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Infernal Affairs (Wu Jian Dao) (2002)

In the Buddhist sutra, the term "wu jian" refers to the worst place in hell, where the suffering is endless and continuous. This is a fitting description for the two men both living a lie in the critically acclaimed movie Infernal Affairs. Ming is a decorated police officer with a bright future in his career, but in truth he is working for a powerful drug lord name Sam. Yang, on the other hand, is an undercover cop who has spent the last ten years in the Hong Kong triads, gathering information and tipping his superiors on important narcotic trades. In a recent failed attempt at a drug raid, both sides discovered that they each have a mole in their midst, and were determined to find out the identity of this person. Thus begin a deadly cat and mouse game to see who will be exposed first.

Police drama has always been a staple in the Hong Kong cinema, populated with well-known classics such as Hard Boiled, Police Story, and The Killer. What sets Infernal Affairs apart from the rest of the genre is that the story was not told with stylish shootouts or elaborate fight sequences, instead, it relied on the strength of the plot and featured some of the best acting I have seen. Even though the movie was not action packed, it nevertheless succeeded in keeping me on the edge of my seat.

The line between good and bad is a blurry one in Infernal Affairs, as both protagonists struggle to maintain their respective facade while hiding their true identity. Having been selected specifically for their undercover assignment, neither really had a choice in the matter. Yang's wish to reclaim his life is forever in conflict with the job he was given to perform. The longer he stays in the triad, the harder it is for him to believe that he's actually an officer of the law. Conversely, Ming shows glimpses of desire to be a good cop, but with Sam's hold on him, what can he do to cleanse himself of his sordid past?

Andy Lau is a very versatile actor, and his portrayal of Ming is without a doubt one of his strongest dramatic roles in the recent years. Cool and calculated on the outside, his character seems to be a very confident person, although there are few moments in the movie in which he displays uncertainty and hesitation of the position he's in. The duplicitous nature of Ming was played so well by Lau that by the last scene, you are still not sure whether he truly wants to be good, or was it all just an act that he has perfected?

Tony Leung Chiu-Wai may not be as popular as his co-star, but he is just as talented, if not more so, having partaken in award winning films like In the Mood for Love and Chungking Express. His performance as the tortured Yang is powerful and heartbreaking at the same time. The tension and the strain of keeping up two different identities just oozes from the screen, because a slight misstep might very well result in a death sentence for him. Anthony Wong and Eric Tsang did an equally great job as superintendent Wong and the crime boss Sam respectively. One is a trusted mentor while the other is a devious and ruthless man; both had the foresight to infiltrate the opposing organization in order to keep tabs on them. Their single scene together is among the best in the movie, and it was fun seeing them trying to outwit each other.

Infernal Affairs is a fantastic film and an intensely gratifying experience. It is unpredictable, emotional and it does not take the easy way out. With a talented cast and a solid script, it isn't hard to see why the movie became the highest grossing picture of last year in Hong Kong. If you are into the import scene at all, I highly recommend hunting this title down.

- Zalasta

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