Infernal Affairs Movie Review:


With its intricate story, a whizzy filmmaking style and terrific performances, this Hong Kong thriller grabs hold and lever lets go from the kinetic opening scenes to the bitter end. Ming and Yan (Lau and Leung) met in police academy, where Ming excelled as a cop and Yan was expelled due to his rebellious spirit. But that's just how it looks. Ming is actually a mole for the crime boss Sam (Tsang), while Yan's wash-out was all for show; Superintendent Wong (Wong) hand-picked him to go deep undercover within the mob. Now 10 years later Sam and Wong are facing off, knowing each has infiltrated the other's ranks, but neither knows who's the mole in his inner circle. And Ming and Yan have no idea that they're actually chasing each other. Basically, whoever of these four men slips up first is dead.

Directors Lau and Mak hold this delicate balance brilliantly right to the end of the film. As the audience, we're the only ones who know, but even that's misleading, as ethical questions blur the lines between right and wrong. Shot like a 1970s cop thriller, the film has a spiky feel to it that keeps us both intrigued and off-balance (indeed, the opening sequence is almost impossible to follow, although it comes into sharp focus later). Action scenes are unbearably tense, balanced by a wonderful depth in each character. Wong and Tsang, and especially Lau and Leung, bring out a beautiful emotional resonance that seems almost incidental--pangs of conscience, moments of regret and thorny relationships with various women, not to mention their colleagues. All of these side characters continually surprise us with their actions and reactions. This is one of those rare films that works as a dark drama, energetic action movie and telling story of our morally muddled times. See it now, before the inevitable American remake.

Rich Cline

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