Monday, October 25, 2004
Infernal Affairs 7.5/10
I finally got to watch Infernal Affairs on Saturday night ... and, I'm impressed. I'm not much of the thriller-fan, but the movie really does engage. It's not bloody or violent (well, not much) and more of a cat-and-mouse thriller than a thriller/scare-fest.
Briefly - a cop goes undercover in a triad. At the same time, the triad places a mole inside the police force. Both moles were friends training in the same batch of police recruits, only the undercover cop gets "thrown out" to create a credible illusion. Flashforward 10 years, to the setting of the movie. Now according to the press reviews I read, the movie was about each man questioning his allegiances. I didn't really see that, except at the very end. To me, the movie was about the two moles being ordered to "find themselves". In other words - both the cops & the triad realize there's a mole, but don't know who it is, and ironically order the moles to get to the bottom of the situation.
The movie was very bare-bones: I thought it could've been fleshed out a little more - to describe the inner turmoils, or to show their budding friendship as recruits. It would've been nice to see how the characters changed & evolved and how their past pressured them in the present.
But the whole cat-and-mouse thing ... very impressive! Good editting, and good script pacing as well.
Word of mention should be made to the theater. I watched the movie in the Clearview hall on 12th & 2nd. It's a small theater, and gave the effect of a large living room. I really liked that. Unfortunately, the theater seemed to favor the artsy/non-mainstream movies only.
Briefly - a cop goes undercover in a triad. At the same time, the triad places a mole inside the police force. Both moles were friends training in the same batch of police recruits, only the undercover cop gets "thrown out" to create a credible illusion. Flashforward 10 years, to the setting of the movie. Now according to the press reviews I read, the movie was about each man questioning his allegiances. I didn't really see that, except at the very end. To me, the movie was about the two moles being ordered to "find themselves". In other words - both the cops & the triad realize there's a mole, but don't know who it is, and ironically order the moles to get to the bottom of the situation.
The movie was very bare-bones: I thought it could've been fleshed out a little more - to describe the inner turmoils, or to show their budding friendship as recruits. It would've been nice to see how the characters changed & evolved and how their past pressured them in the present.
But the whole cat-and-mouse thing ... very impressive! Good editting, and good script pacing as well.
Word of mention should be made to the theater. I watched the movie in the Clearview hall on 12th & 2nd. It's a small theater, and gave the effect of a large living room. I really liked that. Unfortunately, the theater seemed to favor the artsy/non-mainstream movies only.
