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Directed by: Andrew Lau, Alan Mak Starring: Andy Lau, Tony Leung, Anthony Wong 2002’s Wu jian dao concerns the activities of two Hong Kong cops, both working in secret for opposing sides of the law. Kicked out of the police academy as a cadet, Yan (Tony Leung) soon finds himself working undercover for the Organised Crime and Triad Bureau. Immersing himself in the Triad world over the next ten years, his superior officer SP Wong (Anthony Wong), the only man who knows his true identity, offers to let him get on with his life once he helps put Wong’s number one target Sam (Eric Tsang), a notorious gangster and Yan's boss behind bars. But unbeknownst to them, Lau (Andy Lau), one of the star detectives of the Bureau and leader of the investigation into Sam's dealings is actually one of the gangster's more deeply-entrenched moles in the police force, and thus helps the crook escape capture. When Wong becomes suspicious that there is a leak inside the Bureau, he orders Yan to help sniff the source out. However, after being tipped off by Lau, Sam also gets the idea that there’s a mole working for the police in his very own gang, and orders his insider to uncover the culprit... and flush him out. A critically acclaimed box office smash that later spawned both a sequel and a prequel, unlike other well known Hong Kong police thrillers Infernal Affairs doesn’t rely on hyper-kinetic shootouts and action set pieces to thrill the audience. Instead, it takes the inherent suspense and unpredictable nature of the scenario in creating a masterfully compelling film, combining this with intriguing, multi-dimensional characters and exceptional performances from the cast. Slickly directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, and containing some very stylish cinematography and editing, Infernal Affairs is topped off by an eclectic musical score that utilises a wide range of influences ranging from boom-tisk techno and bombastic symphonic rock to ethereal vocals and even Middle Eastern-inspired stylings, creating a very well put together cinematic package. Infernal Affairs is an excellent film and recommended viewing for both Hong Kong film buffs and fans of the police thriller genre alike. With a Brad Pitt-produced/Martin Scorsese-directed remake on the way, be sure to check out this exceptional Hong Kong thriller before the American take on this story arrives at your local cineplex. 5/5 PROS: Excellent performances, compelling story, fantastic score. CONS: Some might be bored by lack of action compared to other Hong Kong cop thrillers. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338564/ mrkillboy fucked around with this message at 06:10 on Jun 23, 2004 |
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Jun 22, 2004 17:00
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| # ? Apr 25, 2024 12:59 |
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One of my favorite Hong Kong cop movies. Not only that, but it has two excellent sequels as well. 5/5
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Jun 23, 2004 15:16
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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 8, 2004 21:12
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This is the Hong Kong movie that made me think: Yes, the Hong Kong movie industry still has some hope left afterall. It was thrilling and suspenseful till the end, you really didn't know what would happen next. I was actually invested in caring for Anthony Wong and Tony Leung's characters, who try so hard in their jobs but ultimately must face their maker for their courage, true heroes. The cinematography was great too (thanks to some consulting by Christopher Doyle). This movie goes to show, its not always guns blazing and giant explosions that will create an awesome thrilling cop/triad drama.
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Dec 8, 2004 08:54
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Amazing film, accompanied by two outstanding sequels (seems that someone out there CAN make a good sequel). This also solidifies my believe that Anthony Wong is one of the coolest actors ever. A must-see for fans of crime films. 5/5
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Dec 10, 2004 08:38
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| # ? Apr 25, 2024 12:59 |
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Cool (and refreshing) to see a Hongkong movie without any Hongkong wire-fu action scenes. It was a good police thriller, with good acting and interesting plot. Some parts of it didn't really sit well with me, they felt a bit "gimmicky" or just plain weird, but that may just be because of bad or insufficient translation or something. I get the same feeling from most Asian movies; it's pretty hard to explain. 4/5
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Dec 19, 2004 05:32
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