The renowned Donnie Yen directs, co-produces, and stars in “The Prosecutor” – the 80th film from the 61-year-old legend of Hong Kong action cinema. Of course fans know that Yen has frequently crossed over to the United States, starring in such movies as “Blade II”, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”, and most recently “John Wick: Chapter 4”. Yet in many ways “The Prosecutor” sees Yen at home in his comfort zone, adding another sturdy action-thriller to his impressive résumé.

“The Prosecutor” sprinkles in ingredients from an assortment of genres. It’s as much a legal thriller as it is a crime thriller. It has a healthy amount of courtroom drama while also featuring the signature action scenes that have been highlights of Yen’s remarkable 40-plus year career. At the same time, the movie takes a critical look at such weighty subjects as class, corruption, and the justice system to go along with its impressive visual panache.

Reteaming with screenwriter Edmond Wong from the “IP Man” quadrilogy, “The Prosecutor” takes its inspiration from a true case. Yen plays Fok Chi-ho, a police officer transferred from the force after a case goes bad. He’s assigned to the Department of Justice where he’s to serve as a prosecutor under the leadership of the seasoned Bao Ding (Kent Cheng).

Fok’s first case involves a young man named Ma Ka-Kit (Fung Ho Yeung Mason) who is accused of drug trafficking after unknowingly lending his address to a local syndicate that uses parcels to import cocaine and contraband. Fok suspects the young man was manipulated and doesn’t deserve to be prosecuted. But Kit’s defense attorneys, Au Pak Man (Julian Cheung Chi Yu) and Lee Sze-Man (Shirley Chan) convince their client to plead guilty, assuring him it will result in a reduced sentence and barely any jail time.

But it quickly becomes evident that Kit’s attorneys aren’t giving him a fair shake. That prompts Fok to begin his own investigation which puts him at odds with both the defense and his own team of prosecutors. Even more, after the syndicate’s involvement becomes clear, Fok has to fall back on his old police training after both he and Kit become the gang’s chief targets.

While the story employs a few common courtroom tropes, the script is smart enough to keep us engaged. And it’s helped by the performances from Yen and the really strong supporting cast. We get lots of legal wrangling and verbal jostling both in the courtroom and behind the scenes as Fok’s colleagues push for him to forget his righteous crusade and fall in line with the system. It all adds several nice layers to the drama.

And of course there’s the action. While maybe not as plentiful as in many other films from Yen’s catalog, “The Prosecutor” still treats us to the some lights-out action scenes, from the blistering warehouse shootout to open the film to a ferocious subway fight sequence near the end. All are thrillingly choreographed and sharp reminders that even in his sixties Donnie Yen remains a star of the genre. And it’s that star-power that drives “The Prosecutor”, even when it tries to juggle a little too much.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS