"Some critics also point out similarities to Michael Mann’s HEAT. There is one scene in which the good guys and bad guys all end up at police headquarters after a flubbed drug bust. Inspector Wong (Anthony Wong) and Sam (Eric Tsang) shake hands. Sam swears that one of them will die and that it won’t be him. Just like DiNiro and Pacino sitting in the diner having a heart-to-heart over coffee. Both films have riveting action scenes and are beautifully stylized. The similarity to HEAT ends there. Amid double crosses, false starts, and quick turns of events INFERNAL AFFAIRS has an underlying intelligence that accompanies the emotional impact and suspense. HEAT was corny, with self-help moralistic overtones. And paragraphs could be written about Pacino’s overacting (believe me, it was no fluke; I saw him in Salome on Broadway and he could have been the embarrassment of almost any high school production.)

"INFERNAL AFFAIRS is well written, exceptionally well acted, and exquisitely edited. Close-ups are character studies; pan shots are filled with demographic information that gives us a sense of place. Flashbacks of Yan and Lau Kin Ming at police academy training are interspersed very effectively with the narrative line. The original score is absolutely terrific, adding another dimension to the story. The film also has a unique style in the way is captures the action, turning tumultuous moments into intimate still shots.

"The cast is superb. Tony Leung, one of my favorite actors, is at the top of his game here. It is not just a one-man show, however; Andy Lau is less than a half step behind in every respect. The two of them are capable of conveying every emotion in a single glance. Eric Tsang as the minor street thug who has become the big boss and Anthony Wong Chau-Sang as the police superintendent both shine.

"INFERNAL AFFAIRS is one of the most exciting films I’ve seen in a long time. If American moviegoers were to drop their aversion to subtitles, Hollywood would be in big trouble. 5 cats"

Ivy responds: "I see that you are so in love with Infernal Affairs 1 that you proceeded to watch the others. I will read those reviews to see if they are as good as the first. We just screened it in the Fantastic Film Fest and I also thought it was amazing. I never thought that Tony Cheung could be cast across from someone who would make him look plain, but Andy Lau is it. (I know that is a very fann-ish and silly mention for the film but I was agog at how beautiful Andy Lau was...)

"The film truly is wonderful. A simple cop film that surmounts many of the genre made in America. I completely understand why Scorsese is planning on remaking it (set in Boston) in the next year. I think that he may get it to translate well and I hope that he won’t hurt it. I am hoping that Miramax actually releases the original version – they are planning to right now but you know how up in the air they are right now and how bad their track record is for releasing foreign films that they pick up.

"Bruce’s description is so wonderful I don’t really have anything else to add – but see it if you can!!!"

"As mentioned, the two leads shine. Andy Lau plays Lau, who as a child, was part of a gang. He infiltrates the police force and works his way to a powerful position. His counterpart, Yan, a promising police cadet who has spent the last 10 years working undercover for the force in various gangs, is played by down-on-his-luck elegance by the magnificent Tony Leung (HERO; IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE). Anthony Wong is very strong as Superintendent Wong. These actors make the film pop to life, where otherwise it might have been overly pedestrian.

"Not much else to say, except that most people would probably be entertained at INFERNAL AFFAIRS, and it certainly solidified by Tony Leung crush. That man is absolutely beautiful. 3 cats"