Infernal Affairs

Directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, Infernal Affairs details the exploits of two police-academy colleagues, Tony Leung’s Chan and Andy Lau’s Lau, as they go in vastly different directions after joining the Hong Kong Police Force. There’s little doubt that Infernal Affairs ultimately manages to overcome a rather overwhelming first half to become a suspenseful, engaging thriller, as the movie is, in its first act, saddled with a frenetic yet mostly meaningless atmosphere that contains few, if any, attributes or elements for the viewer to wholeheartedly embrace – with the arms-length vibe compounded by a plot that is, to put it mildly, rather difficult to follow. It’s clear, then, that the picture benefits substantially from its sterling performances and growing emphasis on compelling, suspenseful sequences, with, in terms of the latter, the progressively tense (and perilous) nature of the central characters’ exploits paving the way for a second half that’s far more compelling and engrossing than one might’ve anticipated. By the time the satisfying (and twist-heavy) final stretch rolls around, Infernal Affairs has certainly cemented its place as an erratic yet generally rewarding endeavor that probably could’ve used some serious streamlining (eg a shorter running time, for one thing).

**1/2 out of ****