Infernal Affairs

-




Whose side are you, anyway?

The characters in “Infernal Affairs” (2002) are left to find an answer in this identity-switching-cop drama. After the opening minutes, the film propels forward with a hair-raising thrilling sequence, showing a local mobster and drug dealer, Sam (Eric Tsang), striking a deal with another drug dealer. The scene has everything: a voice-over narration, an introduction of the main characters, a heightened tension in the drug deal, and the cops closing in on the drug dealers. Within the opening sequence, the narrative switches between the past and present, as we learn about the identities of the two primary characters, Chan (Tony Leung) and Lau (Andy Lau), involved in the story line. By the time the scene ends, we know there is a mole on both the sides: in the police department and in the gangster’s team. Taken as a whole, the first thirty minutes are fast paced, although at times it was hard for me to figure out what was going on. But once things settle in, the plot moves rather smoothly.

The characters in “Infernal Affairs” are trying to shape their identities in the wake of role switching. They struggle to strike a balance at their jobs as their integrity, loyalty, and sacrifice is continually challenged. For Chan, the fine line separating a gangster from an undercover cop diminishes when he tries hard to acquire Sam’s confidence. He is so involved in acting like a real gangster that he forgets his true role. Even though he is one step ahead, he knows if things don’t go as planned, he might be stuck in this role for the rest of his life. He is clearly frustrated, but he has no say in dictating the course of events to follow. On the other hand, Lau is a smart and opportunistic person who rises through the ranks to become the boss of his department. He is a powerful man now, with full capability to plan his own future, away from the daily cat-and-mouse games.

Apart from the opening moments, the film manages to develop a tense atmosphere, when Lau and Chan are on-screen, especially in the cellphone scene. Along the way, we are introduced to two more characters. Chan meets a psychiatrist, Dr. Lee (Kelly Chen), and she falls for Chan, while Lau’s girlfriend, Mary (Sammi Cheng) struggles to make sense of Lau’s character. While the characters of Chan and Lau are fully developed, I felt these two important women in the lives of the main protagonists were not quite developed. They feel like pedestrians, even when their actions are significant. Perhaps a few additional minutes would have properly fleshed out the female characters.

“Infernal Affairs” was a huge success at the box office in Hong Kong, and it was responsible for reviving the Asian cinema. Outside Hong Kong, the movie’s success paved the way for Korean and Hollywood remakes. Martin Scorsese’s remake, “The Departed” (2006), won an Academy Award for Best Picture. As stand-alone pieces, both “Infernal Affairs” and “The Departed” are equally entertaining, and it is hard to say which version is the best. I liked “Infernal Affairs” for its Asian touch, and while on the surface it appears a “Bullet-Ballet” action thriller, it is, in fact, a crime drama, featuring a surprisingly original story line that adds a new dimension to the “cop” genre. While Sam’s character in “Infernal Affairs” is not overly threatening, Scorsese’s actioner, on the other hand, has Scorsese’s signature style wherein Jack Nicholson’s character, playing as an Irish mobster, is more menacing and memorable. Nonetheless, the sharp editing techniques in “Infernal Affairs” ensure that the plot moves rapidly and the action sequences never feel overstretched. Much of the action takes place in characters’ minds, as the writers have balanced the action and character ambiguities rather well.

In the end, “Infernal Affairs” is a taut-action thriller that stands on its own merits, despite an Oscar-winning remake. The film breaks a norm associated with a cop drama by featuring an intelligent, convoluted story line and a tight script. Even though I had seen “The Departed” first, I was surprised that “Infernal Affairs” still managed to entertain me. It is surely one of the best action movies of the last decade from Hong Kong.


Video:
Lionsgate presents “Infernal Affairs” on Blu-ray in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, using the ACV/MPEG-4 codec. This is an average-looking transfer, but not bad. On a positive side, the film’s print is in fine shape, with no sign of damage or blemishes. Some white specs, however, do appear, but never distracting. The print’s inherent grain is present throughout, and its presence makes this transfer more film-like. There are scenes when the close-ups have good clarity and nice detail, along with consistent sharpness. But in a few scenes, the transfer is inconsistent; the detail suffers, and the image tends to be on the soft side. Sometimes the faces are too sharp, making me believe that some form of DNR was applied to the transfer. Overall, the 1080p transfer doesn’t leap out at the viewer as other catalogue titles do that we have seen in the past.  

