Infernal Affairs by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak - Essay Example

?Infernal Affairs: A Movie Review Introduction This cop action thriller was released in 2002 under the direction of Wai-keung Lau and Alan Mak. Set in Hong Kong, this police action is starred by Tony Leung and Andy Lau. The movie received critical acclaims from various movie review sites because of its exquisite cinematography and was praised by New York Times’ movie reviewer Elvis Mitchell because of its “intricate and well-told” story line (par. 4), apart from the fact that The Departed based its screenplay in the said movie .This gangster themed movie is worth watching and deserving of its critical acclaims because of its depth, as evident in the inner turmoil faced by the main characters who lived their lives in lies, the correct show of emotions by the actors, and the coherence of the plot. Plot Synopsis Infernal Affairs involves the story of the two main characters, Chan and Lau, who are both connected to the Hong Kong triad and who both enlisted to the cadet academy. The story opens with the introduction of Hon as the triad’s leader who sends his recruits to a police academy to serve as a mole or spy in espionage language. The main characters, Chan and Lau, join the academy, but the former was expelled despite displaying a remarkable wit in the institution. Chan permanently joined the triad, while Lau entered the police force and performed excellently. The highlight of the movie reveals when police superintendent Wong led an operation intercepting the cocaine deal of the triad. The information of the cocaine deal came from Chan, who later in the film was revealed as having communication with Superintendent Wong. Lau, on one hand, sends a message to Hon regarding the operation using Morse codes. The operation yields Hon’s determination to win over Wong. The story goes on with Lau’s dilemma over his allegiance to both the police force and to his role as a mole of the triad. Chan secretly meets with Wong while the latter sensed danger in allowing Chan to continue being an undercover agent. Wong saved Chan from the wrath of Hon if he finds out that Chan secretly serves for the police academy with information. Wong was killed right after Chan left the building. His death caused a stir in both the consciences of Chan and Lau. Lau then chose to be a good cop by cooperating with Chan to erase Hon’s triad that existed for many years. Everything went okay between the two, when Chan discovered that Lau is the mole he is looking for. The tragic ending came when Chan was killed by Inspector B, a mole as well who equally feeds the gang with insider information. In the end, Chan is revealed as an undercover officer while Lau gives a salute to Chan in his funeral, and vows to forget his negative past and be a good cop. Themes The theme of the movie mainly revolves around a duality of character among individual actors that are cloaked around a web of deceit, pretension and lies. As the movie progresses, the director was able to convey the central theme using many ways, such as the multiple personality of characters introduced in the novel currently written by Lau’s girlfriend and the mystery as to what the real persona of the main characters is. Furthermore, the mystery unfolds as the movie creatively and suspensely depicts how the lives of the two main characters are tangled, and how living in lies became gradually their reality. In the words of Ebert (par. 9), pretension and lies as themes would not be enough justifications to watch the film; rather, the mind and conscience-provoking question as to how living in a persona that is totally different from the real person could be possible. In the end, it is just a matter of reclaiming the real self by spilling the beans, telling the truth, and facing the consequences, no matter how undesirable the outcome may be. Visual Elements: Angling and Shots, Lighting, Costumes and Set Locations Infernal Affairs really deserves an A when it comes to cinematography. In fact, a lot of movie critics are all-praised when it comes to the crispness of the shots, the clarity of the scenes, and the effect that it creates to the audience. It constantly depicts, throughout the movie, the scenic picture of modern Hong Kong, which is a mixture of a “young America” and “old Britain” (Bradshaw par. 1). In terms of the angle and the shots, it is expected of a police thriller to alternate slow motion shots and fast-paced takes on the characters in order to emphasize the suspense and the emotions that go along with it. For instance, during the opening salvo of the movie which includes the gangster’s boss and his young recruits, features both a slow motion shot--when focusing Hon, and the individual gangsters, in order to emphasize both the fierceness and villainess of the antagonist, and the innocent might of the younger gangsters. A notable style of the director was observed in freezing the last appearance of the character in a particular sequence, which is effective in leaving an impression of thrill and mystery. Moreover, the perfect shots in the entire movie could be the operation led by Wong during the triad’s cocaine deal with the Thais as it impressively creates a feeling of suspense while the operatives wait for the unfolding of events. The angling was also commendable because it helps build up the story and the main characters. When emphasizing the internal turmoil of the main character, such as during Superintendent Wong’s interception of the supposed cocaine deal, the angle usually captures his eyes that let out his