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:

Wai-Keung Lau (as Andrew Lau), Alan Mak

Writers:

Alan Mak, Felix Chong

Stars:

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

23 wins & 24 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 | triad | undercover cop | anti villain | 

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Taglines:

Loyalty. Honor. Betrayal.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | 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

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, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$169,659

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$8,708,932, 21 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

Changes in the time on the clock in the living room when the cop is listening to the CD that's been dropped off for him.

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Quotes

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

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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

Spoofed in Chun tian hua hua tong xue hui (2006)

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

One of the best from Hong Kong

This movie should be compared to movie like Heat, even when the storyline are not the same. Movies like Hardboiled and A Better Tomorrow are predominately action-based, whereas this movie is more dramatic and emotionally-driven.

The main attraction is the mole hunts but it would not be as brilliantly done if not for the fireworks between the major characters.

The title from the explanation in the intro means "Endless Purgatory Road". This philosophy, to me, really made this movie more thoughtful. The two central characters both had to walk their road, in life and in their minds for a long time. Both had no choice but to keep walking. As they cross path, they were forced to play the game of cat and mouse by their superiors. While it is not certain who's the cat and who's the mouse, one thing is certain - the loser will die.

While there are four main characters, they are all males. This should be bad for any movie but I think this is one of the exception to the rule. The emotions and tension between the four were well-scripted and brilliantly played. It is no surprised each had at least one best actor awards in the Hong Kong industry. The sequels(2 prequels) will delve deeper into it.

Plotwise - it is hard to see any holes.

Seen it around six times, a lot for a drama.

I think you should ask yourself after the movie, "what would I do if I am in the same situation?". Right and wrong is harder to separate.