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Directed by: Wai Keung Lau, Siu Fai Mak Starring: Andy Lau, Tony Leung Infernal Affairs is a relatively new movie from Hong Kong that gives me hope that the genre of triad crime film did not die out with John Woo and Chow Yun Fat in the early nineties. Starring Andy Lau and Tony Leung as two undercover agents working for opposing organizations. The Police Force and the Chinese Triads. The two work to cripple the other organization and eventually to find the mole in each--each other. I don't want to spoil the plot for anyone, which is why I am giving a sparse plot summary, because while it is not an extremely complex plot, it is brought to life brilliantly. The acting by Tony Leung and Andy Lau is top notch grade A++ awesome. They bring their characters to life perfectly, dealing with the subtle effects of stress upon the characters--the loss that they feel, and that which they never had. When dealing with the effect of their occupation on them, the people around them, and the people they're working against, Andy Lau and Tony Leung turn two of the best performances I've ever witnessed. (Period). The acting was excellent, and it was only enhanced by the direction. The camera Angles and cinematography remind more of Wong Kar Wai than of John Woo (this is NOT gun ballet). Wai Keung Lau and Sio Fai Mak (from here on known as "the directors") are able to exacerbate the emotion that each character is feeling, whether it be hopelessness or happiness, with the way the movie is shot. There are alot of close-ups and odd-angle shots in the movie without being giving an impression of "Oh we're so cool because we're not using wide angle shots." Moroever, when a wide angle shot is used (and it's really only utilized fully at one point in the movie), it has that much more of an effect. The two shots I referred to in that paragraph are (I suggest you don't mouseover until after the movie to see if you agree): 1: The post-its, Lau, and the TV 2: The wide angle shot with Lau and Leung with the cityscape in the background. I personally LOVED the soundtrack. It just worked. I don't know how to explain it more than that, but to me, when I'm watching a movie and I notice, "wow, that song fits," it means it's a perfect soundtrack. Where you take note of it, but it doesn't overpower anything. The same with thinking "that was a really good shot," and without drawing attention away from the plot. In conclusion, this movie is amazing and I highly recommend it. It is a must-see if you are a fan of the classic Chow Yun Fat / John Woo movies (The Killer, Hard Boiled, A Better Tomorrow), and very much worth watching even if you aren't. RATING: 5 PROS: Beautifully Shot, Stellar Acting, Good Plot CONS: None come to mind immediately. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: http://imdb.com/title/tt0338564/
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Oct 6, 2004 22:54
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| # ? Apr 24, 2024 15:34 |
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Previously reviewed. http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1100980
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Oct 7, 2004 01:37
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My Bad. I must've missed it when I checked.
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Oct 7, 2004 04:15
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