Infernal Affairs

Why you should check out the film that inspires the forthcoming Scorsese remake with Matt Damon.

Infernal Affairs is one of the best cop thrillers to have been released in recent times, the movie has proved to be so popular that it has spawned a prequel and a sequel as well as being in line for a Hollywood makeover. In fact it is so well regarded that the remake will be directed by none other than Martine Scorsese and will be known as The Departed. The film is set to star Matt Damon and Leonardo Di Caprio and is scheduled for a 2005 release, it's been transposed from Hong Kong to New York and revolves around the rivalry between the Boston police force and an Irish-American gang. This big budget remake is bound to encourage people to seek out the original Hong Kong version, in light of this Tartan Asia Extreme have released the film on DVD to western audiences.

The film itself is a cat and mouse tale between two moles that are pitted at opposite ends of the spectrum, Yan (Tony Leung) is an undercover cop in the Triads and Ming (Andy Lau) is a Triad planted in the police force. Each character has risen through the ranks and is now a valued member of their respective organisations, but when it becomes obvious that each group has a plant they are charged with uncovering each other's true identity. What ensues is a fast paced psychological thriller that keeps the viewer on the edge of his seat as he tries to keep up with every double cross and revelation. In years gone by we've seen police films come and go but Infernal Affairs jumps from the screen and grabs you by the scruff of the neck; not only has this movie reinvigorated a genre, it is the benchmark from which all future efforts will be judged.

It is the frantic tempo of the movie that makes it such a success, Infernal Affairs has relatively moderate violence in comparison to similar films from the same region but you can't help but be drawn in by this race against time. The action keeps getting faster and faster until its eventual climax, by which point you'll hope your seatbelt is firmly attached. It quickly changes perspective between Yan and Ming throughout the movie, so much so that the lines between good and bad become blurred. Both men want to break out from hiding and revert to some sense of normality, but they have to make compromises in order to achieve their goals. As it reaches the finale you'll be left perplexed as to how everything can be wrapped up and rest assured, the ending is every bit as good as you would expect it to be. The film also boasts an ambient soundtrack which works fantastically with the movie, matching the tempo and suspense beat for beat and creating a tense atmosphere in the process.

The cast of this movie are nothing short of superb; you only have to look at the calibre of the Hollywood actors to get an idea of the stature of their Asian equivalents. Tony Leung is one of Asia's finest actors and despite being better known for his comedic roles, he gives the performance of a lifetime as Yan. He plays an undercover cop who is struggling to cope with his life of secrecy and loneliness; having left his entire life behind him to infiltrate the Triads, his police handler is his only friend. The years of covert operations have taken their toll on Yan's mental state and he is forced to see a psychologist in an attempt to deal with his personal issues, even just to reach out to another human being. You're left glued on screen drawn to Leung's tremendous screen presence as he literally misses being detected by a whisker time and time again. The viewer can only feel sympathy for the man who has been forced to shun society in order to do his job; as a result he has lost everything and anyone he has ever loved.

Leung is wonderfully complimented on screen by the poster boy, Andy Lau. Lau is one of Asia's most popular entertainers having starred in over one hundred movies as well as having a successful musical career, the best way to describe him would be as Brad Pitt meets Justin Timberlake. The entertainer plays the Triad mole, Ming, in the movie, giving a profoundly complicated performance. On the one hand the gang member is giving confidential information away to his boss allowing him to constantly elude the police, but at the same time Ming also wants to escape his life of subterfuge. His position has been further complicated by the fact that he has been ordered by his police superiors to find the mole in the force and he has an added impetus to complete his mission as Yan is trying to uncover him also. Ming has grown accustomed to his new lifestyle and doesn't want anything to change, but deep down he knows something will have to give if he is to make it out of this tricky situation.

Fans of Infernal Affairs have one major reason to buy this DVD, the alternate ending. If you have seen this film already, you will know that this is one of the most climatic scenes in cinematic history and rest assured the alternate ending puts a nice twist on things. The alternate ending is further complimented by a whole host of extras including the director's commentary, a behind the scenes look at the movie as well as the outtakes reel. If you're not one for long winded behind the scenes featurettes then you can check out the confidential file instead which is like an abridged version with promotional materials and a look at the making of the movie. If you are put off by subtitles in foreign films then rest assured that the DVD also comes with an English language audio option so you can watch the film in the full comfort of your home without having to squint to see the text. One of the highlights of the package is that the insert comes complete with film notes by John Millar which gives a great insight into the movie; it's a lovely little extra to sit down with when you watch the movie instead of your usual chapters guide

Infernal Affairs doesn't have to resort to martial arts or epic shootouts to get over with its fans as it is simply one of the best made films in recent times. It is recognised as a classic across the globe despite language restrictions and critics will be casting a stern eye on Scorsese's effort to see if it lives up to the original. The film is fantastically shot, with its stylish scenes every bit as intricate as the brilliant script it is based on. Unfortunately Hollywood remakes never seem to be quite as good as the original so you would be doing yourself a great injustice not watching this movie before The Departed is finally released to see what all the fuss is about.

Piaras Kelly
Editor, Kikizo Movies