Infernal Affairs (2002)
"Mou gaan dou" (original title)

A story between a mole in the police department and an undercover cop. Their objectives are the same: to find out who is the mole, and who is the cop.

Directors:

Wai-keung Lau, Alan Mak

Writers:

Alan Mak, Felix Chong

Stars:

Andy Lau, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang

Top 250 #212 | 23 wins & 20 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Andy Lau	...	Inspector Lau Kin Ming
Tony Leung Chiu Wai	...	Chen Wing Yan (as Tony Leung)
Anthony Wong Chau-Sang	...	SP Wong Chi Shing (as Anthony Wong)
Eric Tsang	...	Hon Sam
Kelly Chen	...	Dr. Lee Sum Yee
Sammi Cheng	...	Mary
Edison Chen	...	Young Lau Kin Ming
Shawn Yue	...	Young Chan Wing Yan
Elva Hsiao	...	May
Chapman To	...	Tsui Wai-keung
Ka Tung Lam	...	Inspector B (as Lam Ka Tung)
Ting Yip Ng	...	Inspector Cheung (as Ng Ting Yip)
Dion Lam	...	Del Piero
Chi Keung Wan	...	Officer Leung (as Wan Chi Keung)
Hui Kam Fung	...	Cadet School Principal

Storyline

Chan Wing Yan, a young police officer, has been sent undercover as a mole in the local mafia. Lau Kin Ming, a young mafia member, infiltrates the police force. Years later, their older counterparts, Chen Wing Yan and Inspector Lau Kin Ming, respectively, race against time to expose the mole within their midst.

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Plot Keywords:

police | mole | triad | undercover | hong kong | 

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Taglines:

Loyalty. Honor. Betrayal.

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Genres:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese English Thai

Release Date:

12 December 2002 (Hong Kong)

Also Known As:

Infernal Affairs

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$25,680 (USA) (24 September 2004)

Gross:

$89,594 (USA) (15 October 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Media Asia Films, Basic Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min 97 min (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The English title is a play on words mixing Ming's job in the IA, the infernal nature of both characters' double lives, and finally Dante's Inferno, relating to the original Cantonese title.

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Goofs

In the scene where SP Wong falls onto a taxi cab, the blood stain on his mouth changes between shots.

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Quotes

Lau Kin Ming: [raising his hands to police officers] I'm a cop.

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Connections

References Hard Boiled (1992)

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Soundtracks

"MOU GAAN DOU (Infernal Affairs)"
Composed & Arranged by Ronald Ng
Performed by Andy Lau and Tony Leung Chiu Wai (as Tony Leung)
Produced by Ronald Ng and Jacky Chan
O.P. BMG Music Publishing Hong Kong, Ltd./Catchy Music Publishing, Ltd.

User Reviews

The Spirit of the time

I looked over a squad of reviews and was sad not to see anyone writing from Hong Kong. So I am putting in my piece.

Hong Kong movies have changed a lot in the last decade and when Infernal Affairs came out it was a real change. I noted 'Golden Chicken' was mentioned earlier, and that sums up many of the lame comedies that have recently been churned out. However the comedy is a large part of Hong Kong cinema, as is the gangster genre.

Infernal Affairs breaks with the comedy, keeps the gangsters (lau being a first class clean cut one - whilst Leung acts a remarkable strained police officer) and adds clever and intelligent tension. The acting is first class, as is the mood that truly captures the zeitgeist.

This movie is about the two characters and their similarities and moral obstacles. It also has something subtle to say.

This film was huge news in Hong Kong and the mainland. It is an important Hong Kong film.

The US remake will be more clichéd than you can imagine. This film will translate, it is not that original, no. But it has substance and mood that is valuable.

See it.