Audio:
“Infernal Affairs” features a vibrant sound mix in the form of a DTS-HD MA track. Mostly, a dialogue-drive film, “Infernal Affairs” still has plenty of action, and all the channels remain fairly active throughout, with dialogue crisp and clean. The surround channels create a nice envelope in action sequences. The gunshots are loud and sound realistic, and the bass is acceptable, although not as punchy as I’d like.

Extras:
There are no new extras for this release; however, Lionsgate has ported all the bonus features from the earlier DVD release. First, we get a regular “Making-off” (15 minutes) featurette in which the filmmakers talk about the story, cast, and script. The actors discuss their characters and challenges in playing their roles. Next, “Confidential File: Behind-the-Scenes” is a technical featurette showing the crew shooting for the film. Up next, there is an alternate ending, followed by theatrical trailers.

Parting Thoughts:
“Infernal Affairs” is a slick action movie in which the characters are caught in a deadly cat-and-mouse game. The characters are likeable, and the plot is captivating and tense in parts. Both Andy Lau and Tony Leung are intense in their roles, and they are able convincingly to portray the dual identities of their characters in a clever way. And this is the reason “Infernal Affairs” is an enjoyable ride. The Blu-ray edition is an improvement from the previous DVD release, in spite of a mediocre-looking 1080p transfer.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bad Boys (1983)

-
When I consider the list of the greatest actors alive today, Sean Penn ranks among top five actors in my list. Winner of two Academy awards in the Best Actor category (a rare occurrence) and a three-time nominee in the same category, Penn has become one of the most influential yet underrated actors of his generation. He shot to a top-rated actor with his performance in Tim Robbin’s “Dead Man Walking” (1995), later following it up with another notable performance in Woody Allen’s “Sweet and Lowdown” (1999) for which he received an Oscar nomination. There is no doubt that his earlier movies set the stage for challenging roles later in his acting career. After starting his film career in Amy Heckerling’s coming-of-age comedy “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” (1982), Penn then starred as the leading actor in a brutal prison drama, “Bad Boys” (1983). It was an unusual career choice to sign up for a non-mainstream, violent film. But looking back, his performance in “Bad Boys” reminded me of hi
Read more

2016: Obama's America

-
Image
As the 2012 Presidential race gathered steam, we saw political candidates and political pundits working overtime to acquire vital gains in votes. That is obvious given the nature of the closely-fought election. But we also had filmmakers and authors working within their respective media to produce materials that were bound to influence voters. At one point, in 2012 year alone, there were six anti-Obama books in the Amazon’s top-100 best-sellers list. To name a few books: Paul Kengor’s “The Communist,” Dinesh D’Souza’s “Obama's America: Unmaking the American Dream” and “The Roots of Obama's Rage” on which this film is based, then Mark Levin’s “Ameritopia: The Unmaking of America,” David Limbaugh's “The Great Destroyer: Barack Obama's War on the Republic,” and Edward Klein's "The Amateur." On the funny side, one has to give credit to our President; his name brings money to big publishing houses and keeps writers busy all year around. It
Read more

Django Unchained

-
Image
Ever since writer-director Quentin Tarantino shot to fame with “Reservoir Dogs” (1992) and “Pulp Fiction” (1993), fans have eagerly awaited his films. The reason Tarantino stands out from the rest is because of his talent to continuously push the boundaries of the film medium in his own distinctive way. Considering his two decades of filmmaking experience, it is not difficult to anticipate what Tarantino might have in store for his audience in his latest film, 2012’s “Django Unchained.”  From the opening shot, it is obvious Tarantino has reinvented himself yet again. This time around, he dabbles with the spaghetti-Western action flick, and the results are superb. “Django Unchained” mixes satire, comedy, action, drama, and violence with the most important of Tarantino’s filmmaking characteristics, his handiness to introduce “unexpected” elements into the narrative. Set in the pre-Civil War era, the film’s opening, warm-looking shot representing a barren mountainous
Read more