The Prosecutor

Donnie Yen on both sides of the camera

Donnie Yen directs, produces and stars in The Prosecutor, released in Hong Kong on 21 December 2024. It draws on a real 2016 case in which a teenager facing drug charges was led by his lawyer to plead guilty to shield a second defendant. Yen turns it into a hybrid of courtroom drama and action thriller, with a prosecutor who settles in court what he can and with his fists what procedure won't allow. Julian Cheung, Francis Ng and Hong Kong comedy great Michael Hui, as a High Court judge, round out the cast.

Fights shot for real

The action was choreographed by Japan's Takahito Ouchi, with help from Kenji Tanigaki. A fight in an MTR carriage was shot in full-scale cars set on rails to simulate movement, and Yen hurt his neck being thrown over a stuntman's shoulder. A nightclub brawl was filmed as a single take with 40 to 50 stunt performers and no post-production effects. Yen says he reworked sets and choreography based on his time on John Wick: Chapter 4. Practitioners will recognise his recent style: fast strikes, throws and MMA-influenced ground work, shot clearly.

Reception

It took HK$29 million at home, the fifth-biggest local film of 2024, and Well Go USA released it in US cinemas on 10 January 2025. It holds 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and earned three Hong Kong Film Award nominations, including best action choreography.