- Language: Cantonese Chinese, German
- Subtitles: German
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9 - 1.78:1
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B000MOKBYO
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product details |
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Im a huge fan of chinese cinema, but this movie takes it to another plane for me. Infernal affairs follows the strory of two men, played by Tony Leung and Andy Lau, who lead secret lives behind the facet of their everyday roles. Leung is an undercover cop who has for years been a member of triad leader Eric Tsang's gang, to the point that he is questioning his own identity. Lau is the reverse article-a triad mole set into the Hong Kong PD from a very early age to ensure trust.
The Plot is not all it seems, even from a passing glance,and the twists and turns that follow (obviously not going to spoil them here for you) put this in the same league of the likes of the usual suspects in terms of potboilers. Some elements of this film pay tribute to John Woo's action packed Hard-Boiled(1992), which also starred Leung and Anthony Wong(Leung's boss here.)Though if you are used to the high bodycounts in those films, you will get a surprise here.
Th acting is all-round spectacular, rewarded justly at the Hong Kong film awards of 2002, and the scenery and cinematography are also top-notch.
I dont want to reveal much,if any, of the pictures reason for being, just suffice to say that I have never read a bad review of this masterpiece, or even heard a bad word uttered about it. it was followed by a prequel (excellent) and a sequel (a decline but still good), as well as Martin Scorsese's US remake The Departed earlier this year. Seek this one out first, undoubtedly one of my favourite films of all time.
The Plot is not all it seems, even from a passing glance,and the twists and turns that follow (obviously not going to spoil them here for you) put this in the same league of the likes of the usual suspects in terms of potboilers. Some elements of this film pay tribute to John Woo's action packed Hard-Boiled(1992), which also starred Leung and Anthony Wong(Leung's boss here.)Though if you are used to the high bodycounts in those films, you will get a surprise here.
Th acting is all-round spectacular, rewarded justly at the Hong Kong film awards of 2002, and the scenery and cinematography are also top-notch.
I dont want to reveal much,if any, of the pictures reason for being, just suffice to say that I have never read a bad review of this masterpiece, or even heard a bad word uttered about it. it was followed by a prequel (excellent) and a sequel (a decline but still good), as well as Martin Scorsese's US remake The Departed earlier this year. Seek this one out first, undoubtedly one of my favourite films of all time.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By James M.
Format:DVD
This stylish Hong Kong thriller was recently remade (or helped influence, if you believe the director) in the form of Martin Scorsese's The Departed. While both versions of the movie are excellent in their own ways - The Departed is excellent if only to watch it for Jack Nicholson's powerhouse performance - it is the original that shines brightest.
Infernal Affairs is a compelling case study of two sides of the one coin. Tony Leung and Andy Lau counterbalance each other perfectly as the triad mole in the police force and the police mole in the triads respectively. The tale of the two morally ambiguous protagonists is beautifully crafted and the film is infused with an emotional weight that examines the inner state of the two characters and what affect there individual tasks are having on their lives - where does the line stop between cop and criminal? As Jack Nicholson's character says in the new version: "you can become cops or criminals; but when you're faced with a loaded gun, whats the difference?"
Unlike Joh Woo's action packed movies, Infernal Affairs is a more subtle, phsychological examination of the two leading men. This refined study of good and evil is remarkabely fresh and deserves to be seen by as many as have seen The Departed.
Infernal Affairs is a compelling case study of two sides of the one coin. Tony Leung and Andy Lau counterbalance each other perfectly as the triad mole in the police force and the police mole in the triads respectively. The tale of the two morally ambiguous protagonists is beautifully crafted and the film is infused with an emotional weight that examines the inner state of the two characters and what affect there individual tasks are having on their lives - where does the line stop between cop and criminal? As Jack Nicholson's character says in the new version: "you can become cops or criminals; but when you're faced with a loaded gun, whats the difference?"
Unlike Joh Woo's action packed movies, Infernal Affairs is a more subtle, phsychological examination of the two leading men. This refined study of good and evil is remarkabely fresh and deserves to be seen by as many as have seen The Departed.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
Firstly to the reviewer above, this is a CHINESE (Hong Kong) movie with CHINESE actors and is in the very best of CHINESE cinema tradition. Not Japanese.
Hong Kong cinema has been accused of being in decline recently, but the tide has been turning and amazing films such as Infernal Affairs (Infernal Affairs is a trilogy and this is film one).
The plot involves two undercover moles (infiltrators), one a triad in the police force and the other an undercover cop who is deep in with the triads. Questioning the morality of their respective positions and finding the lines between their real and undercover lives blurred, the film follows their story and the effect that their decisions take on their respective "careers".
