Mou Gaan Dou (2002)
Genre: Crime / Drama
Duration: 101 minuten / 97 minuten (director's cut)
Alternative titles: Infernal Affairs / I Want to Be You / 無間道
Country:
Hong-Kong
Directed by: Andrew Lau and Alan Mak
Stars: Andy Lau, Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Anthony Chau-Sang Wong
IMDb score:
8,0 (137.675)
Releasedate: 12 December 2002
Mou Gaan Dou plot
"Loyalty. Honor. Betrayal."
Yan (Tony Leung) is an undercover agent with the Hong Kong mafia triads. After ten years of hard work, he finds himself deep inside Hong Kong's most powerful gang. Ming (Andy Lau) is a criminal police infiltrator, who was placed there when he was eighteen. With his exclusive contacts in the triads, he soon rises to head of the Criminal Intelligence Bureau. Both men feel increasingly trapped and wedged between good and evil and are only shadows of themselves. One evening, Ming is ordered to arrest the boss of his own triad, while the vital information comes from Yan, the same boss's closest confidant. As the operation progresses, it becomes clear to both sides that there is a traitor in their ranks.
Actors and actresses
Lau Kin Ming
Chan Wing Yan
Wong Chi Shing
Hon Sam
Lee Sum Yee
Mary
May
Silly Keung
Inspector B
Young Chan Wing Yan
Reviews & comments
IH88
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- 9761 messages
- 3190 votes
Mou Go Dou
Awesome movie. The Departed is one of my favorite movies, so it's no surprise. Where that film is violent, uncompromising and full of 'fucks', Mou Gaan Dou is more the stylish and artistic brother. Boston vs. Hong Kong, the difference is obvious. But the story of a mole in the police and a mole in the mafia, who have to expose each other, is impressive, and the acting is great. Andy Lau, Tony Leung, Eric Tsang, the various actresses etc. They are all equally good. The tragic and hard-as-nails ending is the icing on the cake.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Fisico
-
- 10039 messages
- 5398 votes
Inevitably this film will be compared with the American brother The Departed (2006) by Scorsese, although we should actually turn the tables and bite this Mou take off the striker. The similarities are very great, although there are differences here and there. What is a plus with The departed (actors and dialogues), something is missing here, but the screenplay and the tension make up for a lot. Not that the acting is bad, on the contrary, but the identification with the characters is different. On the other hand, a bit "disappointed" in the American remake. In principle, the original has an edge over the copy.
Another fine film, this intelligent police thriller with a mole at the mafia and one at the police. The tension and momentum in the film is kept high. Assembly is good and camera handling is fine. The ending is nice and shows some compassion too. As a viewer you experience that not everything is black and white and eventually you wonder whether your role play is fiction or reality. Too bad that the film was already over after a good 9 minutes, there could easily have been another half hour. Now the strong plot went very quickly at times and sometimes the characters lacked depth.
Translated from Dutch · View original
frolunda
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- 1115 messages
- 4602 votes
Was always curious about the film that was the source of inspiration (and in principle remake) for Martin Scorsese's the Departed from 2006. Had Mou Gaan Dou (2002) (Infernal Affairs) even been lying around for a number of years, but I couldn't watch it from. But since I've been seeing almost exclusively Asian films for a few weeks now, the urge to get started on this one has also increased.
And that certainly didn't disappoint. I want to be quite brief about the differences with the much better known the Departed here, the American film is a bit more extensive in terms of cast, story and duration, looks a bit more tidy, but on the other hand, the version from Hong Kong is a more original and better scenario and is also a lot more exciting. In the end, despite the fairly large differences, they do not differ much in quality. Therefore, do not find it necessary to find one better or more successful.
What is certain is that I had a great time with Mou Gaan Dou (Infernal Affairs), the fast pace, the beautiful and lush images and colors, a large number of sizzling scenes and very strong acting by the four main characters. I especially thought Eric Tsang as Triad boss Hon Sam played a very strong role. Also the amazing and also good ending was very satisfying.
The only downsides were the sometimes somewhat messy editing and the not always well-fitting and sporadically even disturbing music. Fortunately, these details were not decisive for the final result, their contribution was too small for that.
Remains a powerful, good-looking crime film that convinced me on almost all fronts, and you don't come across that much in recent years.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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