Today’s quick review: Special ID. For years, undercover police officer Zilong Chen (Donnie Yen) has led a double life, working his way up the Hong Kong underworld. When his old associate Sunny (Andy On) becomes a suspect in a murder investigation, Chen is sent to mainland China to investigate. There he joins forces with Jing Fang (Tian Jing), a straight-laced local cop, to gather evidence against Sunny and wrap up Chen’s undercover work for good.
Special ID is a martial arts action movie about a Hong Kong cop’s last undercover assignment. Donnie Yen stars as Zilong Chen, whose years posing as a criminal have turned him into a reckless but effective police officer. Special ID features capable stunt work, a promising premise, and a tone that switches between dramatic and light as needed. However, poor follow-through keeps the story from living up to its full potential.
Special ID’s main focus is on its martial arts action. The stunts are creative and crisply executed. There are no set pieces to help the movie stand out from the crowd, but each action scene has the energy and technical expertise to entertain. The movie does a good job of scaling its action to its heroes. Chen and Fang each get the chance to shine, proving their prowess against numerous foes, but the fights never feel easy for the heroes.
As far as story goes, Special ID lays the groundwork for a tense drama but doesn’t build on it. The film goes to the trouble of setting up Chen’s conflicted loyalties, his history with Sunny, and the dangers of him being unmaasked, then allows the tension to resolve in the simplest way possible. The plot serves mainly to drive the action, seeding the movie with just enough drama to establish the stakes, but never cashing in properly on its drama.
Watch Special ID if you’re a martial arts fan in the mood for a popcorn watch. Special ID does not stand out in terms of plot, action, or characters, but its solid action and decent ideas make it a fine pick. Skip it if you’re looking for something memorable.
For a more elaborate movie about an undercover cop, try Infernal Affairs or The Departed. For a more character-focused story about the criminal underworld, try Donnie Brasco. For a martial arts crime movie with more comedy, try Jack Chan’s First Strike. For sharper martial arts action, try The Protector.
5.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for enjoyable action that’s thin on character and story.