Product Description

An award-winning crime thriller in the intense tradition of HEAT and RESERVOIR DOGS ... critics everywhere have hailed INFERNAL AFFAIRS for its gritty action and international superstars. Chan Wing Yan (Tony Leung -- HERO) is a hard-nosed veteran cop sent undercover to infiltrate the notorious Triad crime ring. An expert at bringing down violent syndicates, Chan thinks it's going to be a routine mission. What he's not prepared for is the discovery that the Triad's boss (Eric Tsang -- THE ACCIDENTAL SPY) has planted a mole (Andy Lau -- THE LEGEND OF DRUNKEN MASTER) in the police department ... and now Chan is being hunted down. In this battle of wills, only one cop can win!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21333 in DVD
• Brand: Disney
• Released on: 2004-12-07
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• ESRB Rating: Teen
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English, Thai
• Subtitled in: English
• Dubbed in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 101 minutes

Amazon.com
With Infernal Affairs, Hong Kong filmmakers Wai Keung Lau and Siu Fai Mak have successfully taken a smart script and a great cast, added some stylistic cinematography, and dual-fistedly given a new twist to a formulaic genre. Lau Kin Ming (Andy Lau), a young, loyal gangster, is ordered by his Triad boss Sam (Eric Tsang) to join the police force. While on the inside the young mole can keep a close eye on police activity, ensuring the gang's activities will not be interrupted. Police Superintendent Wong (Anthony Wong Chau-Sang) has a similar plan. He takes a bright, ambitious police cadet Yan (Tony Leung Chiu Wai) and makes him an undercover cop with plans to get him inside the Triads. Years pass and both are now deep into their assigned roles. Undercover cop Yan, more or less living the life of a gangster, is now a member of Boss Sam's group, and "Officer" Lau has all the appearance of a good cop trying to bust up the Triads' drug ring. During a bust that could finally bring down Boss Sam, the moles inadvertently become aware of each other's existence, and each is left wondering who is on the inside. What follows is a unique and exciting twist on the classic cat and mouse chase in which each man is not fighting for his life, but for his anonymity. In addition to its plot twists, what lifts Infernal Affairs above the standard cop story is its subtle exploration of the relative nature of good and evil. Part action, part psychological examination, Infernal Affairs is a sharp and fresh take on the classic crime story, and the inspiration for a 2006 Martin Scorsese remake (The Departed). Not to be missed. --Rob Bracco

From The New Yorker
Some viewers have found themselves challenged by the intricate plot of this film, but anybody used to disentangling an entire bowl of noodles should have no problem. What we have is a little mole-on-mole action, revolving around a couple of Hong Kong cops (Tony Leung and Andy Lau). One works undercover, reporting from the entourage of a drug lord (Eric Tsang). The other works openly for the police department, but secretly as a snitch for the same villain. Neither policeman knows what the other looks like, and it takes a flurry of nervous pursuits and rooftop encounters before the scales fall from their eyes. The movie presents itself as a stack of character studies, but the leads are constructed from layers of impassive cool, and the roles for women-a shrink, an old flame-are comically fleeting. What makes the picture work is its unflagging devotion to the play of gleam and shadow: to a vision of Hong Kong as a natural hotbed of treason and double cross. For those who need a fix of further confusion, two sequels are ready and waiting in the wings. With Anthony Wong as the police chief, who suffers an amazing fall from grace. In Cantonese. -Anthony Lane
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Tension Rises Very High: Magnificinet Hong Kong Noir
'Infernal Affairs' is the biggest box-office hit in Hong Kong in 2002, and if you see it, you won't be surprised with that fact. The film's premises are very simple; it's about a cop who is actually a gangster, and a gangster who is really a cop. With this clever version of 'undercover' theme (that was previously seen in the films like 'Donnie Brasco'), 'Infernal Affairs' presents as much tension and humanity as was seen in that Johnny Depp/Al Pacino film.

Ming (Andy Lau, 'House of Flying Daggers') is a young mole in the Honk Kong police, whose real boss is Sam, head of the Triads. He has been in police force for nearly ten years, and starts to doubt his life while faithfully swears his loyality to Sam.

At the same time, Yan (Tony Leung, 'In the Mood for Love') is an undercover cop, who has been in Sam's Triad for ten years. His superior officer Wong (Anthony Wong) is the only one who knows his real identity in the police, and Yan is also getting fed up with the life based on lies.

As the poilce force confronts the Triads, both Ming and Yan attempt to help their side anticipate the moves of the other. Finally, both sides realize that there are moles among them, and investigations and revenges make these characters lives more complex and unbearable.

DO NOT EXPECT the martial arts or so-called actions. This is a noir, and that means that it is the characters that matter, or their lives. I know, though the story is simple, it needs leap of faith. But the portraits of the people, and the pains of keeping on pretending what they are not, are vividly presented that the audiences will be sucked into the turmoil of their emotions. And the results are often nerve-shattering.

ANd the acting is all top-notch. I hear the talk of Hollywood remakes, which, I am afraid, is a tough work to do. Lau and Leung are both perfect, but more fantastic are Anthony Wong as police inspector and Eric Tsang as Triad boss. Their performances are so magnificient, even sublime at times, that you will stop caring which side would ultimately win.

Helped greatly by the moody camera (Andrew Lau and Lai Yiu Fai & 'visual consultant' Christopher Doyle, 'Rabbit Proof Fence'), 'Infernal Affairs' tells you that without John Woo Hong Kong movie industry can still produce excellent films with a touch of reality.

'Infernal Affairs' is part of trilogy, and you will see 'IA II' and 'IA III' sooner or later. 'Infernal Affairs' is the one you are watching now; 'Infernal Affairs II' is a prequel to it; and 'Infernal Affairs III' is a sequel to the original. But remember, the series is not the usual Hollywood commercial tactics to cash in on the hit movie, for some say '2' is better than the original. That's the only reason I don't give 5 stars, which 'Infernal Affairs' certainly deserves.

What a crappy poster!
Look at the crappy poster design for this outstanding movie. I just hate how Western versions of Asian films ruin the look and feel of a good movie. The poster makes it look like this movie is a love triangle of some sort or a cheap police crime story. If you can get a copy of the original DVD release in Hong Kong (3 movies in total), get those instead. The posters and covers are much better. They have removable English/Chinese subtitles as well. This is probably the best Hong Kong film of the last decade, so it's worth a shot if you're interested. There's great character development and interesting plot twists that will keep the audience intrigued until the last moments.

A movie you want to tell people about!
This is one of those movies you want to tell people about, coming from someone who's not really a Hong Kong film aficionado.

It has a simple but ingenious plot, first-rate acting, nice dollops of suspense and gunplay and a satisfying ending.

Simply put, a Triad boss places a young, up-and-coming gangster in the police academy to become a mole. Simultaneously, the police pull an up-and-coming cadet OUT of school, to become a Triad mole.

Ten years later, both moles still exist, and are entrusted by their respective bosses to, bluntly, find themselves.

The two scenes where the good guys and the bad guys dizzily interlace during attempted crimes are real corkers...as good as anything I've seen in years.

You can't watch this film and NOT think of Michael Mann's "Heat"...the cinematography, the urban gun fights, the two mercurial leads...and the rumors of a Scorsese remake only add to my fascination with this movie.

The thing keeping this from a five-star experience is that there are a few peripheral characters that feel like they should be more important, but they're not. There were a few characters who appear once or twice, but are all given these meaningful shots at the film's conclusion...

Maybe if I had seen more HK cinema, I would understand more...but I'll tell you, this is a great movie period, whether you think you like "foreign films" or not.