Infernal Affairs 2002

“Fans of Hong Kong action extravaganzas and genre first-timers alike will dig this cops ‘n’ robbers spectacle directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, with help from ‘visual consultant’ Christopher Doyle (Wong Kar-wai’s frequent cinematographer). Emoting mad internal torment are Andy Lau as a cop who’s secretly a gangster and Tony Leung as a gangster who’s secretly a cop. Assorted girlfriend roles are filled by H.K. megastars Sammi Cheng and Kelly Chen, with the omnipresent Eric Tsang (as a triad boss) and the immortal Anthony Wong (as the police commander) rounding out the rest of the cast. New-school plot devices – there are so many high-tech shenanigans that the characters’ cell phones should be probably billed as costars – mix with classic noir elements such as clandestine meetings on rooftops and in movie theaters. Even the occasional overblown emotional note won’t prevent you from having fun with this one.” — Cheryl Eddy, San Francisco Bay Guardian 

“A huge hit in Hong Kong, the thriller’s remake rights were nabbed in Hollywood on the eve of the Berlin Film Festival… A theatrical release of the film in the States remains unclear following Warner Bros and Brad Pitt’s announcement that they plan to remake the picture.” — IndieWIRE