Release Date:
02/13/2007
This Hong Kong action trilogy, which spawned Martin Scorsese's English-language remake The Departed, is packed with plenty of gritty, gunslinging action and loads of double-crossing fun. While we'll spare you the comparisons of the two versions, (but feel free to check it out here if you wish) any fan of Scorsese's take should check out this set, if for no other reason than to watch two extra films' worth of corrupt cops and greedy gangsters getting whacked. While Infernal Affairs is clearly the standout, the prequel and sequel add depth and development that feels cut out of the nonstop original. The pace is jarring at times, jumping back and forth in time (fortunately by the third film the directors decided to better label these shifts), and there is a plethora of characters to keep straight in your head. So you'll have to watch closely to keep up; and unfortunately you'll have to read. But the story is so gripping we hardly noticed once the ball started rolling. While this story probably doesn't need three films to be told, each disc offers its own set of gems and adds an engrossing dose of Asian filmmaking, which serves as a refreshing reminder that all great films don't come from Hollywood.