Infernal Affairs II

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Eva E so i thought the first movie was great but i never understood why the gangsters aren't just arrested but they all seem to talk to each other all the time. part 2 takes it all to the extreme... everyone is constantly talking to each other there are so many groups and faces and names and everyone betrays everyone else at the same time but they are all somehow friends... i also have the problem that i have a hard time telling the protagonists apart.... i always thought this is the supposedly good guy and this is the supposedly bad guy but i was never quite sure who, for example, loved sams wife and tried to hit on her in the hut. was that the same person who then sat in the car and allowed her to be run over? and sam asked this person why my wife called you... and that's just 3 questions out of 100 other questions that kept popping into my head during the movie even though i watched it attentively. you get the feeling you're just too stupid and somehow that's frustrating. the positive thing is of course the camera, the feeling, the setting, the shots, the actors, the “tension” that hangs in the air the whole time. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 06/15/25 Full Review Leprechaun K A prequel as a sequel. It was good. Not as good as the original but still entertaining. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/26/25 Full Review Richard M A prequel that is a lot better than the original. While the original gain enough attention to remake as The Departed, this prequel is a lot darker and more violent. The car bomb scene was devastating to watch. There’s so much on friendship and betrayal that gets very interesting to watch. It is one of my top 10 films next to The Dark Knight and Arrival. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/01/24 Full Review Mark C A prequel that existed only due to the success of the first film, a classic. You’d be wise to disregard this instalment as canon as it heavily undermines and ruins the two main characters of the first film. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 10/12/24 Full Review Matthew D Even more shocking and gripping than the first Infernal Affairs amazingly! Directors Andrew Lau and Alan Mak's Hong Kong crime drama Infernal Affairs II (2003) is fascinating. The Hong Kong Handover from Britain to China is so interesting as the backdrop. Seeing a prequel that possibly surpasses the original is amazing enough. We get to see how Triad boss Sam rises to power from the hands of the Ngai Triad crime family, all while moles and rats are already in place. It's all enthralling, exciting, sorrowful, violent, funny, and shocking. Writers Alan Mak and Felix Chong came up with a brilliant script that weaves together Hong Kong Triad power struggles, Hong Kong police surveillance, moles, rats, and the interesting Hong Kong Handover subplot. I loved seeing Hong Kong and Thailand with all these carefully planned killings and betrayals. All the reveals are perhaps even more shocking than in Infernal Affairs. Editors Danny Pang and Curran Pang do swift cuts and hazy flashbacks for a dreamy vibe. Infernal Affairs II's 119 minutes goes by quickly and is easy enough to follow all the intertwining stories thanks to Pangs' steadfast cutting style. Cinematographers Andrew Lau and Ng Man-Ching use striking green and blue lighting for all these stunning wide shots. I like the neo-noir aesthetic of Infernal Affairs II. Edison Chen's young mobster turned mole in the police feels especially sleazy and underhanded already. Shawn Yue's young undercover cop is nearly as sympathetic as Tony Leung's performance in Infernal Affairs. Yue is subtle and mature with expressive eyes. Eric Tsang is hilarious and clever as the Triad mob boss Sam once more as he tricks and ensnares his way to power. Anthony Wong's police chief feels smart and uneasy as he will clearly cross lines to take down Triad bosses. Francis Ng is smart and intimidating as the quiet and nuanced Triad boss Ngai Hau. Carina Lau is beautiful and sympathetic as Sam's wife and an undercover cop herself with her own issues. Art director Bill Lui Cho-Hung shows off fireworks alongside the famous floating restaurant in Hong Kong during the Hong Kong Handover ceremony. Composer Comfort Chan Kwong-Wing crafts gentle piano and string symphonies for the melancholic tone during the shocking kills. Every moment is more romantic or forlorn because of his somber, beautiful film score. Overall, Infernal Affairs II is somehow as engaging and shocking as the first film! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/06/23 Full Review Audience Member Not as good as the first one. Too confusing to follow. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Infernal Affairs II

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