Chan Wing Yan, a policeman, successfully infiltrates a gang while Wong Chi-Shing, a tried member, becomes a mole in the police force. However, things change when both of them must seek each ... Read allChan Wing Yan, a policeman, successfully infiltrates a gang while Wong Chi-Shing, a tried member, becomes a mole in the police force. However, things change when both of them must seek each other out.Chan Wing Yan, a policeman, successfully infiltrates a gang while Wong Chi-Shing, a tried member, becomes a mole in the police force. However, things change when both of them must seek each other out.
- Awards
- 24 wins & 26 nominations
- Chan Wing Yan
- (as Tony Leung)
- SP Wong Chi Shing
- (as Anthony Wong)
- Inspector B
- (as Lam Ka Tung)
- Inspector Cheung
- (as Ng Ting Yip)
- Officer Leung
- (as Wan Chi Keung)
- Cadet School Principal
- (as Hui Kam Fung)
- Directors
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWhen 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'.
- GoofsShawn 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 versionsFor the Chinese version an alternate ("politically correct") ending was used. In it, Lau gets arrested when he leaves the elevator.
- ConnectionsEdited into Infernal Affairs III (2003)
- SoundtracksInfernal 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.
I decided to see this after hearing good things about it but I was conscious that often foreign films can be given more leniency than Western films doing the same thing. After a slightly confusing opening few moments as characters settle down (not helped by using completely different actors for characters at late teens and late 20's - do people change that much?) the film immediately becomes gripping. The plot may well have the occasional hole and have unnecessary personal details (Lau's girlfriend and Chan's ex weren't really needed) but the central story is well written and told with such urgency that it is hard not to be totally engaged.
The film doesn't have many massive shoot outs or action scenes but it has a pretty consistent sense of tension that is enjoyable right up to a typical but impacting ending. The direction is stylish and only occasionally overuses the slow-mo jump cuts. It may owe more to American cinema than that of the Orient but it is still a very good film and I hope the inevitable remake will be as good.
The cast don't need to do that much apart from look intense and portray the tension of the story in a realistic fashion - something that they do well. At times the lead two actors are pushed out of this by the personal asides but they happily keep things on track. Both Lau and Leung play it very well - it never came down to good guy/bad guy and the audience was pretty well split. Wong is a solid officer while Tsang is good as Sam. Chen and Cheng may not have a great deal to do apart from slowing the film but they both look good doing it.
Overall this is a solidly enjoyable cop thriller, regardless of what country it comes from. It will eventually be remade I imagine and when it is I hope that it manages to retain it's consistent sense of tension, double-edged characters and a real tight hold on it's audience just as this did here.
- bob the moo
- Mar 1, 2004
- Permalink
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Languages
- Also known as
- Vô Gian Đạo
- Filming locations
- Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China(opening scene: temple)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $6,428,966 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $169,659
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $25,680
- Sep 26, 2004
- Gross worldwide
- $8,836,958
- Runtime1 hour 41 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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