| Music by | Carter Burwell Junior Cyrus Baron |
| Cinematography | Juan Ruiz Anchía |
| Editing by | Howard E. Smith |
| Studio | New Line Cinema |
| Distributed by | New Line Cinema |
| Release date(s) | March 5, 1999 |
| Running time | 110 minutes |
| Language | English / Cantonese |
| Budget | $25,000,000 |
| Box office | $15,156,200[1] |
The Corruptor is a 1999 American action thriller film directed by James Foley, and starring Chow Yun-fat and Mark Wahlberg.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Plot
NYPD Lieutenant Nick Chen (Chow Yun-Fat) is one of New York City's police officers and is head of the Asian Gang Unit. Chen's job is to keep the peace in Chinatown from a turf war that has broken out between the Tong, Triads and the ruthless and dangerous Fukienese Dragons, a problem complicated by the fact that he is also an informant for the Tongs under "uncle" Benny Chan (Kim Chan) and his lieutenant Henry Lee (Ric Young). After a bombing in downtown Chinatown in broad daylight, Chen is reluctantly teamed up with Danny Wallace (Mark Wahlberg), who is terribly unaware of this situation. As well, Danny Wallace was secretly tasked by Internal Affairs to monitor Chen for corruption. Danny lied to Chen and the Asian Gang Unit by claiming that he took the job as a means to gain his Detective shield the fastest.
During a police raid on a Fukienese whorehouse, Chen saves Danny's life. Danny, knowing that his life is now in the hands of Chen, then promptly initiates a bust on a drug operation, not knowing that there was an undercover FBI agent as well. After being berated by the FBI for interfering one of their ongoing investigations, Danny is introduced to Henry. Henry then discusses the potential value of having another cop in the Asian Gang Unit on the Tong payroll, which Uncle Benny allows. One day Benny is able to lure Danny into working for him by tipping him off to an underground prostitution ring. Danny, after stopping the operation, is then given a commendation for valor, but Chen now suspects that Danny, like him, is working for the Tongs.
Eventually, Wallace begins to work for Henry Lee of the Tongs after discovering that Chen has been doing the same. They inadvertently cross paths while doing this, throwing their initial trust for each other out the window as well as putting the intentions of Henry Lee into question. Chen hates the Fukienese with a passion, but neither he nor Wallace know that Henry Lee is secretly forming a partnership with their head leader Bobby Vu (Byron Mann), a relationship that will result in them ousting Uncle Benny after tipping off their Hong Kong associates that he is cooperating with the FBI. By this time, both Henry and Bobby know that there is an FBI agent undercover in their drug operations and despite Nick's idea to 'leak' the operation and have him pulled, decide to simply assassinate him.
While monitoring a drug operation, Danny and Nick witness a Tong hit squad and it leads to a violent confrontation that leads to Nick getting berated for botching the FBI investigation. After the incident, both Danny and Nick swear not to talk to the FBI without talking to each other first, further cementing their relationship. Unfortunately, the FBI find out Danny's real reason for his position in the AGU and threaten to expose him unless he is willing to spy on Nick for them. When one of Nick's informants witnesses firsthand the assassination of Uncle Benny at the hands of Bobby under authorization from Henry, he alerts Nick who then alerts the District Attorney because she is looking to indict the Tongs under the RICO Act. The DA, the FBI, and both Wallace and Chen decide that they want to catch Bobby in the act and decide to hold off on the arrests.
Unfortunately, Henry at this time chooses to alert Chen of Wallace's real identity and job, leaving him deciding whether or not to kill Wallace to prevent getting arrested. During the nighttime operation, Wallace is injured and while trying to protect an elderly woman, is left vulnerable to be killed by Bobby. Nick pushes Danny out of the way and is hit by the bullet originally meant for Danny. While at the hospital, the FBI is furious that Danny did not reveal Chen's corruption due to the fact that his leaking of information led directly to the death of an undercover FBI agent. Danny refused to withdraw his original statement telling them that Nick died a good cop, but Nick dies due to his injuries. Sometime later, Danny is seen leading the arrest of Henry under the information Nick's informant gave them. Nick is then given a hero's funeral and Wallace is seen in the procession.
[edit] Cast
- Chow Yun-fat - Lieutenant Nicholas "Nick" Chen
- Mark Wahlberg - Detective Danny Wallace
- Byron Mann - Bobby Vu
- Kim Chan - Benny Wong
- Ric Young - Henry Lee
- Paul Ben-Victor - Schabacker
- Jon Kit Lee - Jack
- Andrew Pang - Willy Ung
- Elizabeth Lindsey - Louise Deng
- Brian Cox - Sean Wallace
- Bill MacDonald - Vince Kirkpatrick
- Susie Trinh - Amy San
- Ho Chow - Black Eyes
- Olivia Yap - Tai
- Lynda Chiu - Kim
[edit] Soundtrack
The soundtrack of The Corruptor features underground hip hop songs by artists including Mobb Deep, Spice 1 and Mystikal. The original score for The Corruptor contains music composed by Carter Burwell.
[edit] Notes
- Originally when Chow's character found out he was under investigation, he tore apart a bathroom. Chow thought this was a decidedly Western reaction, and the breathing technique was opted instead.
- The car chase was trimmed to avoid an NC-17 rating. It is featured uncut on the New Line DVD.
- Originally, Mei was supposed to be performing oral sex on Henry Lee when Nick Chen had the discussion with him in the bathhouse. This was changed to feeding him grapes when Chow said that Chen would not continue a relationship with her after witnessing this act.
- The film was shot mostly in New York, with scenes also filmed in Toronto.
- The Fukienese Dragons is a real crime organization group, although some of the gangs that operate under the name are more juvenile in their nature. Only a few groups are as ruthless or as powerful as the ones depicted in the film.
- Director James Foley used Vietnam War imagery in the film. This is evidenced by the photograph depicting the self-immolation of Quang Duc that hangs in Chow Yun-fat's apartment, and his point blank shootings of two Fukienese gang members with a small caliber hand gun was meant to recall the Eddie Adams photograph of General Nguyễn Ngọc Loan executing Vietcong prisoner Nguyễn Văn Lém.
- Chow Yun Fat hums the song Tian Mi Mi (甜蜜蜜) in the beginning of the film while playing cards. This song was by Teresa Teng.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- The Corruptor at the Internet Movie Database
- The Corruptor at AllRovi
- The Corruptor at the TCM Movie Database
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