Review of Infernal Affairs (2002) by Lane Z — 16 Aug 2015

Since I didn't get a chance to review 'The Departed' back in 2006 due to the fact I wasn't reviewing movies then, I decided, why not watch the original it was based on? Infernal Affairs came out a few years before The Departed, and it's almost a mirror copy of what Martin Scorcese did. In fact, you could say the combination of TWO directors is better than the ONE the American version had.

Instead of an overlong three-hour movie, here we have a nice, tight hour and forty minutes. The cuts are quicker. The dialogue is more focused and on the path. Sure, the American version has the budget and the acting to put it over the top, but let's not forget the stellar work Andy Lau and Tony Leung have done both in Chinese films and Chinese films made for American audiences like House of Flying Daggers or Hero, respectively.

While the same twists and turns emerge, having watched The Departed first and then Infernal Affairs second actually makes you want to go back and rewatch the former just to see the small nuances between the two.

You can't go wrong with either. In fact, you should spend the time to watch both.