Rating: 8.5/10
Review date: December 15, 2003
Infernal Affairs III is set ten months after the original movie. Ming has to cope with the consequences of his actions and is struggling to maintain his position in the police force. It also turns out that Sam has quite a few moles in the police department that are being eliminated one by one. Ming proceeds to conduct his own investigation which causes him to cross path with the mysterious Superintendent Yeung�
Directors Andrew Lau and Alan Mak guide Infernal Affairs III in a very different direction than it predecessors. Unlike Infernal Affairs II which is darker than the original, the final movie in the trilogy actually has a lighter tone and a more emotional feel. This might not work for everybody but I certainly appreciate this fresh turn and dig every second of it.
The story is still as compelling as before with plenty of twists to keep me engaged throughout. The other issue that set this movie apart from the other two is the way the story is told. The filmmakers decided to do it in a non-linear manner, thus resulting in a chronology that some might find a bit confusing although it is still as intriguing as before.
The movie will alternate between events that happen before the ending of the original Infernal Affairs and those afterwards. This might not be to everyone�s liking but it allows �dead� characters to be brought to life which is a good thing.
As with the first two movies, characters play a large part which means that it all depends on the cast member. Fortunately, the returning characters are still very likable with the addition of two new members: Leon Lai as Superintendent Yeung and Chen Dao Ming as the mysterious Shen.
It is very refreshing to see some returning characters although I won�t say who since doing so will inevitably spoil the storyline as well. The sweet-looking Kelly Chen is back as Yan�s psychiatrist, Dr. Lee Sum Yee (she was absent from Infernal Affairs II) albeit her role is expanded than in the original movie.
Leon Lai is solid as Superintendent Yeung who hardly smiles but still manages to look intimidating all the way. Chen Dao Ming played his role as Shen convincingly and I totally dig his aura of mystery.
I really like the last installment of the Infernal Affairs trilogy since we see the return of Andy Lau and Tony Leung instead of Edison Chen and Shawn Yue who plays their younger versions respectively. The ending is especially sad for me (no worries, I won�t spoil anything) and it really wraps everything up in the best possible way while still providing a strong emotional impact.
The Infernal Affairs trilogy is finally complete with the release of Infernal Affairs III. I have to say that it has been a very thrilling and satisfying roller-coaster of deceit and double-crossing that will go down in the history of Hong Kong�s film industry.
Memorable quote (translated): �Men are changed by events, not events by men.�
-Chen Dao Ming as Shen
(c) Martin Taidy