The Prosecutor

Yen remains as magnetic as ever, and whether punching bad guys in the face or shouting down naysayers in a courtroom, there was never a moment I didn’t believe that the emotionally pugnacious conviction driving his performance was genuine.

The Prosecutor is perhaps best enjoyed as the meta story of an action star who refuses to be aged out of his metier; at a time when the Hong Kong film industry might be expecting less of Yen, he’s actively finding ways to ask more of himself.

As a Donnie Yen vehicle that showcases the star’s still-amazing physical skills and moves at a pacy clip for almost two hours, “The Prosecutor” has the storytelling energy and visual panache to smooth over the rough spots.

Each new scene adds something to the movie’s inflexible, but entertaining vision of an ailing society with one proven remedy—a little extra Donnie Yen Energy.

My hope with The Prosecutor was that Donnie Yen would shout OVERRULED! regularly before beating up criminals with a flurry of punches, 17 dropkicks, and top it off with an emphatic suplex. It delivers that on top of a gripping story and superb cast.

“The Prosecutor” sees Yen at home in his comfort zone, adding another sturdy action-thriller to his impressive résumé.

The Prosecutor does a commendable job of bridging the gap between hard-hitting action and thoughtful (if sometimes overwrought) drama, reaffirming Yen as a force to be reckoned with, both in front of and behind the camera.

The Prosecutor combines the earnestness of a Law & Order episode with the serious agitprop of a PBS documentary, and lights it up with properly-framed Hong Kong action.

The Prosecutor would have done well to pick a genre and stick with it.


The Prosecutor doesn't fully feel like a legal drama, nor does it feel like a martial arts film. It's a decent film with strong direction, but laden with regrettable missed opportunities.