A crime drama that inspired a classic Martin Scorsese film is hailed by fans for “breaking the mold”. Infernal Affairs (2002) that follows the story of Chen Wing Yan (played by Tony Leung), an undercover Hong Kong Police Force officer who infiltrates the triads, and Lau Kin-Ming (Andy Lau) a member of the gang who manages to infiltrate the police.
The film was directed by Andrew Lau, and Alan Mak, who co-wrote the screenplay with Felix Chong. The movie, which spawned two sequels, was later remade by Scorsese as The Departed (2006), starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, and Matt Damon.
Fans hailed the film for its gripping story and dramatic denouement, with one Audience Reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes writing: “Infernal affairs is a thriller of a Hong Kong cop movie some good espionage mixed in with some old-fashioned noir with a incredible ending scene.”
Another said: “This is one of my favorite movies ever. The ending is really good. For an action movie there actually isn’t a huge amount of action, which I like, because it focuses more on the story.
“The beginning is a little fast and hard to keep track of but the rest of the movie is so good that I still give it a 5 star rating.”
A third calls it a “good cop bad cop movie that somehow broke the mold”.
A fan on IMDb said the film “has it all”, adding: “What can I say about this film that hasn’t been said already? Gripping from start to finish, tense story, developed characters and an often tremendous sense of dramatic irony.
“How the characters are revealed over time give this great appeal, as the back story of the two leads is slowly revealed in front of us, piece by piece.
“There is also a great sense of tragedy at times, although I can’t really talk about that without spoiling it so it’s best for you to see it yourself.”
The film is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 94% score on the site’s Tomatometer, which reflects the percentage of approved critics who have given it a positive review.
It also has an 95% score on the site’s Popcornmeter, reflecting a positive reception from general viewers.
The film has a 15 certificate and contains strong violence and drug use, so may not be for everyone.
Infernal Affairs is available to rent or buy on Apple TV now.
