"Ronin" proved that a great car chase scene can make a movie. But a good car chase in "The Corruptor" isn't enough to keep it from being a disappointment.
It's not for lack of trying, though. This crime thriller has a talented cast, which includes Mark Wahlberg and former Hong Kong action star Chow Yun-Fat. And some of the action is pretty exciting.
Unfortunately, where things go wrong is in the choice of director. While the film might have benefited from the stylish touch of someone like "Face/Off" filmmaker John Woo, it is instead saddled with James Foley ("The Chamber," "Glengarry Glen Ross"), known more for dramas than action films.
Also, several subplots go nowhere, and the extremely slow pacing makes the story setup take far too long — leading to a resolution that's ridiculously brief and unrewarding.
The title character is Nick Chen (Chow), a decorated New York police officer who heads up the department's Asian Gang Unit. With help from idealistic rookie Danny Wallace (Wahlberg), Chen is hoping to bring down Bobby Vu (Byron Mann), the leader of the vicious Dragon gang.
But all is not as it seems. Danny discovers that Nick is on the take, with ties to the even more violent Tong faction, which has been encouraging him to take out their smaller rivals. And Danny has agreed to look the other way in order to help get his gambler father (Brian Cox) out of debt.
However, what the two men don't know is that a power struggle is going on within the Tong, as Tong lieutenant Henry Lee (Ric Young) and Vu have joined forces. Also, an FBI agent (Paul Ben-Victor) is investigating both officers for possible corruption charges.
As you can probably tell, there are too many things going on here, and there isn't nearly enough time to tie up all the loose ends. One-dimensional characterizations and Foley's unimaginative direction are the primary problems.
But the main story kernel is interesting, and both leads are good — Wahlberg continues to display a flair for action, and Chow's English skills have increased significantly since his U.S. debut, "The Replacement Killers."
Besides, action fans will probably appreciate the centerpiece, a pulse-pounding car chase/shootout in downtown Chinatown . . . even if the film goes downhill from there.
"The Corruptor" is rated R for violent gunplay, explosions and beatings, gore, profanity, female nudity, use of racial epithets and ethnic slurs, simulated sex and vulgar sexual talk.