Infernal Affairs

Dir: Andrew Lau, Alan Mak
Scrs: Alan Mak, Felix Chong
Presenters: John Chong, Nansun Shi
Prod Co: Media Asia
Cast: Andy Lau, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang, Sammi Cheng, Kelly Chen
2002 | Colour | 35mm | Cantonese | Chi & Eng subtitles | 100min

There were many undercover films in Hong Kong before Infernal Affairs. Its predecessor like Man on the Brink, City on Fireand Sleazy Dizzy all helped form generic conventions for the undercover cycle. Infernal Affairs challenges those conventions by setting up a double-undercover-narrative: an undercover cop in the mob and an undercover mob member in the police force. As they rise through the ranks and try to outmanoeuvre each other in the dark, their inner turmoil are mounting—the undercover mob strives to uphold justice while the undercover cop is in a dilemma over the misdeeds he committed in the mob. The detailed portrait adds substance to the film while justifying the plot twist ending. Infernal Affairs became a box office hit, earned numerous awards with the film adapted by both Hollywood and Japan.

Courtesy of Media Asia Film Distribution (HK) Limited