Special ID

In Special ID a veteran undercover officer from Hong Kong is pulled across the border after a murder case puts his former student in the crosshairs. Years spent slipping into disguises have sharpened his instincts, but the shift from the familiar city lights to mainland streets creates new perils. With the trail heating up, he must operate in a world where witnesses are scarce and loyalties shift daily. The mission tests not only his nerve but also the ties he has built with colleagues and with the people who trust him most. The blend of tense police procedure and gritty street action keeps a steady, suspenseful pace. The tension grows as Chan negotiates a layered criminal underworld and the challenges of moving between two policing cultures. Audiences are kept on edge as Chan weighs his options and the risk that one misstep could cost lives.

Released in 2013 and directed by Clarence Ford, Special ID presents a lean cross border crime drama with Donnie Yen as Dragon Chan in the lead. The cast also includes Jing Tian as Fang Jing, Andy On Chi Kit as Sunny, Ronald Cheng as Captain Zhang, and Nina Paw Hei-Ching as Amy, Long's mother. Yen's performance anchors the film's tense undercover arc.

Box office reporting places the film at about 12,666 dollars worldwide, a modest figure that reflects a limited release and niche appeal within the action crime genre.

Reception and themes: The film offers a grounded look at undercover policing across the border, where trust is scarce and every choice carries consequences. It centers on loyalty and duty while highlighting the moral gray areas that emerge when personal risk and professional obligation clash. Yen's restrained intensity underpins action scenes that feel practical rather than flashy, and the cross border setting sharpens the sense of danger as Chan navigates shifting alliances, hidden agendas, and a delicate balance between protection and pursuit.