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

Directors:

Wai-keung Lau
Alan Mak

Writers:

Alan Mak (written by) &
Felix Chong (written by)

Release Date:

12 December 2002 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Loyalty. Honor. Betrayal.

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Police | Mole | Triad | Undercover | Hong Kong

Awards:

23 wins & 20 nominations

Cast

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
Tony Ho	...	Suspect
Courtney Wu	...	Stereo Shop Owner
Hin-Wai Au	...	Elephant
Li Tin Cheung	...	Double 8
Wong Yin Keung	...	CIB Team
Lam Po Loy	...	CIB Team
Cheng Wing Yee	...	CIB Team
Yiu Man Kee	...	CIB Team
Yuen Waj Ho	...	CIB Team (as Yuen Wai Ho)
Mak Wai Kwok	...	CIB Team
Kui Mei Yee	...	CIB Team
Wong Ch Wang	...	CIB Team (as Wong Chi Wang)
Lee Yip Kin	...	Sam's Follower
Chung Wai Ho	...	Sam's Follower (as Ho Chung Wai)
Sai Tang Yu	...	Sam's Follower (as Yu Sai Tang)
Wong Kam Hung	...	Sam's Follower
So Wai Nam	...	Sam's Follower
Lai Chi Wai	...	Sam's Follower
Leung Ho Kei	...	Sam's Follower
Tze Ming Lee	...	Sam's Follower
Hui On Tat	...	Officer Chan
Ho Wing Ling	...	Superintendent
Lee Wah Chu	...	Chief Inspector
Cheung Yuk Sun	...	Cadet School Instructor
Leung Chiu Yi	...	May's Daughter
Chaucharew Wichai	...	Sunny, Thai Drug Dealer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chi-Wang Wong

Directed by
Wai-keung Lau		(as Andrew Lau)
Alan Mak

Writing credits
Alan Mak		(written by) &
Felix Chong		(written by)

Produced by
Ellen Chang	....	line producer
Elos Gallo	....	consulting producer
Lorraine Ho	....	line producer
Wai-keung Lau	....	producer (as Andrew Lau)

Original Music by
Kwong Wing Chan		(as Chan Kwong Wing)

Cinematography by
Yiu-Fai Lai		(director of photography) (as Lai Yiu Fai)
Wai-keung Lau		(director of photography) (as Andrew Lau)

Film Editing by
Curran Pang		(as Pang Ching Hei)
Danny Pang

Art Direction by
Wong Ching Ching
Sung Pong Choo		(as Choo Sung Pong)

Costume Design by
Pik Kwan Lee		(as Lee Pik Kwan)

Makeup Department
Yu Lai Cheng	....	makeup artist (as Cheng Yu Lai)
James Lau	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Tang Wai But	....	post-production supervisor (as Tang Wai But)
Wendy Chan	....	assistant production manager
Lai Yin Chow	....	unit manager (as Chow Lai Yin)
Bonnie Shum	....	assistant production manager
Ronald Wong	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Wai Hung Chan	....	first assistant director (as Chan Wai Hung)
Dickson Leung	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Hung Chin Lau	....	assistant art director (as Lau Hung Chin)
Wai Ming Wong	....	property master (as Wong Wai Ming)

Sound Department
Wing Lai Chin	....	sound mixer (as Chin Wing Lai)
Wai Hung Kwong	....	foley artist (as Kwong Wai Hung)
Felix Chung Sze Ming	....	sound effects editor
Tin Sung Ng	....	boom operator (as Ng Tin Sung)
Burnard To	....	foley recordist (as To Burnard)
Kinson Tsang	....	sound designer
Kinson Tsang	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tse Kin Wong	....	dialogue recordist (as Wong Tsz Kin)
Chun Hin Yiu	....	dialogue recordist (as Yiu Chun Hin)
George Lee Yiu-Keung	....	dialogue editor (as George Lee Yiu Keung)
George Lee Yiu-Keung	....	sound re-recording mixer (as George Lee Yiu Keung)
Ting Yip Yuen	....	dialogue recordist (as Yuen Tin Yip)
Mark Kenna	....	consultant: Dolby film sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Kam Tong Fok	....	pyrotechnician (as Fok Kam Tong)

Visual Effects by
Chris Chan	....	animator
Eddie Cheng	....	project supervisor
Francis Fung	....	visual effects editor
Hin Pu Ho	....	animator (as Ho Hin Pun)
Jesse Ho	....	animator
Harry Ching Wei Hung	....	lighting and texture artist: Menfond Electronic Art
Keith Leung	....	digital compositor
Cons Li	....	visual effects coordinator
Eddy Wong	....	visual effects supervisor
Peggy Wong	....	visual effects coordinator
Victor Wong	....	visual effects supervisor
Ray Wu	....	visual effects editor

Stunts
Dion Lam	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Man Keung Cho	....	focus puller (as Cho Man Keung)
Kin Kwong Ho	....	focus puller (as Ho Kin Kwong)
Wing Cheung Kwan	....	focus puller (as Kwan Wing Cheung)
Raymond Lam	....	Steadicam operator
Tat-wah Tam	....	still photographer (as Tam Tat Wah)
Chi Ming Wong	....	gaffer (as Wong Chi Ming)
Wang-Fai Wong	....	still photographer (as Wong Hung Fei)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Man Kit Chow	....	wardrobe assistant
Rosa Chow	....	assistant costume designer
Yun Mei Man	....	wardrobe (as Man Yun Mei)

