INFERNAL AFFAIRS 3

The past – the present – and the future – these are three facets of time which are constantly changing. The past passes you by whenever you take a breath. The present is as fleeting as a blink of an eye. Plus the future is always elusive and never within your grasp. Just like this film Directed by Andy Lau; and Starring: Andy Lau, with Tony Leung, Anthony Wong, Anthony Wong, and Eric Tsang. It was made in 2003, and lasts for 118 minutes.


Infernal Affairs 3


THE PRESENT: Recently promoted Honk Kong Inspector, Lau Kin-ming (Andy Lau), is having a very bad time of it at the moment.

His wife is divorcing him, he is taking sleeping tablets because of the death of Chan Wing-yan (Tony Leung), and someone is killing off the deceased crime king pins, Hon Sam (Eric Tsang), undercover moles.

Now why does Lau show any concern for these moles? Well, he was one until recently. And due to this fact, he suspects that Superintendent Yeung Kam-wing (Leon Lai) is one as well. Especially when he trails him all the way to the graveside of Chan.

Here, at the graveyard, Lau bumps into two people - the first person being gun-runner, Shen Cheng (Chen Daoming) - and the second being Chan’s physiatrist, Dr. Lee Sum-yee (Kelly Chen).

Lau ignores Shen and befriends Lee, and together, they go back to her clinic to talk about Chan’s past. However, Lau cannot seem to coerce from Lee the information that he needs to find out about Yeung'a past – and that is why he comes back to her office an hour or so later, so that he can steals her computer records on him. Moreover, with this information at hands, Lau delves-delves-delves, and discovers that both Chan and Yeung have a dubious history together.

Oh! Not only that though. But there is also a recording of Yeung speaking to the ex-crime boss, Sam, on a tape! Shit!!!!

This news spirals Lau into obsessive compulsive behaviour, and he immerses himself so much in trying to outsmart Yeung, that he hallucinates, he has accidents, and he breaks down in his office. Worst still, is that once he manages to get his hands on the incriminating tape, his final confrontation with Yeung is revealing – fateful – and earth shattering, BANG!

THE PAST: Undercover cop, Chan Wing-yan, is trying to discover the missing link between crime king pin, Hon Sam, and the elusive gun-runner, Shen Cheng.

However, Sam is a suspicious chap by nature, and slyly tests Chans loyalty by telling him to batter Shen’s brother in the head. So what does Chan do about this? THWAK! He complies - that's what - resulting in him getting a slap from Shen - and then being sent to a physiatrist, Dr. Lee Sum-yee, under the police’s discretion – most notably his boss, Superintendent Wong Chi-shing (Anthony Wong)

But I have to say that Chen’s time with Lee is an expansive one in nature. You see, during there multiple sessions together, they become more than just good friends – even if he does not tell her the truth behind his real life.

Though, to juxtapose this time with her  – over time – Sam instructs Chen that he has to assist him with a gun transaction with Shen. Unfortunately, what Sam fails to tell Chen, is that he has double-crossed this gun-runner – prompting a confrontation of sorts. One where bullets fly – people get injured – and facts are revealed... one of them involving the truth behind Yeung’s true nature.

THE FUTURE: Years from now things will be a lot different - only the fact that some people have died and some people have become reborn will remain the same.

An end.

THE REVIEW:
When I watched 'Infernal Affairs 1' (click here for review) I thought to myself “Great film, no wonder Martin Scorsese remade it”. Then, when I watched 'Infernal Affairs 2' (click here for review), I pondered “WOW! What an original spin on a sequel! By taking the initial pretext, and then expanding upon it”. But when I finally sat down and started watching 'Infernal Affairs 3', I fretted “Please don’t f*ck this up! Don’t let this last installment be crap!”.

However, once I finished watching this movie, and I got up out of my sofa, I screamed “F*CKING MARVELLOUS! This is the best film that I have seen in ages! It’s a classic!”. And do you want to know why I screamed that? BECAUSE IT IS!

It has taken the basic pretext from the first two films, sprinkled a bit of 'Godfather Part 2' type magic into the mix, and then come up with one of the most captivating films that I have seen for a very long time. Heck, I just cannot fault it! The actors are great, the cinematography is artistic, the story is engrossing, and the mood music isn't bad either.

Now how can I explain to you why I love this film so much? Well, think of all the great crime films that you have ever seen - like 'Goodfellas', 'Serpico', and the aforementioned 'Godfather Part 2'. Then blend them all together, pretend that the actors in these films are oriental, dash in a bit of existing history, and wa-la, ‘Infernal Affairs 3’.

But to be a bit more precise about what I am trying (and failing) to say, I suppose you have to know a bit more about why I think this film is go great in the first place. For a start, it manages to utilize two different stories from two different time frame’s, and then it is able to melds them both together at the end – with a twist. Moreover, to do all of this, it uses pre-existing characters – some of whom have died in previous installments of this film franchise – and permits for each individual story to unravel at relevant intervals though-out.

OK, I know that this may sound somewhat formulaic in nature, but trust me, the way that this film does this, it’s not – IT’S F*CKING MARVELLOUS!

Oh! On top of that, this film manages to do what all the great films do – it makes you believe. You believe Andy Lau’s character is having a breakdown – you believe that Tony Leung’s character is some sort of a saint – and you believe that... ohh... wait up... don’t want to say too much. But lets just say that the ending is surprising one – just how this film surprised me.

A great film – a classic film – and one to watch.

THE RATING: A+