Infernal Affairs
INFERNAL AFFAIRS (18)
D: Andrew Lau & Alan Mak
Metro Tartan (Andrew Lau)
Hong Kong 2002
101 mins
Crime/Thriller
W: Alan Mak & Felix Chong
DP: Andy Lau & Lai Yiu-Fai
Ed: Danny Pang & Pang Ching-Hei
Mus: Chan Kwong-Wing
Tony Leung (Chen Wing-Yan), Andy Lau (Lau Kin-Ming),
Anthony Wong (Wong Chi-Shing), Eric Tsang (Hon Sam), Chapman To (Crazy Keung), Kelly Chen (Dr. Lee Sum-Yee)
Infernal Affairs is a Hong Kong based crime thriller
which was remade in the US as The Departed (qv).
This original is a good advert for oriental cinema,
but its impact is certainly affected to those who've already watched Martin Scorsese's remake and know of the plot twists.
For those who've yet to see either film, the story
sees an undercover cop posing as a member of triads, whilst a triad member is in deep with the police investigation unit of the operation. The two men endeavour to identify each other
without letting their cover slip and discover their facade is difficult to keep secret.
On a personal level, I thought The Departed was the
better film, simply because it delves deeper into the backgrounds of the principal characters and uses the addition of cynically acerbic dialogue and darkly comic humour, plus, of course,
a deliciously OTT performance from Jack Nicholson as the mob boss.
You'll be grateful for watching both versions, as
there will be some who'll prefer the raw energy of this original film.
7/10
