A forgotten Mark Wahlberg cop movie from the 1990s feels like an origin story for his character inThe Departed. WhileMark Wahlberg action moviesmight be ten a penny now, back when he was making the transition from rapper to actor, he was more eclectic in his choices. He followedBoogie Nightswith projects likeThree Kingswhile mixing in bigger budget fare likeThe Perfect Storm. He made his action debut in 1998’sThe Big Hit, a bizarre mixture of wacky comedy and Hong Kong-style action flick.
In the following years, the genre would yield some of Wahlberg’s biggest hits, including theTransformerssequels or 2007’sShooter. That said, arguably Wahlberg’s best performance was playing Sergeant Dignam inThe Departed. This was very much a supporting role for the star, with the story involving Leonardo DiCaprio’s cop Costigan going undercover in the Irish mob, while Matt Damon’s gangster is an undercover cop. Wahlberg’s acerbic, scene-stealing turn in the Martin Scorsese gangster movie 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 earliest action vehicles wasThe Corruptor,casting him as a rookie cop who teams with Chow Yun-fat’s Detective Chenas they chase down gangs in New York’s Chinatown. The film is inspired by Hong Kong action cinema and has a distinct John Woo/heroic bloodshed flair to its setpieces. On the surface, the story is about Wahlberg’s naive detective being slowly corrupted by his veteran partner, who believes the only way to get things done in Chinatown is to cooperate with the crime boss who runs it.
However,The Corruptor’sbig twist is that Danny is actually Internal Affairs, and despite his growing friendship with Chen and being seduced by his lifestyle, he eventually has to take his partner down.Wallace’s journey inThe Corruptormirrors DiCaprio’s Costigan inThe Departedin several ways. They both find themselves leading double lives and living with the constant stress of potentially being discovered and the blurring of right and wrong that comes with maintaining their cover.
The Departed is a way better movie than The Corruptor, which despite some great performances and intriguing ideas, never fully gels
The Hong Kong influence meansThe Corruptorputs more of an emphasis on the action, and it delivers an underrated car chase around the midway point. Of course,The Departedwas also a remake 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 great performances and intriguing ideas, never fully 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 doesn’t have much screentime inThe Departed, though the star certainly makes the most of his appearances. He’s abrasive and cocky, though there is an unlying sense of loyalty and duty that contrasts him to Damon’s “rat” Sullivan; duringThe Departed’sending, Dignam is the only character left who can enact some degree of justice.It would be interesting to view Dignam and Wahlberg’sCorruptorcharacter as the same guy, though the two are far apart in terms of personality.
Wallacealsohas a strong sense of duty but is a good deal more naive and emphatic. Dignam seemingly can’t go 30 seconds without insulting somebody, even if he’s on their side.Given the dark ending ofThe Corruptor, it’s not hard to see Wallace becoming more cynical and hardenedthough. If anything, it would be curious to see aCorruptorsequel that picked up with Wallace 25 years later, to see how the bloody end of the Chen case changed him.
“I Personally Know The Guy”: How Mark Wahlberg’s 1999 Action Movie Is Based On A True Story
Ex-Triad member Jimmy Tsui analyzes scenes from The Corruptor, revealing the 1999 action movie starring Mark Wahlberg is based some real events.
That’s not likely to happen, sinceThe Corruptorfailed to recoup its $25 million budget (viaBox Office Mojo). The film is by and large forgotten now, though it marks part of Wahlberg’s evolution into a movie star. He has the presence and charisma, but the performance isn’t quite consistent, where he seems torn between wanting to make Wallace more three-dimensional whilstalsobeing a gun-toting badass. This, ironically, mirrors his character’s dilemma too, which just about works in the movie’s favor.
The Corruptor Was Designed As A Chow Yun-Fat Star Vehicle
Hollywood had a short-lived infatuation 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 vehicles tailored to their talents. PerhapsMark Wahlberg is the bigger name now, but Chow Yun-fat is the undisputed lead ofThe Corruptor, which was part of a series of films designed to break him through to American audiences.
1986
1987
1989
1991
Hard Boiled
1992
His 1998 debutThe Replacement Killersis essentially a stealth sequel to Woo’sThe Killer, while he co-starred with Jodie Foster in period dramaAnna and the King.All three of Chow’s movies underperformed, but after he scored a shock international hit withCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, he was given another American studio movie with 2003’sBulletproof Monk. Chow was always the highlight of these projects, and while they all had their merits -Bulletproof Monkaside- it never felt like they fully understood his star appeal.
Chow Yun-fat also played Master Roshi in 2008’s infamous manga adaptationDragonball Evolution.
The Replacement Killers, for instance, was essentially an American riff on John Woo’s movies but the film makes Chow dull down his natural charm to play 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 actually enhances the relationship between Chen and Wallace. The movie caught both leads at a peculiar junction in their careers, but despite their efforts, there’s a reasonThe Corruptorrarely gets spoken of nowadays.
The Corruptor
Cast
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.
