film review on Infernal Affairs

Film Review on Infernal Affairs

There have been many instances of crime film in Hong Kong over years. Cops chasing gangsters, gangsters setting traps on cops, etc. From Police Story (1985), Running Out of Time (1999), the Young and Dangerous series (late 90's), to Infernal Affairs (2002) and continuing, crime films are always a promising genre, the mainstream in the local cinema. People love to be entertained by the action scenes of catching and escaping, and the opposing relationship between the two parties.

Infernal Affairs is the one the police sending undercover to the Triad as well as secretly planted a mole by them. The undercovers work for the rival organisations to gain the advantage of obtaining intelligence from the other sides. After years of time, because of their double identities, they both feel tired of the "infernal" lives and struggle with the question which side they are indeed on. The cop mole is deperate for his true identity as a police officer, while the fake cop wants to erase his criminal background and become a "good guy". To the opposite of their desires, they both later on identify each other and the cop mole even puts his gun towards the other's head - the most famous scene taking place on the rooftop.

It was such a classical and successful movie, with the ever-best box office symbolising the rivival of Hong Kong cinema at that time, and receiving doubtless critical acclaim and list of awards from various societies. It was even well-known to the Hollywood remade as The Departed (2006) based on its original screenplay. The film leaves its glorious success of wonderful plot, outstanding production (particularly the directors and screenplay) and impressive acting and dialogues to the cinema. The prequel and sequel were released subsequently, but they were just minor follow-up to the success.

* Adopted from the assignment of the course "Hong Kong Cinema in the Context of Globalisation". Written October 18th, 2009.