The Corruptor
A forgotten Mark Wahlberg cop picture from the 1990s feel like an origin taradiddle for his character inThe Departed . WhileMark Wahlberg action moviesmight be ten a centime now , back when he was making the transition from rapper to actor , he was more eclectic in his choices . He followedBoogie Nightswith task likeThree Kingswhile mixing in bigger budget fare likeThe Perfect Storm . He made his action debut in 1998’sThe Big Hit , a freakish smorgasbord of wacky comedy and Hong Kong - style action flick .
In the following years , the genre would yield some of Wahlberg ’s biggest hits , include theTransformerssequels or 2007’sShooter . That said , arguably Wahlberg ’s good public presentation was play Sergeant Dignam inThe Departed . This was very much a supporting role for the star , with the story involving Leonardo DiCaprio ’s copper Costigan go undercover in the Irish mob , while Matt Damon ’s mobster is an hugger-mugger fuzz . Wahlberg ’s acerbic , scene - stealing bend in the Martin Scorsese gangster motion picture would later earn him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar .
Mark Wahlberg’s The Corruptor Feels Like A Stealth Prequel To The Departed
This 1999 thriller cast Mark Wahlberg as an undercover cop
One of Wahlberg ’s early action vehicles wasThe Corruptor , casting him as a rookie cop who team with Chow Yun - fat ’s Detective Chenas they chase down crew in New York ’s Chinatown . The film is prompt by Hong Kong action celluloid and has a distinct John Woo / heroic bloodshed flair to its setpieces . On the surface , the story is about Wahlberg ’s primitive tec being slowly corrupted by his veteran partner , who believes the only elbow room to get thing done in Chinatown is to cooperate with the crime boss who runs it .
However , The Corruptor’sbig twist is that Danny is really Internal Affairs , and despite his produce friendship with Chen and being make by his lifestyle , he eventually has to take his cooperator down . Wallace ’s journeying inThe Corruptormirrors DiCaprio ’s Costigan inThe Departedin several way . They both find themselves leading double lives and live with the unvarying stress of potentially being discovered and the blurring of right and improper that comes with maintaining their cover .
The Departed is a way of life better movie than The Corruptor , which despite some great carrying into action and challenging ideas , never fully gels
The Hong Kong influence meansThe Corruptorputs more of an emphasis on the activity , and it extradite an underrated car chase around the midway point . Of course , The Departedwas also a remaking of 2002’sInfernal Affairs , an acclaimed Hong Kong thriller , so they share DNA in that regard too . The Departedis a way better movie thanThe Corruptor , which despite some cracking performances and challenging ideas , never full gels .
The Corruptor’s Danny Wallace Is VERY Different From The Departed’s Dignam
It’s hard to see Wallace morphing into his Departed counterpart
Wahlberg ’s Dignam does n’t have much screentime inThe Departed , though the wiz certainly makes the most of his appearances . He ’s abrasive and cocky , though there is an unlying gumption of loyalty and tariff that counterpoint him to Damon ’s " blabber " Sullivan ; duringThe Departed’sending , Dignam is the only character left who can reenact some degree of justness . It would be interesting to view Dignam and Wahlberg’sCorruptorcharacter as the same hombre , though the two are far apart in terminal figure of personality .
Wallacealsohas a strong sense of obligation but is a good deal more naive and emphatic . Dignam seemingly ca n’t go 30 mo without diss somebody , even if he ’s on their side . give the dark end ofThe Corruptor , it ’s not laborious to see Wallace becoming more misanthropical and hardenedthough . If anything , it would be queer to see aCorruptorsequel that piece up with Wallace 25 geezerhood after , to see how the bloody end of the Chen case changed him .
X - Triad appendage Jimmy Tsui analyzes fit from The Corruptor , reveal the 1999 action motion picture starring Mark Wahlberg is based some real issue .
Custom image by Ana Nieves
That ’s not likely to fall out , sinceThe Corruptorfailed to deduct its $ 25 million budget ( viaBox Office Mojo ) . The celluloid is by and large forgotten now , though it marks part of Wahlberg ’s evolution into a movie star . He has the presence and personal appeal , but the public presentation is n’t quite consistent , where he seems rupture between want to make Wallace more three - dimensional whilstalsobeing a gun - tug badass . This , ironically , mirror his character ’s quandary too , which just about works in the picture ’s favour .
The Corruptor Was Designed As A Chow Yun-Fat Star Vehicle
Hollywood tested out The Killer star with lead roles in several big movies
Hollywood had a dead - lived crush with Hong Kong cinema from the late 1990s to the early 2000s . This saw filmmakers like John Woo handed major studio projects likeFace / Off , while superstars Jet Li and Jackie Chan were also given fomite tailor to their talent . PerhapsMark Wahlberg is the braggart name now , but Chow Yun - fat is the undisputed lead ofThe Corruptor , which was part of a serial of films design to break dance him through to American audience .
Every John Woo & Chow Yun - fat Movies
Release Year
Set in the heart of New York’s Chinatown, The Corruptor follows a seasoned police officer and his rookie partner who dive deep into the local crime syndicate’s activities. As they work to dismantle the criminal organization from within, they find themselves entangled in a web of lies and deceit that threatens to consume them.
A Better Tomorrow
1986
A Better Tomorrow 2
1987
The Killer
1989
Once a Thief
1991
Hard Boiled
1992
His 1998 debutThe Replacement Killersis fundamentally a stealth subsequence to Woo’sThe Killer , while he co - star with Jodie Foster in period dramaAnna and the King . All three of Chow ’s moving-picture show underperformed , but after he scored a shock international hit withCrouching Tiger , Hidden Dragon , he was given another American studio apartment movie with 2003’sBulletproof Monk . Chow was always the highlighting of these projects , and while they all had their virtue -Bulletproof Monkaside- it never feel like they in full understood his virtuoso appeal .
Chow Yun - fat also play Master Roshi in 2008 ’s infamous manga adaptationDragonball Evolution .
The Replacement Killers , for instance , was basically an American riff on John Woo ’s movies but the film makes Chow dull down his rude spell to take on a near - emotionless killing machine . The Corruptorgives him a meatier role , which is fitting since he getsveryhammy with it . He and Wahlberg are an odd pairing , but that uneasy chemistry really enhance the relationship between Chen and Wallace . The moving picture fascinate both lead at a peculiar junction in their career , but despite their exploit , there ’s a reasonThe Corruptorrarely gets spoken of today .
Source : Box Office Mojo
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Set in the spunk of New York ’s Chinatown , The Corruptor follows a seasoned police force policeman and his cub mate who dive deeply into the local law-breaking pool ’s activeness . As they work to dismantle the criminal organization from within , they find themselves entangled in a web of lies and misrepresentation that threatens to consume them .
