Infernal Affairs 2002
Directed by Alan Mak Siu-Fai, Andrew Lau Wai-Keung · 101 mins · 1,914 views
Synopsis
Trailers
Reviews (105)
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M
I was thrilled when Scorsese decided to make The Departed, but I am disappointed the only discussion on this film seems to be whether it is superior/inferior to its Hollywood ‘remake’. To me the two are vastly different and culturally specific, the only things in common are the skeleton of the plot, and that they are great films. The original film title 無間道 (literally ‘boundless way’) came from the idea of Avici (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avici) in Buddhism, the lowest level of hell where people who have committed the most awful sins are made to suffer “boundlessly”. The two main characters in the story find themselves trapped, with no hope of redemption. They both want to be “good”, a rebirth of their identity.…
1,302 15 -
J
Infernal Affairs was my first taste of serious Hong Kong cinema. I had always associated Hong Kong with the martial arts / action films I’d seen in my youth. This was different. Very different. What I appreciated most about Infernal Affairs was the symmetry. Superintendent Wong is our police protagonist. Hon Sam, our underworld Triad protagonist. Each has a pawn that has infiltrated the other side. Wong has Chan Wing-yan, a mole planted more than a decade ago into Han’s triad. Hon has Lau Kin-ming, an officer in Wong’s squad, also with a decade of experience. Both the masters are the only ones who know about their respective moles identity. This power controls their lives, and both have an almost…
413 8 -
M
It’s hard to underrepresent what a tremendous shift in the Heroic Bloodshed genre this represented at the time. Let’s just say the contemporaneous comparisons to THE GODFATHER (and to A BETTER TOMORROW) weren’t and still aren’t remotely unwarranted. To me, though, it’s always felt like “merely” an incredibly sturdy cop thriller, by HK standards tantalizingly westernized. Everybody here is doing career best work, in many cases by playing directly to their screen personas. Not that it’s relevant, but I used to think this was vastly superior to THE DEPARTED, now I think they’re just different very good movies.
403 1 -
N
“that was so cool but you know what would really make this sing? Boston accents”
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BBranson Reese 8 月 25, 2026
I don’t know enough about Hong Kong cinema to understand this movie’s place in it which is my bad. I’ll get to it right away, honestly. Really taut and engaging hundred minutes of film. Not surprised that Scorsese saw this and decided to set it in Queens which is Boston to him. Don’t think there’s a single unnecessary scene or even moment which really helps propel it past the 2002 “You wouldn’t DOWNLOAD a CAR” aesthetic it’s soaking in. Everybody’s got bad haircuts and everybody’s wearing a leather jacket and bootcut jeans even if they aren’t. But that’s okay. It’s charming when you’re having fun, as I was. Was obviously nice to skip the debates and instead watch cops shoot each other in the head. Cannot recommend that enough, really.
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P
After watching this movie and giving it a great deal of consideration I do not think the life of an undercover cop is for me
2,445 13 -
D
Brutally precise in its yin-yang balance between two tragically opposed men embedded behind enemy lines, Infernal Affairs conjures a bifurcated narrative where our dual protagonists are also both each other’s antagonist, their conflict as heartbreaking as it is inevitable. Flashes of yearning for a life lived honestly and openly, cut back with fury by the structures they’re bound inside. The cop-as-gangster lost in chaos and violence, adrift for years, desperate for a genuine relationship, someone who truly knows him. The gangster-as-cop rising through the ranks, witnessing the fallout of his true employer’s actions, enticed by the straight life in which he’s camouflaged, desperate for a way out of his secret obligation. The dizzying dance between these men accelerating the stakes…
271 12 -
T
We all remember Every Frame a Painting talking about how the phone call scene in The Departed is more intense because it has no music, but he failed to consider that the music in this one is crazy. This one is structurally tighter with looser, sometimes bizarre editing choices, whereas The Departed has some narrative embellishments but untouchable Scorsese/Schoonmaker panache. I shouldn’t compare them, though. It’s the same movie by two different artists. The Departed is a cover. Just a pretty good one. This is also really good though. Kinda wish I had watched it first.
