Available at Amazon.com
Directed by
Wai Keung Lau
Siu Fai Mak
Cast:
Edison Chen …. Lau Kin Ming
Shawn Yue …. Chan Wing Yan
Anthony Wong Chau-Sang …. Inspector Wong Chi Shing
Francis Ng …. Ngai Wing-Hau
Eric Tsang …. Hon Sam
Carina Lau …. Mary
Chapman To …. Tsui Wai-keung
It’d be tough for any Hong Kong cinema fan to argue that the quality of product from the country in the last decade hasn’t steadily declined. Whether it’s due to the abundance of CGI, which has watered down the creativity and energy of the film making process for many creators or the fact that many of the top talents in their industry, such as names like John Woo, Jet Li, and others, have migrated to the U.S. to try and get more exposure, Hong Kong cinema simply isn’t what it used to be. Perhaps the greatest exception to this rule is the amazing Infernal Affairs, the story of a dirty cop and an undercover operative that end up playing a game of cat and mouse with violent results. The film is so good it spawned a trilogy of films, and its American remake, The Departed, may just win the Oscar for Best Picture and is the favorite to score Martin Scorsese his first Oscar for Best Director.
What’s even more incredible about this story, is that its sequel, Infernal Affairs 2, is not only as good a film, it may even be a better one. Focusing on the six years in which Yan (Shawn Yue), the undercover cop, and Ming (Edison Chen), the gangster posing as a Policeman, worked their way up their respective ladders, this prequel to the first entry is a wondrous, operatic film, still managing to stay gritty and street level, while heavily imbuing this story with the Machiavellian machinations of gang bosses and Police chiefs. Where most other sequels can only manage retread, Infernal Affairs 2 manages to be a profound experience and one of the best examples of Hong Kong cinema ever created.
Where the movie is really able to stand out is that even though you know the fates of all of the major characters involved, this film still manages to provide tons of surprises by constantly pulling double crosses and slights of hand, never letting you know where it’s going. Just as you’re feeling comfortable with the way the movie is going, it explodes in a tapestry of violence that leads these characters down their inevitable paths, never letting fate be denied. Even when you’re sure you know what’s about to happen, this film manages to completely fool you.
Perhaps the best part of the film is the expanded focus on characters Inspector Wong (Anthony Wong), Yan’s superior and confidant, and Sam (Eric Tsang), the gang leader who recruits Officer Ming. Like Yan and Ming, we get an intensified look at each man’s rise to power and better yet, we get an amazingly clear understanding of where they are headed. Amazingly, the tables are turned a bit as its Sam who’s shown to be a man of honor, trying desperately to simply make his living and please his wife (Carina Lau). You’ll hardly believe it’s the same character, as Sam wants only to tread water through the rough seas of a huge gang war that ensues after a Triad boss is eliminated. On the flip side, Wong is shown to bend the rules to get what he wants and pays a dear price for it. Throughout Anthony Wong and Eric Tsang both give tour de force turns, giving this film plenty of dramatic momentum and masculine gusto.
Returning Directors Wai Keung Lau and Siu Fai Mak have Infernal Affairs 2 brimming with incredible imagery as one stunning sequence adds layer upon layer to this story. One shot features a crossroads for a woman, who must decide whether to take a deceitful lover or suffer a horrible death. A power play by a gang leader Hau Ngai (Francis Ng) to elimante other mob bosses in the area results in a Godfather-like montage of destruction. The film’s finale is also a marvel of gunplay and tension where all of our characters meet up in an incredibly climactic and cerebral showdown.
The problem with many prequels is that they usually involve shoddy storytelling featuring pat examples for character motivation. Instead of filling in gaps, they end up merely insulting the viewers’ intelligence by solving mysteries that we didn’t want to be solved in the first place. Infernal Affairs 2 manages to avoid these pitfalls and instead brilliantly expands on the original story, fleshing out these characters until they are fully three dimensional.
A prequel like this shouldn’t be able to surprise you as well as this does, but much like the Robert De Niro sequences in Godfather Part II, it achieves the feat of actually making the first movie that much better. Deserving its place next to John Woo’s masterpieces Hard Boiled and The Killer along with Drunken Master II, Fist of Legend and the first Infernal Affairs entry, Infernal Affairs 2 is a masterpiece and one of the best Hong Kong films ever made. If you’re a fan of great Crime dramas or just want to watch a fantastic movie, Infernal Affairs 2 is a follow-up that does not disappoint.
The Video
This is a marvelous transfer from Dragon Dynasty, giving us a crisp picture throughout this incredible film. We get all the gritty cinematography we can handle here, and this disc never misses a beat, with a great image each time. The film is presented in Anamorphic Widescreen with an aspect ratio of 2.35:1
The Audio
The Audio track is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and also sounds terrific. The dialogue and action flawlessly overlap and have a terrific balance.
SPECIAL FEATURES:Commentary, Deleted Scenes, Featurettes, Trailers
Audio Commentary by the filmmakers and cast (in Cantonese with English subtitles) – This is a pretty thorough track with much of the cast and crew along to talk about their experiences on the film. I love a portion of the track with Anthony Wong, who speaks about how difficult it was to pull off the extended monologue he has at the picture’s beginning. It’s pretty insightful stuff, as he had to deal with his own problems keeping up the quality of his performance on each take, even though he’s basically acting for himself.
Deleted scenes – I imagine these were only cut for time, but many illuminate many relationships that develop throughout the movie, one of which deals with Yan and a teacher that becomes a bit more prevalent toward the film’s end.
The Making of Infernal Affairs 2 – Going over half an hour, this Featurette is pretty informative and a fun watch. A lot of the cast discuss their reasons for coming aboard this film, and what it was like following up such a great first picture.
Confidential File – This Featurette is only a few minutes long and is your pretty standard promotional doc.
Trailers – You get an awesome Teaser trailer for this film in addition to its Theatrical trailer and previews for Killshot, The Protector and Police Story 2.
The Inside Pulse
Infernal Affairs 2 is a deeply resonate and brilliant film that never allows the excess of its braft to outweigh its story. All involved do a tremendous job here and are able to pull off the rare sequel/prequel that’s able to surpass its predecessor.
It’s too bad Dragon Dynasty didn’t pack this full of extras like the DVDs for The Protector and Seven Swords, but just having the movie is enough.
