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Infernal Affairs

Original title: Mou gaan dou
  • 2002
  • R
  • 1h 41m
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
128K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,437
178
Andy Lau and Tony Leung Chiu-wai in Infernal Affairs (2002)
CT #1 Post
Play trailer1:18
3 Videos
99+ Photos
ActionCrimeDrama

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.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.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 Leung Chiu-wai
    • Anthony Chau-Sang Wong
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    8.0/10
    128K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    4,437
    178
    • Directors
      • Andrew Lau
      • Alan Mak
    • Writers
      • Alan Mak
      • Felix Chong
    • Stars
      • Andy Lau
      • Tony Leung Chiu-wai
      • Anthony Chau-Sang Wong
    • 243User reviews
    • 182Critic reviews
    • 75Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 24 wins & 26 nominations

    Videos3

    Internal Affairs (2002)
    Trailer 1:18
    Watch Internal Affairs (2002)
    Infernal Affairs
    Trailer 1:17
    Watch Infernal Affairs
    Infernal Affairs
    Trailer 1:20
    Watch Infernal Affairs

    Photos105

    Kelly Chen and Tony Leung Chiu-wai in Infernal Affairs (2002)
    Andy Lau, Eric Tsang, and Anthony Chau-Sang Wong in Infernal Affairs (2002)
    Andy Lau and Tony Leung Chiu-wai in Infernal Affairs (2002)
    Tony Leung Chiu-wai in Infernal Affairs (2002)
    Andy Lau in Infernal Affairs (2002)
    Andy Lau and Tony Leung Chiu-wai in Infernal Affairs (2002)
    Infernal Affairs (2002)
    Infernal Affairs (2002)
    Andy Lau and Tony Leung Chiu-wai in Infernal Affairs (2002)
    Infernal Affairs (2002)
    Infernal Affairs (2002)
    Infernal Affairs (2002)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Andy Lau
    Andy Lau
    • Inspector Lau Kin Ming
    Tony Leung Chiu-wai
    Tony Leung Chiu-wai
    • Chen Wing Yan
    • (as Tony Leung)
    Anthony Chau-Sang Wong
    Anthony Chau-Sang Wong
    • SP Wong Chi Shing
    • (as Anthony Wong)
    Eric Tsang
    Eric Tsang
    • Hon Sam
    Kelly Chen
    Kelly Chen
    • Dr. Lee Sum Yee
    Sammi Cheng
    Sammi Cheng
    • Mary
    Edison Chen
    Edison Chen
    • Young Lau Kin Ming
    Shawn Yue
    Shawn Yue
    • Young Chan Wing Yan
    Elva Hsiao
    Elva Hsiao
    • May
    Chapman To
    Chapman To
    • Tsui Wai-keung
    Ka-Tung Lam
    Ka-Tung Lam
    • Inspector B
    • (as Lam Ka Tung)
    Ting Yip Ng
    Ting Yip Ng
    • Inspector Cheung
    • (as Ng Ting Yip)
    Dion Lam
    Dion Lam
    • Del Piero
    Chi-Keung Wan
    • Officer Leung
    • (as Wan Chi Keung)
    Hui Kam Fung
    • Cadet School Principal
    Tony Ho
    Tony Ho
    • Suspect
    Courtney Wu
    Courtney Wu
    • Stereo Shop Owner
    Hin-Wai Au
    • Elephant
    • Directors
      • Andrew Lau
      • Alan Mak
    • Writers
      • Alan Mak
      • Felix Chong
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When Yan and SP Wong are waiting at the elevator, the digital floor counter skips the 4th floor. In China and Hong Kong, the number 4 is considered bad luck because it sounds similar to the word 'death'.
    • 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.
    • Quotes

      Lau Kin Ming: I have no choice before, but now I want to turn over a new leaf.

      Chan Wing Yan: Good. Try telling that to the judge; see what he has to say.

      Lau Kin Ming: You want me dead?

      Chan Wing Yan: Sorry, I'm a cop

      Lau Kin Ming: Who knows that?

    • Alternate versions
      For the Chinese version an alternate ("politically correct") ending was used. In it, Lau gets arrested when he leaves the elevator.
    • Connections
      Edited into Infernal Affairs III (2003)
    • Soundtracks
      Infernal Affairs
      Composed & Arranged by Ronald Ng

      Performed by Andy Lau and Tony Leung Chiu-wai (as Tony Leung)

      Produced by Ronald Ng and Kwok-Leung Chan

      O.P. BMG Music Publishing Hong Kong, Ltd./Catchy Music Publishing, Ltd.

    User reviews243

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    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.
    helpful•58
    15
    • noralee
    • Oct 15, 2004

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    FAQ2

    • What is the literal translation of the title?
    • What are the differences between the Original Version and the Chinese Version?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 12, 2002 (Hong Kong)
    • Country of origin
      • Hong Kong
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official site
    • Languages
      • Cantonese
      • English
      • Thai
    • Also known as
      • Vô Gian Đạo
    • Filming locations
      • Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China(opening scene: temple)
    • Production companies
      • Media Asia Films
      • Basic Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $6,428,966 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $169,659
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $25,680
      • Sep 26, 2004
    • Gross worldwide
      • $8,836,958
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 41 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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