223 2 -
G
Do you think when M. Night Shyamalan watched this he was thinking… “hmm, perhaps if I write a story of a character with only 23 personalities instead of the 28 that Lee Sum-Yee mentions here, the audience won’t realise I pinched the idea from Infernal Affairs?” when he was making Split? I don’t remember much about The Departed so won’t compare this to Scorcese’s award-winning remake, but it’s safe to say that Infernal Affairs is an eminently copy-able script. It’s smart, sassy and thought-provoking with a dark soundtrack and some fantastic performances. I didn’t realise there were three of these films in a series, but will definitely be checking them out. This is a really engaging crime thriller and comes across as Hong-Kong personified.
221 11 -
M
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Y
The moment when Eric Tsang smashed Tony Leung’s hand cast on a table, I knew instantly that this is a film that I will adore for.. well, forever is a strong word, but it’s definitely a long, long time. Powerful performances by the entire cast including the two mentioned above and of course, the great Andy Lau. An exciting ride that tells a genuinely good and original story. Awesome soundtrack. Cheesy death scenes. No CGI rats. Hong Kong crime thrillers are invincible. Noir-vember Film #16
694 21 -
C
*tony leung falling in love with his psychiatrist* martin scorsese when rewriting this movie: 🥸 cute but let’s have leonardo dicaprio berate the broad and threaten to shoot himself in front of her instead
796 13 -
M
Scusassss Scorsese, ma questo è il film migliore. Niente Backstory strane per dare contesto (ci saranno nei sequel). Le informazioni minime per capire e AZIONE SU AZIONE. La scena con i thai è un inseguimento senza inseguimento, geniale. E la storia di per sè è fighissima dai. RaiPlay mettimi anche i sequel per favore.
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9
So intricate, this would be so legendary as a show I wish it was longer, I can’t wait to watch the next one. The character writing contains a lot of depth and the parallels are poetic. I wasn’t that big a fan of the ending but it could have been amazing with more fleshed out characters Watching this in Hong Kong w my pops, he’s seen departed and I haven’t and he kept pointing out the remake scenes.
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S
the departed copas sm film ini, bener bener plek ketiplek plotnya
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B
I gave the departed 5 stars because I enjoyed it so much I thought its an original a war of spying When i discovered this is the original and the departed is a remake i think this movie deserves 5.5 stars for the original story not enough credit for this masterpiece
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A
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L
Holy shit that was really good, need to watch scorcese’s remake and the sequels now
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F
Definitely would have enjoyed this more had i seen it before the departed but still good stuff
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A
plus efficace que celui de Scorsese mais bon y’a pas Jack Nicholson
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T
Really, really, really good movie but also worse than The Departed in every single way except for the title. What’s the point if the characters don’t have those goofy Bostonian accents?
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Nnisaozkan 8 月 23, 2026
gece yarısı random bi tv kanalında dönen bi film gibi hissetttirdi herşey yarım yamalak
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H
this movie definitely has its moments but i found it difficult to give a shit about what was happening for some of it, maybe it needs a rewatch, i dunno solid overall
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J
Had the inherent benefit of being completely wahlberg-free
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J
I think I enjoyed the Hong Kong skyline more in 2 but the rooftop scenes are good. Still weird freeze frames and smash cuts that feel off.
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R
Marty version better
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P
Visually, The Departed might be better, but I was more engaged with this one because of the less violence and more refined plot. It’s a great example of the difference between Eastern and Western cinematography.
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L
Sehr gute 3,5. Was mich gestört hat waren einige sehr unnötige Rückblenden, als ob ich nicht selber denken kann. Abseits davon einige unnötige Charaktere und emotionale Momente die nicht so gehittet haben wie sie eigentlich sollten. Sonst mochte ich den Charakter des spitzel Polizisten aber sehr und die allgemeine Story war auch interessant.
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I
A great blueprint for Scorsese’s eventual remake a few years later, Internal Affairs presents a more trimmed cat n mouse cop story, for better or for worse. Obviously the story is excellent, and Scorsese essentially copies it in The Departed to a very high degree. While this is a great film, it fails to really flesh out the characters and has the usual somewhat awkward dialogue that you get from many Hong Kong films. Which is fine in an action film, but…
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D
In many ways it’s simpler than The Departed, but its handling of the suspense is brilliant. I feel it was counterproductive to have seen Scorsese’s film beforehand, as there were no surprises.