emotions. Lau’s uneasiness during the surveillance operation was also highlighted using all too-perfect close-up shots. Not to be outdone, Chan’s emotional portrayal of a melodramatic cop-turned-gangster personality was also shown. In most scenes, the mystery behind the ticking of the finger among the characters proved effective in eliciting the feeling of thrill among the audience. On another note, the excessive use of dark scenes was also a consistent style in emphasizing the evil surrounding an environment of gangsters and the bleak nights associated with crime operatives. Some scenes, though, were shot in broad daylight if and when the sequence involves light conversations, like when Lau spends his day with his girlfriend at home, or when Chan visits his psychotherapist. Most of the Hon’s shots were dark, a style that further enhances the wickedness of the character. The staff, crew and brains behind the movie also choose appropriately the set locations and the costume designs of the characters. The location was perfect considering that it is a highly urbanized and populated urban area, a perfect combination of the hustle and bustle of modern Hong Kong streets, and the illegal organization that hid behind the limelight. Rooftop scenes are also refreshing, both in terms of light conversations, and a possible eruption of angst among the characters wherein fight scenes are expected. Moreover, Hon’s hideout is also very likely at the same time astonishing knowing how big he earns from his illegal operations. His place is also very typical of a manipulative drug lord. The use of luxury cars is also a plus point in the movie, and it adds more to its credibility as a cop thriller. Scenes involving car chase are also impressive and realistic since they use high-end cars. Lastly, the use of highly-technological gadgets in the police’s operations, such as GPS, cell phones, and sophisticated databases are also impressive that this movie can equalize and even surmount the quality of films produced in Hollywood. Type of Movie Infernal Affairs falls into the genre of police action thriller of which theme and story are clearly explainable in the classification. As a highly regarded and often a subject of modern films, the police force is an interesting subject of exploring the good and bad in the overrated government law enforcement agency. This is also because of the mysteries that surround the organization, such as police officers as protectors of drug and gambling lords, and as an organization that has a precious jewel in the person of an honest, brave, and dedicated police official. These things and the fanaticism towards guns and criminal hunting make a perfect depiction of a convincing police action thriller. Filmmaking Technologies, Movie History, and Production System The movie boasts of its high-definition cinematography which resulted to a crisp and all-too clear picture. This is one of the advantages of modern filmmaking wherein the production has plenty of options to choose in editing and enhancing the quality of scenes shown. Discussing within the movie, it also helps solidify the impression of a competent law enforcement organization to possess sophisticated technologies depicted in their operations and tracing the criminals. These technologies used are impressive that it can compete with American series involving crime scene investigations, CIA, and the FBI. Lastly, the movie also used a highly commendable musical scoring that fits every scene in the movie. The production system of the movie was also critically acclaimed as the movie reaped numerous awards in various award-giving bodies. The entire production system of the movie was characterized to be serious while the script is often mentioned as sophisticated. The movie ran for one hour and 41 minutes, but it still was able to glue its audience into the story. Produced by Miramax Films, Infernal Affairs is listed as one of the best films in 2010. The directors Andrew lau Wai-keung and Alan Mak both dreamed of creating movies of their own that have creativity, sophistication, and depth within them. It was in 2002 that Mak and Lau Wai-keung wrote the script of the Infernal Affairs. Lau is considered as a prolific filmmaker in a variety of genres, but it is with Infernal Affairs that he gained enormous popularity and recognition. Because of the film’s success, it was made into a trilogy in 2003 while its original screenplay was used by the movie starring Leonardo Dicaprio entitled The Departed. Conclusion The movie is a total page-turner if it was a book. The complexities concerning the emotional attributes of the characters are worth noticing because it is not typical of a police action thriller. As one anticipates the turn of events, he or she is surprised to the relatedness of the experiences and the reality that exists over the lies presented by the main characters. The actors also displayed outpouring emotions in their individual roles, and their sincerity in playing their characters is seen and channeled effectively to the audience. Infernal Affairs is indeed a movie worth watching again and again. In a scale of 1-10, I probably rate this movie a 9.5, plus a thumbs up. Works Cited Bradshaw, Peter. “Infernal Affairs.” The Guardian.co.uk. Guardian News and Media Limited, 27 Feb. 2004. Web. 16 Nov. 2012. . Ebert, Robert. “Infernal Affairs.” Rogerebert.com Movie Reviews. Chicago Sun Times, 24 Dec. 2004. Web. 16 Nov. 2012. . Mitchell, Elvis. “Loyalty and Betrayal, With Detectives Caught in a Web.” NYTimes.com. The New York Times Company, 24 Sept. 2004. Web. 16 Nov. 2012. . Read More