Editorial Department
Royce Smith	....	film color timer (uncredited)

Music Department
Clement Fung	....	orchestral arrangements
Fiona Fung	....	soloist
Po Shek Tam	....	musician: bamboo flageolet

Other crew
John Chong	....	presenter
Christopher Doyle	....	visual consultant
Henry Lau	....	continuity
Calmen Lui	....	laboratory consultant
Sam Lung	....	production assistant
Nansun Shi	....	presenter
Leo Sze	....	production accountant
Yung Lin Yeung	....	tea lady (as Yeung Yung Lin)

Production Companies

• Media Asia Films
• Basic Pictures

Distributors

• Alliance Atlantis Vivafilm (2004) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Bright Angel Distribution (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Cinema Mondo (2003) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Comstock (Japan) (theatrical)
• Miramax Films (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• TFM Distribution (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Tartan Films (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2004) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Buena Vista International (2005) (Argentina) (all media)
• Dragon Dynasty (2007) (USA) (DVD) (special collector's edition)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2004) (United Arab Emirates) (all media) (Middle East)
• Gativideo (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• MTV Netherlands (2005) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Madman Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (all media)
• Media Asia Distribution
• Media Cooperation One (MC-One) (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Mega Star Video Distribution
• Palisades Tartan (2009) (UK) (all media)
• Pan Vision Oy (2004) (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• SubTV (2007) (Finland) (TV)
• Tartan Video (2004) (UK) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Menfond Electronic Art & Computer Design Company (computer graphic design)

Other Companies

• Cinerent  camera and lighting equipment provided by
• China Star Production Services Limited  post-production
• Shaw Brothers  laboratory
• Media Business Service Limited  sound studio
• O.K. Post Production Co.  dubbing
• Kodak (Hong Kong) Ltd.  film supplied by
• Mandarin Laboratory (International) Ltd.  subtitles
• Golden Harvest Company  acknowledgements

Also Known As:

"Mou gaan dou" - Hong Kong (original title)
"Non-Stop Way" - Hong Kong (English title) (literal title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence

Runtime:

101 min | Hong Kong:97 min (director's cut)

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese | English | Thai

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | Finland:K-15 | France:-12 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:15 | Japan:PG-12 | Netherlands:16 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Argentina:13 | Taiwan:PG-12 | Iceland:16 | Malaysia:U | South Korea:12 | Brazil:18

Company:

Media Asia Films

Trivia:

The psychiatrist's name, "Lee Sum Yee", is a homophone (in Cantonese) for "your psychiatrist".

Goofs:

Continuity: When Lau goes to listen to the "sampler" CD that's been dropped off for him, he presses the button on the player and we see the CD drawer close twice - first in the long-shot, and then in a close-up that starts from a fully-open position on the drawer.

Quotes:

Chan Wing Yan:Should I salute you?
Lau Kin Ming:No, don't. How long have you been an undercover?
Chan Wing Yan:I've followed Sam for 3 years; I had several other bosses before. All together, it's been 10 years
Lau Kin Ming:10 years? I should salute you, instead.
Chan Wing Yan:I just want an identity. I want to be a normal man.
Lau Kin Ming:Getting tired?
Chan Wing Yan:You've never been a mole. You won't understand. Too bad I still can't find the stooge. I'll take him down if I've found him.
Lau Kin Ming:Don't worry. Let me give you back your identity, I'll open your file, but I don't have the password.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Crossing Criminal Cultures (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

THE FORGOTTEN TIME

At it's heart, a gripping cop thriller

As cadets, Lau and Chan both show promise as police officers. However, Chan is removed from the training and send to be a long-term undercover in Sam's gang. However, unbeknownst to the police, Lau is also a long-term mole who is feeding information back to Sam. When Sam and police chief SP Wong both have their operations scuppered, each realises the other has a mole and sets out to uncover each. With each other's lives at risk, Lau and Chan must be the first to uncover the other.

I decided to see this after hearing good things about it but I was conscious that often foreign films can be given more leniency than Western films doing the same thing. After a slightly confusing opening few moments as characters settle down (not helped by using completely different actors for characters at late teens and late 20's - do people change that much?) the film immediately becomes gripping. The plot may well have the occasional hole and have unnecessary personal details (Lau's girlfriend and Chan's ex weren't really needed) but the central story is well written and told with such urgency that it is hard not to be totally engaged.

The film doesn't have many massive shoot outs or action scenes but it has a pretty consistent sense of tension that is enjoyable right up to a typical but impacting ending. The direction is stylish and only occasionally overuses the slow-mo jump cuts. It may owe more to American cinema than that of the Orient but it is still a very good film and I hope the inevitable remake will be as good.

The cast don't need to do that much apart from look intense and portray the tension of the story in a realistic fashion - something that they do well. At times the lead two actors are pushed out of this by the personal asides but they happily keep things on track. Both Lau and Leung play it very well - it never came down to good guy/bad guy and the audience was pretty well split. Wong is a solid officer while Tsang is good as Sam. Chen and Cheng may not have a great deal to do apart from slowing the film but they both look good doing it.

Overall this is a solidly enjoyable cop thriller, regardless of what country it comes from. It will eventually be remade I imagine and when it is I hope that it manages to retain it's consistent sense of tension, double-edged characters and a real tight hold on it's audience just as this did here.