Review of Infernal Affairs (2002) by Baurushan J — 18 Aug 2013

The original motion picture that brought The Departed is so much better than the remake. There are some people out there that actually worship The Departed for unknown reasons but let's be honest, the original source material was so much better.

The story is about Ming played by Andy Lau who is being initiated into the criminal underworld by triad boss Sam played by Eric Tsang who ends his speech to his young charges by wishing them success in the police department.

Ming enters the police academy, where he excels, but sees his classmate, Yan played by Tony Leung Chiu-Wai who expelled for "breaking the rules." It turns out that Yan wasn't actually drummed out of the force, but recruited by Superintendent Wong played by Anthony Wong and is now working as an undercover operative.

Just as Ming is achieving success in the police department while secretly working for Sam, Ming is gaining Sam's trust as a triad member, while reporting to Wong. Ten years later, both men, still undercover, have grown confused about their true identities, while their bosses, Sam and Wong, wage a battle of wits against each other.

Each boss learns that the other has a mole working for him, and unwittingly entrusts the mole himself to ferret out the culprit. Ming and Yan scramble to expose one another's identity in an effort to save their own skins.

One of the better cop-action movies I have seen in years and is worth a watch for its tense action. Infernal Affairs gets a 9.6/10.