Infernal Affairs (2002)

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:

Andrew Lau, Alan Mak

Writers:

Alan Mak, Felix Chong

Stars:

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

24 wins & 26 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Andy Lau	...	Inspector Lau Kin Ming
Tony Chiu-Wai Leung	...	Chen Wing Yan (as Tony Leung)
Anthony Chau-Sang Wong	...	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:

mole | police | undercover cop | neo noir | triad | 

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Taglines:

Loyalty. Honor. Betrayal.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

When referencing this film as the inspiration for the Best Picture-winning The Departed (2006), the announcer at the 79th Academy Awards mistakenly identified the Hong Kong production as Japanese.

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Goofs

Shawn Yue (Young Chen Wing Yan) is taller than Anthony Chau-Sang Wong (SP Wong Chi Shing), and there is a brief shot of them standing together. Tony Chiu-Wai Leung (Chen Wing Yan) is clearly shorter than Anthony Chau-Sang Wong, so the character has apparently shrunken.

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Quotes

Cadet School Principal: Who wants to be like ex-cadet Yan?
Young Lau Kin Ming: I do.

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Alternate Versions

For the Chinese version an alternate ("politically correct") ending was used. In it, Lau gets arrested when he leaves the elevator.

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Connections

Referenced in Vo Gian Dao (2019)

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Soundtracks

The Forgotten Time
Composed by Chen Hong Ming
Lyrics by Chen Hong Ming
Performed by Tsai Chin

User Reviews

Thrilling Chase of Cop Vs. Cop

I'm late in discovering the Hong Kong crime thriller genre so I can only compare "Infernal Affairs (Mou gaan dou))" to its Hollywood compatriots. It grippingly is the equal of such intense examinations of the anguish of undercover cops as "Donnie Brascoe" or dirty cops such as "Narc" or "Training Day."

Key is the dynamic opposite pairing of two leonine, charismatic actors, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, the self-sacrificing heart throb from "Hero (Ying xiong)" and the languid lover from "In the Mood for Love (Fa yeung nin wa)" here as an antsy, anguished too long undercover cop versus Andy Lau as his crisply efficient, ambitious counterpart.

The plot, propelled as well by the music, unpredictably twists and takes hairpin turns from the beginning so that even with helpful flashbacks it's a thrilling roller coaster ride to try to follow the constantly changing loyalties, manipulations, deals and revelations, not unlike the TV series "The Wire."

Regardless, you get that the real battle is for the characters' souls as much as their lives and you hold your breath to the last surprising minute. The initial motivations for how the men came to be at this crossroads will doubtless be explored in the prequel and sequel that haven't been released in the U.S. yet.

The women are just the girlfriends, but they do have separate lives, jobs and choices that impact the men in their lives.

With noted cinematographer Christopher Doyle is listed as a "visual consultant" in the credits, the great bulk of the film takes place at night, like a comparable chase film "Collateral," so it was unfortunate that the print I saw was not pristine.

It was also annoying that the subtitles were white on white illegible and that ideograms that are shown in the scene are not translated, even when the camera rests on them for a length of time that makes one assume something significant is written there.

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

Filming Locations:

Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China

Box Office

Budget:

$6,428,966 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$25,680, 26 September 2004

Gross USA:

$169,659

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$8,836,958

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