The Masked Mirage has come face to face with "The Corruptor" and files this report from the test screening she/he attended at the risk of her/his very soul. This film stars one of my (Father Geek) favorite cool people, Chow-Yun Fat so I expect it to really rock.
This was my first test screening ever, I've been to a press screening, and a preview, but not a test screening. But anyways tonight Wednesday August 12th was the first screening of The Corruptor starring Mark Wahlberg and Chow-Yun Fat.
The basic plot is that it's a cop buddy movie with Chow-Yun as the experienced cop on the beat in chinatown, and Wahlberg as the new cop assigned there who has an admiration of chinese culture and people, or as one of his fellow cops calls it "Yellow fever".
Thsi movie at it's current stage has to be nc-17. I have nto seen this much violence in a movie ever. Blood splatters everywhere, guys are shot repeatedly after they're dead, and in one car chase at least 10 innocent bystanders are gunned down. As if the violence was'nt enough there is a lot of nudity and sexual situations. I would assume the sex will be cut back first before some of the blood. At this current stage the gunshots and explosions are as aloud as armageddon, seriously.
There was a definite temp track, some of the oriental music was nice, but the pop songs thrown in were definetly out of place.
So, was the movie good? well if you like action you'll like the action scenes. And yes there is a plot. for about the first hour it seems like standard fare. they even use the overused plot device of the rookie's first bust being of a federal agent... but this has long lasting effect on the rest of the film and is not just an isolated event then, and this is not exactly a spoiler as it is revealed very early on, and will likely be in the trailers.
Chow-yun Fat is basically on the take. But it's not a black and white issue, it's very gray. he's forced to help the bad guys, yet doesn;t completely want to and tries to do good at the same time. In fact the man manipulating him (The corruptor in the title) actually helps him at times to clean up the streets. then there are a few more plot twists with mark wahlberg that i won't spoil here.
But, it all seems very realistic, not all cops are good guys, but even those who seem in the wrong are not bad guys, doing the right thing is a very gray area, especially when dealing with the corrroption on the streets. As chow-yun says early on "You can't change Chinatown, It changes you".
Overall an above average buddy cop/life on the streets film. Overly violent to the point of being laughable, but the non-action scenes come out fairly realistic. The relationship between the cops may seem a bit forced, but the movie isn't just a vehicle to put mark and chow in the same film. If it comes out next febuary as I've heard it should be a nice break in the middle of what is usually a boring post christmas movie season.
It earns a 7 out of 10 from the Masked Mirage.