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N
Después de ver The departed (2006) y saber que era un remake de esta película era imposible no verla y no me decepcionó, es muy buena, estructuralmente es un 80% similar, si siento que tiene un ritmo mas frenético claramente por durar 1 hora menos, pero se pierde un poco en algunas cosas la narrativa, es corto el desarrollo va todo muy rápido, es un punto en el que pierde con la versión de Scorsese a mi parecer se siente…
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馨
Man wtf man
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TTroldevald 8 月 23, 2026
Fedt soundtrack med nogle wacky valg. God film hele vejen rundt Kvinde karaktererne forstod jeg ikke rigtig, især ikke hans (måske) datter som bare ikke nævnes igen? Kanon
2 -
J
“Don’t let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner.”
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N
2 mices fighting for the title of the cat
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G
Me gusta mas esta q la version de scorserse, quizas la dirección el montaje y ciertas actuaciones no sean tan buenas pero va mas directa al grano me gusta mas su fotografia y no sale matt damon. Ademas de esos efectos horribles de cuando pasa algo impirtante y ponen secuencias anteriores en blanco y negro q es lo peor de la peli pero por lo demas es un gran thriller dosmilero
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Q
Cleaner storyline than the departed. Marty adding in Leo/Damon going for the same girl was such a miss. Impressive they got this done in a hour 40 Departed still wins and you can’t beat JN
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P
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A
Oh shit its like ACTUALLY a shot for shot remake. Shit yeah
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B
The plot is really great. I actually prefer the pacing of this one compared to The Departed. It’s just the cliche reaction and flashback shots that I could have really done without. The one thing which Scorsese improved upon is the idea of the love interest but besides that I still think this is an interesting stylized movie.
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J
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H
une simple masterclass qui a inspiré Scorsese. On ne s’attend à rien et l’intrigue te laisse dans un doute constant.
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M
Brilliant on all levels. One of the best cat and mouse films you will see.
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D
sometimes the editing comes across as unintentionally hilarious but god this is a thrill ride. I didn’t even realize until I read some reviews that this was the source material for The Departed which really just pisses me off. the white man loves to take from Hong Kong!
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O
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🍂
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M
Extremely 2002 aesthetic. Loved that. Overall very fun. Doesn’t waste a second of screen time
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S
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N
(what jeffrey said)
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E
Genuinely thought the movie would tease a cliffhanger for its sequel but the way it actually brought the story to a close… Flashy soundtrack, transcendent first 15 minutes, gagworthy final 15 minutes with an unbelievable patience in script and direction to not only one but TWO action scenes. This also has my new favorite Tony Leung performance in it but just how cool was Andy Lau? The pinnacle of gangster & cop movies. I see why they had to get Scorsese for the American remake.
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Z
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B
cop thriller cat mouse trap/chase all that but underneath it is a soft heart on sleeve melodrama w a real pulp kick. puts almost every emotional swing right out and does it sooo well. plus the heat(1995) twin vibe always gets me. tony leung…. so devastatingly attractive. not many can carry that hot, sad, sexy and compelling screen presence the way he does…
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C
Honestly really fun watch. Very cool to see where the inspiration from The Departed came from, and all of the parallels between the two films. Really fast paced, much like The Departed, feels like there is constantly something happening. Very entertaining!
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C
Happy birthday PiceVrincipal
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J
The departed is dogshit compared to this
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S
Marty recreating this movie down the most obscure details is a real “game recognize game” moment.
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J
I remember watching this when I was a kid and thinking holy fuck this is epic. The film is still soo well written and has so great moments but you can see how Scorsese refined the film and added more depth and impact.
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Z
NOOOOOOOOO😭
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J
Maybe I’m finally revealing my true American taste here but I like The Departed better. There’s a lot to like here but the music took me out of it at some crucial times. The Hong Kong scenery is absolutely gorgeous though, and Tony Leung is always a treat on screen.
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I
La VF est tout aussi quali que le film Encore un jeu du chat et de la souris, très chirurgical, encore plus dans les détails que “The Mission”.
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A
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J
Thanks for The Departed!
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J
2002 was a fever dream
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S
“What thousands must die so that Caeser may become great.”
