The action is hot but the dramatic temperature is different in “The Prosecutor,” a flashy mix of Hong Kong crime story and legal drama starring and directed by Donnie Yen (“Ip Man,” “John Wick: Chapter 4”) series. The veteran action star makes a convincing and engaging appearance as a cop who leaves his post to become a prosecutor at the Department of Justice, but is let down by a script prone to bouts of melodrama in and out of the courtroom. Entertaining enough despite its flaws, “The Prosecutor” has topped the Hong Kong box office for two weeks (so far) since opening on December 21, and is expected to do well in a limited theatrical run in the US starting on January 10 .
Containing less action than the average Donnie Yen film, and with his character offering phrases like “I’m all grown up, I can’t catch thieves anymore” and “I’m just growing up” as a reason for his career change, “The Prosecutor” sparked speculation that Yen’s days in Practical roles may be coming to an end The star has put all that speculation to rest with an upcoming slate that includes “Ip Man 5,” an untitled “John Wick” spinoff, and “Sleeping Dogs,” a video game adaptation. and “Flash Point: Resurgence,” a sequel to his 2007 hit action film “Flashpoint.”
Still delivering top-notch fight and action scenes at 61 years old (while looking 10 years younger), Yen is in fine form as Fook Chi Ho, the cop who quit the force in 2017 after watching too many crooks use legal loopholes . To avoid conviction. A quick montage shows Phuc studying for seven years and joining the Ministry of Justice after earning a law degree. His first assignment is to prosecute Ma Ka Kit (Mason Fung), a naive young man who has been pressured by his legal team to plead guilty to drug charges despite his innocence. With his police instincts triggered, Phuc smells a rat and decides to delve deeper into Ma’s case. After speaking to Ma’s devoted but impoverished grandfather, Uncle Ma (Lau Kung), who saved his grandson from a horrific life as the child of drug-addicted parents, Phuc becomes convinced that Ma, now facing 27 years in the rattle, is the patsy in a major drug-smuggling operation.
The first half of the screenplay by regular “Ip Man” collaborator Edmund Wong effectively balances Phuc’s detective work with court proceedings that bring him into conflict with aloof Justice Department prosecutor Yeung Det-Lapp (Francis Ng) and trial judge George Hui (Michael Hui). , who tells Phuc that he is shooting himself in the foot by calling a lawyer incompetent and insisting that a defendant who had just been successfully tried be retried. Although it’s hard to imagine such colorful and colorful exchanges taking place in a real courtroom, it’s still good to watch Yen duke it out with the legendary 82-year-old Hui, whose late-career purple patch continues in large part here and in his starring role In Hong Kong’s newly crowned all-time box office champion “The Last Dance”.
Sure enough, Fook finds evidence that Ma’s hotshot lawyer Lee Sze Man (Shirley Chan) and her oily assistant Ao Pak Man (Julian Chen) are providing legal representation to companies run by Lau Siu Keong (Adam Pak), a restaurateur closely linked to Tung. (Mark Cheng) and Sang (Ray Lowe), drug lords in the classic tradition of Hong Kong crime who dress flamboyantly and own a luxury yacht. Movie villains. At this point, the courtroom proceedings give way to action sequences, including a fascinating rooftop showdown between Phuc and dozens of criminals, and a scintillating attack on an MTR subway train in which Phuc disposes of hordes of henchmen before duking it out with a hulking, heavily tattooed killer. Kim Hong (Yoo Kang).
With the shift towards action, the film loses its intensity as a legal and human drama. The unfortunate plight of Ma and his grandfather devolves into melodrama, and the film doesn’t offer the kind of engaging, detailed look at the British-developed legal structure in Hong Kong that recent films like The Sparring Partner and Jack Ng’s 2023 blockbuster have. Conscience Guilty.” The view here is more simplistic, and at times contradictory, though it can also be seen as balanced and treading carefully so as not to upset censors. At times, Phuc seems like a crusader who wants Questioning a system that leaves victims like a poor innocent man in its wake and other times, he delivers corny “inspirational” speeches, as when he tells fellow Justice Department veteran Bao Ding (Kent Cheng) that “our work is like an eternal shining light, it shines.” The glory of justice and its justice in the hearts of people. “
As a Donnie Yen vehicle that showcases the star’s still-astonishing physical skills and moves at a brisk, nearly two-hour clip, “The Prosecutor” has the storytelling energy and visual skill to smooth out the rough patches. The lush orchestral score by debut feature composer Choi Chul Ho and Chan Ka Yi Joyce’s outstanding costume design are the highlights of this entertaining venture. A cameo appearance by Yen’s father, Clister Chen, with Fook’s father adding a nice personal touch.