Infernal Affairs (2003) (R)
Directed by Wai Keung Lau & Alan Mak
Starring: Andy Lau, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang
Daddy Says:
Two years ago, the Academy Award for Best Picture was finally awarded to one of the greatest directors working today: Martin Scorsese. After being passed over year after year, turning out classics like Taxi Driver, Mean Streets, GoodFellas and Raging Bull, the Academy finally gave him his due for directing The Departed. Admittedly, it's a great film. But what you may be unaware of is that it's a remake of a Hong Kong action thriller called Infernal Affairs.
If you've already seen The Departed, the story will be familiar. The crime boss sends several of his young criminals to enlist in the police academy. If they succeed, they will be cops with badges, but they will actually be undercover moles for the crime syndicate. As one of them does exceedingly well and rises through the top ranks, his friend he meets in the academy screws up and gets banished from the force. After being disgraced, he falls in with the criminals and rises through their ranks to become the trusted right-hand man of the crime boss. Unknown to the crime boss, however, is that his trusted man is still working for the police as an undercover operative. So both sides now have undercover operatives working for the other side. It's a race for their lives as each side tries to uncover who is working for whom.
The acting in Infernal Affairs is superb. I especially enjoyed Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, who was in Hero which we reviewed a couple of months back. The story is very well told, even more concise than it was in The Departed, which took it about thirty minutes longer to tell. And even knowing how the remake ended, I was still unsure if this film would end the same way or was going to go a different route. If you enjoyed the Scorsese film, definitely give this one a view. If you haven't seen either, I'd start with this one. It probably won't be at your local video store, but you can get it from both Blockbuster.com and Netflix. Highly recommended.
Rating for Infernal Affairs: ****3/4.
Daughter Says:
The last Scorsese film I saw was Taxi Driver and I loved that movie. I didn't get to see The Departed but I hear it was a semi-good movie. I wouldn't know, but I really liked Infernal Affairs. So if it is anything like this movie, I'll love it.
Infernal Affairs was full of action and on the edge of your seat suspense. I really didn't know where this movie was going, and it took me by surprise quite a few times. A lot of the scenes were amazingly directed, because it kept my attention throughout.
There were subtitles and that usually bothers me, but I was able to read the whole thing. I didn't really need to read the subtitles, the acting was so good. I understood everything that was going on. I sometimes get confused with foreign films (I'm glaring at you, The Son), but not this one.
I highly recommend this movie before or after you watch The Departed. You don't really need to watch The Departed, actually, just watch Infernal Affairs.
Rating for Infernal Affairs: ****.
Directed by Wai Keung Lau & Alan Mak
Starring: Andy Lau, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang
Daddy Says:
Two years ago, the Academy Award for Best Picture was finally awarded to one of the greatest directors working today: Martin Scorsese. After being passed over year after year, turning out classics like Taxi Driver, Mean Streets, GoodFellas and Raging Bull, the Academy finally gave him his due for directing The Departed. Admittedly, it's a great film. But what you may be unaware of is that it's a remake of a Hong Kong action thriller called Infernal Affairs.
If you've already seen The Departed, the story will be familiar. The crime boss sends several of his young criminals to enlist in the police academy. If they succeed, they will be cops with badges, but they will actually be undercover moles for the crime syndicate. As one of them does exceedingly well and rises through the top ranks, his friend he meets in the academy screws up and gets banished from the force. After being disgraced, he falls in with the criminals and rises through their ranks to become the trusted right-hand man of the crime boss. Unknown to the crime boss, however, is that his trusted man is still working for the police as an undercover operative. So both sides now have undercover operatives working for the other side. It's a race for their lives as each side tries to uncover who is working for whom.
The acting in Infernal Affairs is superb. I especially enjoyed Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, who was in Hero which we reviewed a couple of months back. The story is very well told, even more concise than it was in The Departed, which took it about thirty minutes longer to tell. And even knowing how the remake ended, I was still unsure if this film would end the same way or was going to go a different route. If you enjoyed the Scorsese film, definitely give this one a view. If you haven't seen either, I'd start with this one. It probably won't be at your local video store, but you can get it from both Blockbuster.com and Netflix. Highly recommended.
Rating for Infernal Affairs: ****3/4.
Daughter Says:
The last Scorsese film I saw was Taxi Driver and I loved that movie. I didn't get to see The Departed but I hear it was a semi-good movie. I wouldn't know, but I really liked Infernal Affairs. So if it is anything like this movie, I'll love it.
Infernal Affairs was full of action and on the edge of your seat suspense. I really didn't know where this movie was going, and it took me by surprise quite a few times. A lot of the scenes were amazingly directed, because it kept my attention throughout.
There were subtitles and that usually bothers me, but I was able to read the whole thing. I didn't really need to read the subtitles, the acting was so good. I understood everything that was going on. I sometimes get confused with foreign films (I'm glaring at you, The Son), but not this one.
I highly recommend this movie before or after you watch The Departed. You don't really need to watch The Departed, actually, just watch Infernal Affairs.
Rating for Infernal Affairs: ****.
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