The acting in this movie is INCREDIBLE. Every single actor works in this film with no weak links. (My favourite performance was that of Anthony Wong Chau-Sang who plays the superintendant of the undercover triad.)
This film is soon to be re-made as an Hollywood release, but do watch this version as it will surely be the definitive version. This movie is intelligent and more involving than most Hollywood thrillers I have seen for a long long while.
Highly Recommended.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By L. Norris
Format:DVD
A movie like this can only be described one way, perfect. A story smarter than The usual Suspects, and visual style in the league of such films as Heat and Goodfellas. This is a film that has made new actors stars and current stars legends.
This film marked a major change in Hong Kong Cinema Which for the last few years had been churning out lame comedies and action movies that were poor at best. When infernal affairs came out it was at the end of a very bad year for Hong Kong Cinema, it broke box office records beating off films like Harry potter and Spiderman. As you can guess it was the kick start their industry needed, the two sequels proved just as popular.
The movie is about two characters - Ming the triad mole who has become an inspector in the police, played brilliantly by Andy Lau. And Yan an undercover police officer in the mob, played by Tony Leung in a near career high. - And the parallels and moral obstacles in their lives.
The supporting cast includes stars such as Anthony Wong and Eric Tsang along with rising talents Shawn Yue, Edison Chen and Chapman To.
This is not only an important Hong Kong film but internationally also, it has influenced many recent films namely American remake The Departed by Martin Scorsese, I highly recommend this to all movie lovers.
This film marked a major change in Hong Kong Cinema Which for the last few years had been churning out lame comedies and action movies that were poor at best. When infernal affairs came out it was at the end of a very bad year for Hong Kong Cinema, it broke box office records beating off films like Harry potter and Spiderman. As you can guess it was the kick start their industry needed, the two sequels proved just as popular.
The movie is about two characters - Ming the triad mole who has become an inspector in the police, played brilliantly by Andy Lau. And Yan an undercover police officer in the mob, played by Tony Leung in a near career high. - And the parallels and moral obstacles in their lives.
The supporting cast includes stars such as Anthony Wong and Eric Tsang along with rising talents Shawn Yue, Edison Chen and Chapman To.
This is not only an important Hong Kong film but internationally also, it has influenced many recent films namely American remake The Departed by Martin Scorsese, I highly recommend this to all movie lovers.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 102 reviews
4.5 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great condition, speedy delivery
I first saw this film at the cinema and I am pleased that many years later it still hasn't lost anything. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Rob Dean
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent
Highly entertaining film with an excellent cast and brilliant plot. Watched it on film 4 a couple years back and just needed to watch it again. Chinese cinema at its best
Published 1 month ago by Dean K
4.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome!
Wai-keung Lau and Alan Mak's 2002 thriller was well received on its release but is now better known as Martin Scorsese's Hollywood remake The Departed (2006). Read more
Published 2 months ago by D Brown
2.0 out of 5 stars
Just more screen violence
Exploitative, tired and a retread of other films from this part of the world. I didn't bother to see how it ended.
Published 5 months ago by John Krish
5.0 out of 5 stars
The reason you need to be watching world cinema.
Infernal Affairs is the first of a super smart, breath-taking crime trilogy. Some may even say it's Asia's answer to the West's Godfather trilogy, and yes, it is good enough to... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Jack
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow
A must see film before you die. This is perhaps one of the best films ever and has an all star cast. Read more
Published on 21 April 2011 by Lichinbo
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Thriller
I wanted to see this having seen (and loved) The Departed that is based on this. As usual, there are aspects in which each version outshines the other, but if you've also seen and... Read more
Published on 16 Jun 2010 by Richard Preston
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not your usual East Asian crime movie
This action drama is set in Hong Kong. A criminal organisation sends one of their members to join the police academy and become a mafia spy in the police force. Read more
Published on 24 April 2010 by Printul Noptilor
4.0 out of 5 stars
......" I can't finish the novel, I don't know whether he's good or...
Infernal Affairs (Mou Gaan Dou) is a cop thriller set in Hong Kong focusing on undercover agents on both sides of the law. Read more
Published on 3 Jan 2010 by Current Account
4.0 out of 5 stars
"Within reason but beyond expectation"
Not my usual cup of tea, this is the original and best of the `Infernal Affairs' series of films and is also far better, in my opinion, than the slower and overblown Scorsese... Read more
Published on 16 Dec 2009 by Nicholas Casley
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