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C
Watched The Departed before this, and how I wished I have watched Infernal Affairs before the western remake/adaptation. This should’ve won an award!
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G
So you’re telling me Matt Damon actually did go through an arc good to know.
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B
I wish I could go undercover just like asian Jeremy Renner
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J
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C
Enjoyable, though not on the same level as The Depawwted
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N
Despite all its early-2000s datedness and occasional offbeat musical choices, Infernal Affairs has undoubtedly left its impression as one of the last notable Hong Kong New Wave films and a defining influence on the modern crime thriller genre at large. Spawning two follow-up films and a best-picture-winning American remake in The Departed, this film felt, to me, almost larger than life. While the Hong Kong crime thriller subgenre is vast in scope and influence – with landmark films such as…
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R
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G
nauna ako mag log, mapol
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S
It was a bit jarring and confusing, some more character work could’ve done this wonders. I think every weakness of this film was addressed by ‘ The Departed ‘, which is a much better version of this story. But I think Tony Leung brings a certain kind of evocative sympathy to his police mole that Leonardo DiCaprio cannot match. Those rooftop scenes were incredible as well: brilliantly ingenious edit of shots.
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A
Extremely good, so much fun, will totally catch up the other 2.
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K
Quelle carrière pour Tony Leung
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T
Não é um filme melhor nem pior que The Departed, é só mais enxuto, mais melancólico, menos interessado em personagens periféricos e mais fixado nos dois leads.
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T
Ok this was tough. My guy Zach recommended this after I kept raving about The Departed. While my confused brother is still sleeping on Marty’s take, I can understand the preference for this, especially if you watched it first. It’s not quite a shot for shot remake, but it’s pretty close. All of the same narrative beats are hit, especially in the third act. I still slightly prefer the ending of The Departed, but that’s just me. Shoutout Zach for the rec🫡.
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C
immaculate shots of cityscapes (in bright daylight!!!) and really great smoldering visages of our two leads thriller first and foremost, the attempts to go deeper on the characters are written fairly clunkily but sold by the incredible lead performances. holds your attention for the entire 100 minutes without letting go. good stuff.
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S
I want to be Tony Leung
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C
“Celui qui est dans l’enfer permanent ne meurt jamais. “La longévité y est une dure épreuve.” Bouddha
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A
The departed but not as good and in cantonese
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E
Normally I‘d have to drop my The Departed review from 5 to 4.5 stars now. But seriously how is this not as popular as The Departed.
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R
really liked how this film dealt with identity and morals, the ending was very surprising too
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M
Didn’t like that Tony Leung died
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L
Infernal Affairs est une énorme découverte du cinéma hongkongais et franchement, je trouve qu’on ne parle pas assez de ce film. Je savais évidemment qu’il avait inspiré The Departed de Martin Scorsese, mais en le découvrant enfin, j’ai surtout réalisé à quel point l’œuvre originale possède sa propre identité. Le concept est génial : deux hommes placés de part et d’autre de la loi, chacun infiltré dans le camp adverse, et qui doivent constamment essayer de découvrir l’identité de l’autre…
32 -
R
Such a different vibe and aesthetic after The Departed. Felt a little more lived in. Enjoyed it since Asian cinema is always steps ahead of us 🫡
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L
Precise piloting of some exciting cop intrigue on high speed, but gets brought down by overbearing loud music, editing giving me soap opera vibes more than serious crime thriller. I will not forget that falling of the window scene it was so extra, it had everything: slow-mo, multiple black and white flashback, extra sappy music. A real gem of the 2000’s.
5 -
T
The way tony leung snot that coke a A+ rating is kinda an understatement
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C
When i had learned that the Departed was similar to this film, I didnt expect it to be pretty much a direct remake nor have so much taken from this film. I found this film so great tho. Way faster paced and an in your face Hong Kong crime thriller through and through with an interesting style and shot beautifully. I liked the ending in this one way more than Scorsese’s and thought the editing was more interesting. Enjoyed this one from beginning to end and was thoroughly entertained the entire runtime.
