The Prosecutor - 4K Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

The Prosecutor



Movie:
4K Video:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score:

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Movie
Watching Donnie Yen these days makes me start to reconsider my denial of the fountain of youth. One of the last OG Hong Kong action stars of the golden age of Hong Kong cinema, Yen has been pumping out martial arts movies since the early 80s. And even though the man is about to turn 62 next month, he somehow manages to look and move like someone 15-20 years younger. The man cut his teeth playing villains against Jackie Chan and Jet Li, to becoming one of Hong Kong’s biggest stars in the matter of a few scant years. His ability to blend traditional Chinese martial arts with grappling and kickboxing enabled him to stand out from the crowd, carving a niche for himself that rivaled Chan and Li. However, he started fading out in the early 2000s as Hong Kong cinema lost favor with the general populace. Yen regained some of his former fame when he played the role of a lifetime in the Ip Man series, only to pull a Jackie Chan the last 10 years and pump out dramatic comedy after dramatic comedy that doesn’t allow the man to stretch his wings. However, I was a bit intrigued when I saw the trailer for The Prosecutor. A tense courtroom drama filled with martial arts and very little comedy. So I decided this one might be worth my time, and I’m glad I gave it the benefit of the doubt, as it turned out to be the best film that Yen’s been in for several years.

The film opens up with the age-old “based on a true story” note, meaning that somewhere in Hong Kong/China, someone who was an ex cop did something remotely similar to the setup for the film. But in true cinematic fashion, it’s stylized to glory and back. Donnie Yen plays Fok Chi Ho, a dedicated cop who has decided to move up the ladder in the Hong Kong DOJ to become a prosecutor. He figures that his years of catching criminals would give him a different POV in terms of putting them away for good. His first case turns out to be a doozy, where he is forced to prosecute a young boy who is convicted of drug trafficking. It seems all cut and dry, with the defendant admitting guilt for a lighter sentence, but Fok’s cop sense is tingling like crazy. Something doesn’t seem right. The other defendant in the case gets let off with a warning, and this young man is sent away for 27 years for a crime he may not have committed.

Digging into the case is met with resistance from the rest of the DOJ staff, who are more intent on keeping up appearances and getting convictions rather than finding out the truth, leaving Fok to somehow figure out a way to find out what’s going on. His digging starts him down a long and winding road that leads to multiple layers of corruption in the legal system, a drug trafficking ring with ties to Vietnam, and LOTS of martial arts battles.

Honestly, while the setup for The Prosecutor isn’t that great, the movie is quite charming. Director/Star Donnie Yen does a good job of creating a tense courtroom drama with all of the pomp and ceremony of the genre, AND infusing some rocking Kung-Fu fights as well. It could be because the Hong Kong legal system is based on the pompous British legal system (including powdered wigs), but it makes it incredibly easy to side with the defendant here, as the upper-crust brass just ooze extravagance and unlikable arrogance. And the fights are quite fun. I’ve been a Martial Arts film fan for almost 40 years, and grew up right during the height of 90s Hong Kong cinema, so I’ve seen it all. And while The Prosecutor isn’t going to win any awards or bring back the height of Hong Kong action, they are more than adequate. Yen somehow manages to move so well that I would never realize the man is almost 62. I’ve done martial arts since I was barely 12 years old, and I can’t move half as well as he can, and I’m 20 years his junior! Whatever magical elixir the man is imbibing, it’s certainly working.
If I had to levy any sort of criticism towards the film, it's that the Chinese mainland jingoism that is so prevalent these days comes across a bit too thick. It’s not that the film delves into some super-duper nationalistic stuff. Rather, the whole “truth, justice, and the Chinese way!!” aspects of Yen’s character tend to be a bit cloying. It’s not the end of the world, but as a Westerner, it just didn’t feel natural.




Rating:

Not Rated by the MPAA




4K Video: Video:

Shot on Arri Alex cameras, The Prosecutor looks rather stunning on 4K UHD. The film takes elements of that traditional blue/gray color grading that is so common in Chinese and Hong Kong films, but also has a fairly neutral element while out and about in the city. Clarity is strong and sharp, with great detail levels all the way around. Powdered wigs and black courtroom robe attire show up nicely, as does the brick and stone of the Nightclub where Fok beats the snot out of the villain’s goons. According to IMDB, this film got a 2K DI master, and while things probably could have been BETTER with a 4K DI, this looks fantastic considering that it’s an upscale. Dolby Vision and HDR aren’t as impressive due to the blue/gray color grading muting the highlights, but overall, it adds some depth to the black levels, and when comparing against the Blu-ray, sports richer primary shade colors (blue shirts, a red scarf, etc).







Audio:

Featuring dual English/Cantonese tracks in DTS-HD MA 5.1, the film also gives the Cantonese language track the edge by including a Dolby Atmos track as well (on both the 4K UHD disc and the Blu-ray, so this portion of both reviews will be identical). Said Atmos track is a tornado of energy, with the film opening up with a chaotic action scene. Guns, explosions, fisticuffs, and blunt object-based trauma all shake the entire listening position with activity. Bass is deep and powerful, amplifying the battle sequences with tons of activity, while the surrounds are pretty much active the entire film. Even though there’s plenty of courtroom drama, we still get an engaging and encompassing mix that utilizes the surrounds more than amply. Dialog is crisp and cleanly located up front as usual, and the entire Atmos track is simply a chef’s kiss for the package.







Extras:

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Final Score: ​

The Prosecutor actually turned out to be a lot more entertaining based on the last few Donnie Yen films I’ve reviewed recently. It’s got some really good, intense, dramatic legal proceedings, and Donnie doesn’t skimp on the action scenes as well. Some of the stuff that goes down can be a bit silly to some people, but Donnie Yen fans should have a good time with this one. Technical aspects are on point, except for the extras. Instead of being simply anemic like most Well Go USA titles, the 4K UHD disc doesn’t have ANY extras on hand, instead relegating them only to the Blu-ray. Solid watch is my final recommendation.


Technical Specifications:

Starring: Donnie Yen, Julian Cheung, Francis Ng, Kent Cheng, Kong Lau
Directed by: Donnie Yen
Written by: Park Wai Lam, Edmond Wong
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 HEVC
Audio: Cantonese: Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 Core), English, Cantonese DTS-HD MA 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH
Studio: Well Go USA
Rated: NR
Runtime: 117 Minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: May 27th, 2025

Recommendation: Decent Watch