I can’t finish the novel, I don’t know whether he’s good or bad.
In 2002, Andrew Lau and Alan Mak came out with Infernal Affairs. In my opinion, Hong Kong’s best movie of the decade. Even though there were a lot of great movies made in Hong Kong in this decade, there was something special about Infernal Affairs.
For those of us who love Asian movies, it hurt that Martin Scorsese made a remake of such a new movie. It was unnecessary, and not least an impossible task for Martin Scorsese. Martin Scorsese is a master at making gangster movies, I have to give him that. But he never brought the atmosphere of Infernal Affairs over to The Departed.
Although he brought with him several excellent actors, they must deliver and be credible in their roles. There were very few actors in The Departed who did that. One of the few actors who did a good job was Leonardo DiCaprio. But he never gave his character the dimension Tony Leung Chiu-wai did. Tony Leung Chiu-wai is a better actor in my eyes, and he’s one of the best actors in Asia. He has more layers as an actor than Leonardo DiCaprio. I have loved Leonardo DiCaprio as an actor since he was young. But I’ve always felt that he lacks a little extra as an actor. When I watch him act, he never portrays his characters in a way that I forget that I’m watching Leonardo DiCaprio.
Infernal Affairs has several excellent actors, and all of them deliver solid role interpretations. As mentioned, Tony Leung Chiu-wai is fantastic. You feel with this character who just wants to get his identity back, but his boss wants him to stay undercover. His boss is played by Anthony Wong, who’s an amazing actor. Both Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Anthony Wong have made some strange role choices in their careers. They sometimes appear in some terrible movies that damage their legacy.
Matt Damon was the weak link in The Departed, he was the wrong choice for that role. He wasn’t credible at all, and he proved that he doesn’t have the widest range as an actor. Andy Lau is fantastic in Infernal Affairs, and you see in his eyes he doesn’t know which side he works for.
Then we have the small but solid Eric Tsang as the antagonist. In The Departed, Jack Nicholson destroyed this character with his overacting. Eric Tsang keeps his head calm, and as a viewer, you fear this little man. He is so dark and evil!
The actors in Infernal Affairs do a better job, and they are far more credible in their roles than the Hollywood actors in The Departed. The balance in Infernal Affairs is perfect, something Martin Scorsese missed with his choice of actors and tone.
Infernal Affairs is a stylistic thriller, and some of the camera work is legendary. The score is one of the best scores in a movie I’ve ever heard. It goes from intense to mournful, and it fits the scenes and events like a tight glove. I often listen to the score from Infernal Affairs. I can close my eyes, and I see the scenes in my head. Fantastic!
Although the movie is short, the character depth is great. We get to know the two central characters in a simple but good way. Again, this is thanks to the acting performances of Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Andy Lau.
Infernal Affairs has a perfect pace and some suspenseful scenes. The movie never gets boring, and the directors combine the tension and civilian life of the two central characters in a good way. This is impressive, considering how simple they have written the characters. We follow the two central characters when they are at home or have an appointment with a psychiatrist. These scenes are short, but we get to know the characters a little better, and it works.
What sets Infernal Affairs apart from most movies in this genre are the role interpretations and the depth Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Andy Lau give to their characters. The script is not the deepest, which is why it’s so impressive to see how much Andy Lau and Tony Leung Chiu-wai do with their characters. The directors focus on the flow, so the movie never goes off the rails with unnecessary scenes that slow down the pace. This is something Martin Scorsese never did with The Departed, which wasn’t a surprise since the man loves to make long movies!
I’ve seen Infernal Affairs a good number of times now, and I always end up with tears in my eyes when the movie is over. Although the ending is not the ending you want, it’s right for the viewing experience. This is a dark and very unfair ending, and I love it!
There is a big class difference between Infernal Affairs and The Departed. Both movies have excellent actors, but no one in The Departed can match Tony Leung Chiu-wai. Infernal Affairs has actors who handle the genre much better than the actors in The Departed. Most of the actors in The Departed didn’t fit the roles they played. I will never understand what Jack Nicholson was thinking with his role interpretation. It must be his age.
Infernal Affairs is a masterpiece, The Departed isn’t. Watch the Infernal Affairs trilogy, and just forget about The Departed!