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M
The original film that Martin Scorsese remade into The Departed. Due to this these two films have the same plot structure and also similar scenes, however both still feel very different with each having different strong points. Between 3.5 and 4
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Nnoah 8 月 20, 2026
so beautiful when a movie lives up to its premise. especially when the premise is actually, fully good on its own. crime on the roof! slo mo black and white! gunshots! buddhism! it’s got it all. both the crime boss and police chief are giving elite performances. the premise truly so strong, a machine that churns out compelling scenes. such an easy, fun watch and still emotionally resonant. what if you wanted to be a good person so badly that you’d fire bullets into anyone who gets in your way? perhaps you might end up not feeling like a good person.
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E
✨ABSOLUTE CINEMA ✨
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A
Oe buenaza sin floro, pero me gusta más el final del remake
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S
ma ei teadnud et hong kong nii bollywoodiliku soundtrackiga filme teeb😅 enne kui film algas ja sissejuhatust kuulasin, oli mul juba tunne et olen maha jäänud ja tâielik ohmoon et siin saalis yldse istusin kuna ma ei teadnud hong kongi märulisy ei kippu ega kõppu ning kui film peale hakkas, meenus mul mälestusi algkoolist, kui pidin iga hinna eest jõudma ellerheina lastekoori (olid ajad…) (jah ma ikka veel ei pea viisi) muidu mu peale karjutakse, seega jooksen tuulispaska raske ranitsaga baltas…
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T
Man the script for this movie is tight af. But the jarring Hongkong TV series style of editing is taking me out. The hilarious jumpscare music coupled with black and white filter during flashback scenes are incredibly cheesy.
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PPali 8 月 19, 2026
It’s crazy how much they fit into 100 minutes. There’s so many ideas in the cinematography and the location picks and so on, but this comes at the expense of rushing the movie. You’re thrown from one scene into another, especially at the beginning. You have to remember all the characters, it’s just hard to follow, and they must’ve felt this, because they use flashbacks a lot. The film is also very action oriented, so there’s not a lot of…
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I
how do you say “dearly depaaahted” in cantonese?
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P
Man, Chinese cinema knows no bounds when it comes to melodrama.
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S
This thriller movie, with minimal action setpieces, thrilled me more than any thriller movie I’ve seen this decade apart from a select few. Andy Lau and Tony Leung are geniuses, and this might be one of my favorite films of all time. My dad fell asleep though. I need to watch it prolly 2 more times before I can really collect all my thoughts.
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G
This wasn’t as over-the-top as the other Hong Kong movies. I liked the Departed a lot better.
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D
끝까지 봐야 제목의 의미를 알 수 있다
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E
GOT ME SO STRESSED I HAD TO PACE AROUND THE ROOM
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W
不止是一部电影 而是一种文化符号 永远烙印在当代人的心中
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V
港片巅峰
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D
太经典 那之后看别的间谍片都觉得在致敬无间道 老牌戏骨演技出群
- Synopsis
- Chan Wing Yan, a young police officer, has been sent undercover as a mole in the local mafia. Lau Kin Ming, a young mafia member, infiltrates the police force. Years later, their older counterparts, Chen Wing Yan and Inspector Lau Kin Ming, respectively, race against time to expose the mole within their midst.
- Director
- Alan Mak Siu-Fai, Andrew Lau Wai-Keung
- Writer
- Felix Chong Man-Keung, Alan Mak Siu-Fai
- Studio
- Media Asia Films, Basic Pictures
- Country
- Hong Kong
- Language
- Cantonese, Chinese, Thai
- Year
- 2002
- Runtime
- 101 mins
- Hong Kong09 Dec 2002
- France15 Mar 2003
- Italy24 Apr 2003
- Ireland16 Oct 2003
- France10 Apr 2004
- Germany12 Aug 2004
- Finland20 Sep 2004
- USA26 Oct 2004
- France17 Jan 2005
- Japan19 Oct 2005
- Japan03 Nov 2015
- Hong Kong18 Apr 2017
- South Korea12 Oct 2021
- Hong Kong22 Aug 2022
- South Korea07 Oct 2022
- Indonesia01 Dec 2023
- Sweden12 Dec 2002
- USA24 Sep 2004
- Hong Kong12 Dec 2002
- Taiwan13 Dec 2002
- South Korea21 Feb 2003
- China05 Sep 2003
- Finland10 Oct 2003
- Japan11 Oct 2003
- Australia01 Jan 2004
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