Infernal Affairs ***** (2002, Andy Lau, Tony Leung, Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang) – Classic Movie Review 1,997

The 2002 Hong Kong cult favourite Infernal Affairs is a spectacular thrill ride and, with its stupendous premise, one of the all-time great cop movies.

The 2002 Hong Kong cult favourite that inspired Martin Scorsese’s spectacular 2006 crime thriller epic The Departed is a spectacular thrill ride in its own right and, with its stupendous premise, one of the all-time great cop movies.

Infernal Affairs motors on Alan Mak and Felix Chong’s brilliant and ultra-satisfying story about a mole in the police department and an undercover cop who have the same quest to find out who is the mole and who is the cop.

Tony Leung (aka Tony Leung Chiu-wai) plays Chan Wing-yan, the young cop sent undercover as a mole in the local Triad. Andy Lau (aka Andy Lau Tak-wah) plays the young Triad member Lau Kin-ming who infiltrates the police force as Senior Inspector. Both actors are brilliant.

And Andrew Lau (aka Andrew Lau Wai-keung) and Alan Mak (Alan Mak Siu-fai) direct with the greatest possible dynamism and style to spare. Where Scorsese’s movie is an epic, this is a taut crime action thriller.

Infernal Affairs runs 101 minutes with the director’s cut at 97 minutes. The DVD also has the alternative ending.

Release date: 12 December 2002.

Infernal Affairs 2 and Infernal Affairs 3 followed in 2003.

http://derekwinnert.com/the-departed-2006-leonardo-dicaprio-matt-damon-jack-nicholson-mark-wahlberg-classic-movie-review-1996/

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1,997

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com/