Infernal Affairs (2002)
Infernal Affairs (Traditional Chinese :無間道 ; Cantonese : Mou Gaan Dou ; Mandarin : Wu Jian Dao) is a 2002 Hong Kong crime-thriller film directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak. It tells the story of a police officer who infiltrates the Triads, and a police officer secretly working for the same gang. The Chinese title means "the non-stop path", a reference to Avici, the lowest level of hell in Buddhism. The English title is a word play combining the law enforcement term 'internal affairs' with the adjective Infernal. Due to its commercial and critical success, Infernal Affairs was followed by a prequel, Infernal Affairs II, and a sequel, Infernal Affairs III, both released in 2003.
Pre-release publicity for Infernal Affairs focused on its star-studded cast (Andy Lau, Tony Leung, Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang, Kelly Chen and Sammi Cheng), but it later received critical acclaim for its original plot and its concise and swift storytelling style. The film did exceptionally well in Hong Kong, where it was considered "a box office miracle" and heralded as a revival of Hong Kong cinema which at the time was considered to be direly lacking in creativity.
The film features all the members of the popular Hong Kong 'Cantopop' group EO2, playing Triad boss Hom Sam's men. One member of this group has subsequently become a lead actor (Osman Hung).
Miramax Films acquired the United States distribution rights of this film and gave it a limited US theatrical release in 2004.
The Infernal Affairs series was then remade by Martin Scorsese in 2006 as The Departed, starring Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg.
Awards and Nominations
Infernal Affairs did very well at the 2002 Hong Kong Film Awards, beating the blockbuster Hero for the Best Film award.
22nd Annual Hong Kong Film Awards
* Best Picture
* Best Director – Andrew Lau and Alan Mak
* Best Screenplay – Alan Mak and Felix Chong
* Best Actor – Tony Leung
* Best Supporting Actor – Anthony Wong
* Best Editing – Danny Pang and Pang Ching Hei
* Best Original Film Song – "Infernal Afairs", sung by Andy Lau and Tony Leung
* Nomination – Best Actor (Andy Lau)
* Nomination – Best Supporting Actor (Eric Tsang)
* Nomination – Best Supporting Actor (Chapman To)
* Nomination – Best Cinematography (Andrew Lau, Lai Yiu-Fai)
* Nomination – Best Costume Design (Lee Pik-Kwan)
* Nomination – Best Action Design (Dion Lam Dik-On)
* Nomination – Best Original Score (Chan Kwong Wing)
* Nomination – Best Sound Effects (Kinson Tsang King-Cheung)
* Nomination – Best Visual Effects
9th Annual Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards
* Recommended Film
* Best Actor (Anthony Wong)
Pre-release publicity for Infernal Affairs focused on its star-studded cast (Andy Lau, Tony Leung, Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang, Kelly Chen and Sammi Cheng), but it later received critical acclaim for its original plot and its concise and swift storytelling style. The film did exceptionally well in Hong Kong, where it was considered "a box office miracle" and heralded as a revival of Hong Kong cinema which at the time was considered to be direly lacking in creativity.
The film features all the members of the popular Hong Kong 'Cantopop' group EO2, playing Triad boss Hom Sam's men. One member of this group has subsequently become a lead actor (Osman Hung).
Miramax Films acquired the United States distribution rights of this film and gave it a limited US theatrical release in 2004.
The Infernal Affairs series was then remade by Martin Scorsese in 2006 as The Departed, starring Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg.
Awards and Nominations
Infernal Affairs did very well at the 2002 Hong Kong Film Awards, beating the blockbuster Hero for the Best Film award.
22nd Annual Hong Kong Film Awards
* Best Picture
* Best Director – Andrew Lau and Alan Mak
* Best Screenplay – Alan Mak and Felix Chong
* Best Actor – Tony Leung
* Best Supporting Actor – Anthony Wong
* Best Editing – Danny Pang and Pang Ching Hei
* Best Original Film Song – "Infernal Afairs", sung by Andy Lau and Tony Leung
* Nomination – Best Actor (Andy Lau)
* Nomination – Best Supporting Actor (Eric Tsang)
* Nomination – Best Supporting Actor (Chapman To)
* Nomination – Best Cinematography (Andrew Lau, Lai Yiu-Fai)
* Nomination – Best Costume Design (Lee Pik-Kwan)
* Nomination – Best Action Design (Dion Lam Dik-On)
* Nomination – Best Original Score (Chan Kwong Wing)
* Nomination – Best Sound Effects (Kinson Tsang King-Cheung)
* Nomination – Best Visual Effects
9th Annual Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards
* Recommended Film
* Best Actor (Anthony Wong)
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