|
Cast:
Jordan
Chan
Louis
Koo
Blacky
Ko
Lai
Yiu Cheung
Grace
Ip
Action:
Jung
Cheung Tak
Bruce
Law
Producer:
Nam
Yin
Yang
Pan Pan
Ng
Chi Hung
Director:
Herman
Yau
Score:
 
|
THE
MASKED PROSECUTOR
AKA:
N/A
Year:
1999 Reviewer: Andrew
Saroch
'The
Masked Prosecutor' opens with the mock news footage of several
Hong Kong criminals walking free from various crimes. Though
obviously guilty of some cruel actions, these men find the law
can be expertly twisted to their favour and therefore they
avoid feeling the full force of justice. This corrupt system
brings the mysterious 'Masked Prosecutor' out of the shadows
and he sets about administering severe beatings to all of
those who he feels have evaded proper punishment. With the
beatings becoming more and more frequent, the police begin to
step up their investigations into who this assailant is and
where he has come from. Assigned to the case is an intelligent
young detective - who uses his considerable powers of
perception to aid him - and an experienced, but weary cop who
just longs for a quiet life. The two policemen gradually probe
further into their target's history and, after a series of
events brings certain issues to light, the young detective
wonders if his own partner might know more than he is willing
to say. The background of 'The Masked Prosecutor' seems to
have some relevance to members of the police force and a
particular event that may well have created this semi-mythic
character; now the two partners must put aside their loyalties
and finally apprehend the vigilante.
An
interesting premise is given a reasonable treatment by
experienced director Herman Yau and well-played by a very
capable cast. Louis Koo as 'The Masked Prosecutor' is given
the kind of brooding yet sympathetic role that his skills seem
so well suited to and Jordan Chan makes the perfect co-star
for him. Chan is given a fairly well-written and intriguing
character to play, making this slightly eccentric but thorough
detective leap off the screen and cry out for a spin-off film.
The weakness of the film is that it simply runs out of steam
after the hour mark and thus the audience's attention is not
properly focused; instead the pace lags and the potential
qualities are undermined. Another minus is the strange
hypocrisy in some of the characters' moralities that becomes
more apparent as the film continues. For a quickly produced
and competently made feature, 'The Masked Prosecutor' offers
good value. However, there is no doubt that a little more care
may have created a better all round film and a stronger
recommendation.
|
