Starring:
Andy Lau as Lau Kin Ming
Tony Leung Chiu Wai as Chan Wing Yan
Anthony Wong Chau-Sang as SP Wong
Eric Tsang as Sam
Kelly Chen as Dr. Lee Sum Yee
Sammi Cheng as Mary
Edison Chen as Young Lau Kin Ming
Shawn Yue as Young Chan Wing Yan
Elva Hsiao as May
Man-chat To as Keung
Ka Tung Lam as Inspector B
Ting Yip Ng as Sir Inspector Cheung
Dion Lam as Del Piero
Wan Chi Keung as Officer Leung
Hui Kam Fung as Cadet School Principal
Special Features:
Alternate Ending
“Confidential File” — A Behind-The-Scenes Look At Infernal Affairs
The Making Of Infernal Affairs
International Trailer
Original Chinese Trailer
Other Info:
Widescreen (2.35:1)
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
English and Spanish Subtitles
Running Time: 101 Minutes
Synopsis:
This film was originally released in 2002. The following is the official description of the DVD:
“An award-winning crime thriller in the intense tradition of Heat and Reservoir Dogs … critics everywhere have hailed Infernal Affairs for its gritty action and international superstars. Chan Wing Yan (Tony Leung — Hero) is a hard-nosed veteran cop sent undercover to infiltrate the notorious Triad crime ring. An expert at bringing down violent syndicates, Chan thinks it’s going to be a routine mission. What he’s not prepared for is the discovery that the Triad’s boss (Eric Tsang — The Accidental Spy) has planted a mole (Andy Lau — The Legend of Drunken Master) in the police department … and now Chan is being hunted down. In this battle of wills, only one cop can win!”
This DVD is rated R for violence.
The Movie:
Simply put, Infernal Affairs is an Asian cop drama. It’s an elaborate game of cat and mouse between a mole in the police department and an undercover cop. If you like cop dramas, you’ll probably enjoy this. If you’re looking for a marital arts film, this isn’t it. There are a couple of gunfight scenes, but otherwise this film focuses more on drama than action. The story is a little far fetched at times, but otherwise it’s entertaining.
The acting seems OK to me. My Chinese is a bit rusty and non-existent, but the actors seemed to play their roles with passion. The basic premise of the film offers a lot of emotional and tension filled scenes, so it’s just the kind of stuff that actor like to work with. The Chinese setting of the film also offers a beautiful and exotic backdrop for the tale.
In the end, Infernal Affairs wasn’t that bad. It wasn’t that great either, but I think it’s good entertainment for anyone looking for a cop drama with the twist of a different setting.
The Extras:
There are a few extras included on this DVD. All of them are in Chinese with subtitles. Here are the highlights:
Alternate Ending In this alternate ending Andy Lau as Lau Kin Ming is caught at the end and charged with being the mole in the police department. This ending lacks the emotional impact of the other version and it seems to be a bit too abrupt of an ending to be satisfying.
“Confidential File” — A Behind-The-Scenes Look At Infernal Affairs This is a series of behind the scenes clips shot during the making of the film. They show some bloopers, discussion about the plot, etc. They also show the actors interacting with the press. I was amazed to see just how popular they were.
The Making Of Infernal Affairs This is your standard “making of” featurette with interviews with the cast and crew, behind the scenes footage, and clips from the film.
The Bottom Line:
If you like cop dramas, then you will probably like Infernal Affairs. The Chinese setting gives it a unique twist.
