- Director : Donnie Yen
- Actors : Donnie Yen, Julian Cheung Chi Lam, Michael Hui, Francis Ng Chun-Yu
- Dubbed: : English
- Language : English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1), Cantonese (Dolby TrueHD), Cantonese (Dolby Atmos), English (Stereo), Cantonese (Stereo)
- Studio : Well Go Usa
- Aspect Ratio : 2.35:1
- MPAA rating : NR (Not Rated)
- Product Dimensions : 5.3 x 0.5 x 6.8 inches; 3.21 ounces
- Country of Origin : China
- Media Format : Blu-ray, Subtitled
- Run time : 1 hour and 57 minutes
- Release date : May 27, 2025
I enjoy courtroom
dramas and am a huge fan of action movies but was immediately skeptical that a
hybrid of these two genres would work together when I first heard the premise
of Donnie Yen’s latest film. It seemed likely that the clever ways that lawyers
defeated bad guys would get in the way of the more direct approach utilized by action
heroes, and The Prosecutor ultimately does have to make a choice in the direction
the climax will take. This isn’t to say that the two halves of the film’s
narrative don’t work together, but one also can imagine that fans of either
genre are likely to be a bit disappointed by what is missing rather than
excited about what the combination has added.
Inspired by a
true case court case, The Prosecutor takes some liberties with the
protagonist Fok Chi-ho (Yen), a veteran cop who is forced to retire after a career
putting his body on the line to catch criminals. Thinking the law will be a way
to continue advocating for justice, Fok goes back to school and becomes a
prosecutor determined to use the courtroom to put criminals behind bars. These
goals are complicated when Fok takes a case involving a poor young man accused
of drug trafficking. Believing the accused is being manipulated by his lawyers
to benefit a larger criminal syndicate, Yen finds himself fighting for justice
even when it conflicts with his job as a prosecutor.
Given the fact that
Yen is the star, there is some expectation of action, despite the character of
Fok working as a lawyer. While some may be disappointed in the long gaps
between action sequences when the narrative focuses on the legal aspects of the
story, when they do arrive it is worth the wait. Even if the fight choreography
sometimes feels better suited for a Marvel movie given the intensity and power the
characters display, these action sequences are enough to recommend the film to
any diehard fans of action. I can’t say the same to fans of legal dramas, as
the courtroom elements are never quite able to match the quality of the action.
Much of this likely has to do with the film’s star.
In addition to
bringing his star power to the film, Yen also directed The Prosecutor.
While there are still some narrative inconsistencies, this film is a step up in
terms of quality from Sakra (2023), and somewhat reassuring given the fact that
Yen is attached to direct the John Wick spinoff focusing on his
character of Caine. Let’s just hope there is no legal storyline in that film.
The Blu-ray
release is somewhat lacking in extras, although there is an English language
dubbing in addition to the original Cantonese with optional English and French
subtitles. There is also a trailer. The main reason to watch this on Blu-ray,
however, is clearly the high definition presentation, and it is worthwhile
during the action scenes scattered throughout the film.
Entertainment Value:
8/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 6/10
Historical
Significance: 4/10
Special Features: 3/10
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