Infernal Affairs

While growing up and getting into films, Martin Scorsese's The Departed from 2006 was the gateway to his vast collection of films, and I really enjoyed it. The star-studded cast, Scorsese's direction, story and everything else that brought the film together was terrific for the influential student I was at the time. It even won the director his first Oscar but many saw this as an apology by the academy for overlooking he previous, greater, work. A sequel was then discussed but the idea was eventually dropped which made me wonder how that could even work (no spoilers!) and then I learned The Departed was a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film, Infernal Affairs, the first in a trilogy.  

Directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, the film stars Andy Lau in the role that Matt Damon would takeover and Tony Tony Chiu-Wai Leung in the same role that Leonardo DiCaprio would then star in. By chance I found this on Netflix the other day and it seemed like a good chance to see how they compare.

Infernal Affairs follows two young police cadets with one going undercover into a criminal organisation and the other being a mole in the police. Leung plays the role of the undercover cop and Lau is the mole who are both on the same mission to identify the other first. If you've seen The Departed, this tells almost the same story but lasts just over 90 minutes compared to Scorsese's 150 minute running time. Granted that meant there was little in the way of any surprises as this felt more compact but I never once found myself doubting whether it was worth staying until the end.

If anything this film could have been longer, expanding on its characters and developing their relationships but to be left asking for more can only be a good thing. Lau and Leung are great in the leading roles who might even do a better job that what we saw in the remake. Leung's undercover cop is more sympathetic and engaging to watch, which I remember Scorsese handled in a fair more brash way that altered the impact of the ending. Without spoilers, the ending here is arguably stronger even if it's not quite as slick in places. The early 2000s have left their mark here with some "flashy" sound effects and a few other dated touches but it's not enough to hurt the film. 

The Departed triumphs in some aspects of the story but that's not to say Infernal Affairs should be overlooked because there is plenty to keep fans of that entertained here. For some, the American take will be an easier sell but I can recommend Infernal Affairs if you're into this genre. It's not that must-see film that has been overlooked for years or one that cinema snobs will say "the original is so much better" but it's strong, swift direction keeps the story running smoothly and is very entertaining if you know where the story will end. 

I understand the sequel is a prequel and that the third film follows what happens after the first. Given how Scorsese ended his version with some differences to this, I'm curious to see how the filmmakers expand on this and if much of that can be found within The Departed. In short; I look forward to seeing where this goes and how the American remake holds-up nearly 15 years later.