Wenn Regiestars wie Andrew Lau und Alan Mak die momentan wohl göttergleichsten Schauspieler des HK-Kinos auf der Leinwand aufeinander hetzen, was soll dabei anderes herauskommen als einer der raffiniertesten Action-Thriller aller Zeiten!? Dass Hollywood sofort nach den Remake-Rechten des Blockbusters giert, ist ja eh klar, doch wenn sich ausgerechnet Martin Scorsese die Option sichert, unterstreicht das noch einmal die Liga des Originals.

Andy Lau (FULLTIME KILLER) spielt Ming, der als junger Bursche von seinem Yakuza-Boss auf die Polizeiakademie geschickt wird, um ihn in Zukunft als Maulwurf mit Insider-Infos zu versorgen. Doch immer stärker fühlt er sich innerlich zerrissen und liebäugelt mit einem Seitenwechsel.

Dort befindet sich bereits Tony Leung (BULLET IN THE HEAD) als Undercover-Cop, der seine Identität dafür opfert, Mings Boss hinter Gitter zu bringen. Als Bester seines Jahrgangs wurde er einst als verdeckter Ermittler angeheuert. Doch der nervenaufreibende Job zieht sich schon über zu viele Jahre hin. Dann erhalten beide den Auftrag, den Verräter in den eigenen Reihen zu entlarven – und somit sich selbst...

INFERNAL AFFAIRS ist ein mit der elegischen Eleganz eines film noir inszeniertes Todesballett über Treue und Verrat, dessen gnadenloses Katz-und-Maus-Spiel einfach mitreißt.

Directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, INFERNAL AFFAIRS is a tense thriller featuring Hong Kong superstars Andy Lau and Tony Leung. The film follows the parallel lives of Ming (Lau), a cop who secretly reports to ruthless Triad crime boss Sam (Eric Tsang); and Yan (Leung), an undercover police officer who poses as a Triad member in Sam's gang. For Yan, the years of living in the criminal underworld have taken their toll, and he longs to return to regular police duty. However, the only person who knows Yan's true identity is his mentor Superintendent Wong (Anthony Wong), also the unsuspecting superior of Ming. When Wong's officers come face to face with Sam's gang, both leaders realize there are moles in their midst. Soon Yan and Ming must track each other down, leading to an inevitable confrontation.

Unlike many contemporary Hong Kong films, INFERNAL AFFAIRS steers clear of over-the-top action in favor of a more stylized and subdued story that builds on emotional and psychological tension. Leung is riveting as the undercover cop who desperately wants a normal life, while Lau instills his corrupt character with confidence and charm that mask his deep inner conflict. These two stellar turns are ably supported by veteran actors Wong and Tsang, along with Sammi Cheng and Kelly Chen. A huge blockbluster in Asia, INFERNAL AFFAIRS is a landmark of Hong Kong cinema that deserves the same status abroad.

"Driven by two great performances surrounded by solid supporting acts, Infernal Affairs is the rare testosterone movie that is also mature and thoughtful." HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

"Combines exhilarating action with liquid-nitrogen existential cool, gleaming and shimmering with Hong Kong's glass and steel." The Guardian

"The structure of the movie is symmetrical, like a series of mirror images, starting with the two central roles played by a pair of extremely handsome actors... It's a clever film, exciting and oddly moving." The Observer

"...so beautifully shot that the images occasionally distract you from the condensed policier plot; the cinematography by Andrew Lau (who is also co-director with Alan Mak) almost looks as if it's reflected off a sheet of silver... The picture signals a new era for Hong Kong filmmaking; its mean-streets crispness doesn't derive from the two-gun firepower of Mr. Woo..." The New York Times