Veteran Hong Kong director (born in Canada)
Clarence Fok Yiu-leung has a resume full of actioners and thrillers
under his belt. Rumor has it that Mario Kassar originally
wanted him to direct “Basic Instinct 2.” His films boast
such unique names like “Dating a Vampire in Bed”, “Snakeheads”
and “Thunder Cop.” His most recent feature uses a rather
generic title which in comparison to his former films sounds like a
mid 90’s direct to Showtime movie, “Special ID.” It stars Hong
Kong action star of the moment, Donnie Yen.
As the story goes, Chan Chi-Ling aka “Dragon”
played by Donnie Yen is an undercover cop who must infiltrate a
dangerous crime organization in hopes to take down its leader, Cheung
(Collin Chou). Along the way, he realizes his good friend Lo
(Andy On) is involved as well and is quickly making his way up the
crime world ranks. Chan is partnered up with the young and
sassy Tian Jing (Fang Jing) in hopes to get him to act more like a
cop as there are fears that he has been undercover too long and may
have lost his moral bearings. Yen wants out completely but is
convinced to finish the job he has started in hopes of one last big
bust.
It is an entertaining idea that is only
slightly different from the loads of other undercover actioners which
have flooded the genre over the last 10 years. The plot is fairly
linear except when the backgrounds of the characters are told through
a series of flashbacks which help flesh out relationships and
emotional attachments. The story can be as ridiculous and
hackneyed as they come. The main attraction here is the martial
arts scenes. Although well-choreographed they lack any wow
factor. It’s hard hitting when it comes to violence but there is
nothing extraordinary about it. In fairness, Fok does not use
the easy go-to of shaky cam and fast editing. He lets the
action play out clearly and honestly. “Special ID” has a
silly, playful spirit and at times can be pretty humorous. However,
tone is also an issue as it wildly switches between action, goofy
comedy and serious distress. It makes for an uneven experience.
While I have not seen him in much before Yen
has an affable quality to his acting which helps him come off as an
everyman albeit with very good fighting skills. His athleticism and
agility are impressive as he never seems to be out of breath, even in
long camera takes. What is even more notable is after viewing this
movie I found out he was 50 years old when it was filmed. I
wouldn’t have guessed him to be a day over 35 years old. Yen
seems to be a weekend warrior here in which he gives a rather
perfunctory and casual performance. This is a not necessarily a
bad thing. It gives his character a likable of edge which helps
with being able to identify with him.
Video:
Well Go USA provides “Special ID” with a
2.35:1 widescreen image that looks as immaculate as digital cinema
can be. Shot with a Red One camera, detail and sharpness score high
marks, especially in clothes and all the neon signage. This is
a vibrantly colorful movie with nighttime sets in and around Shenzhen
(China) and Hong Kong. Black levels are inky and rich. Fans will be
pleased with what they see.
Audio:
Identical 5.1 DTS-HD MA tracks can be selected
in either English or Mandarin. Action scenes use all channels
fluidly and realistically without any obvious issues. LFE is
sparse but present when needed. There is also a Dolby 2.0 track
that is underwhelming compared to the other two tracks. Subtitles are
available for purists.
Extras:
There is a trailer for the film itself and a
sub 5 minute Making Of which sheds a little light on the production
process.
Bottom Line:
Well Go USA’s “Special ID” biggest flaw
is its lack of being memorable. There are no standout
performances or set pieces. Yen’s hand to hand action scenes are
athletically impressive but hackneyed. There are no moments
that help separate it from the rest of the genre. The disc is
technically sound with terrific video and audio. “Special ID”
will satisfy action junkies looking for another fix but it won’t
last long.
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