RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
RT's Blu-ray HQ
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Infernal Affairs
Infernal Affairs

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Infernal Affairs (2003)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
95 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:59

Fresh:56

Rotten:3

Average Rating:7.6/10

Consensus: Smart and engrossing, this is one of Hong Kong's better cop thrillers.

Rated: R [See Full Rating] for violence

Runtime: 1 hr 41 mins

Genre: Foreign Films

Theatrical Release:Sep 24, 2004 Limited

Synopsis: 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... 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. [More]

Starring: Andy Lau, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang

Starring: Andy Lau, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang, Sammi Cheng, Kelly Chen, Edison Chen, Shawn Yue, Elva Hsiao

Director: Wai Keung Lau, Alan Mak

Director: Wai Keung Lau, Alan Mak
Screenwriter: Alan Mak, Felix Chong
Producer: Wai Keung Lau
Studio: Miramax Films

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
1 - 4 of 4

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Dec 7, 2004

[DVD Details]
 
 
  • Infernal Affairs
  • An award-winning crime thriller in the intense tradition of HEAT and RESERVOIR DOGS ... critics everywhere have hailed INFERNAL AFFAIRS for its gritty action and international superstars. Chan Wing Yan (Tony Leung -- HERO) is a hard-nosed veteran cop sent undercover to infiltrate the notorious Triad crime ring. An expert at bringing down violent syndicates, Chan thinks it's going to be a routine mission. What he's not prepared for is the discovery that the Triad's boss (Eric Tsang -- THE ACCIDENTAL SPY) has planted a mole (Andy Lau -- THE LEGEND OF DRUNKEN MASTER) in the police department ... and now Chan is being hunted down. In this battle of wills, only one cop can win!
  • Source: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
  •  
     
     
     

    Reviews for Infernal Affairs

    • T-Meter Critics
    • Top Critics
    • RT Community
    • My Critics
    • My Friends
    • DVD
     
     
    1 - 20 (sorted by rotten rating)
    Text View | 1 2 3 4 >> >|
    Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
     
     
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
    06/19/07
    Channel 4 Film
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
    04/09/04
    Guardian [UK]
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
    11/20/04
    Boston Phoenix
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Slate | comment Comment
    10/07/06
    Dana Stevens
    Dana Stevens
    Slate
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: CHUD | comment Comment
    02/27/09
    Devin Faraci
    Devin Faraci
    CHUD
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
    06/24/06
    Geoff Andrew
    Geoff Andrew
    Time Out
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
    10/18/08
    Urban Cinefile Critics
    Urban Cinefile Critics
    Urban Cinefile

    Far too light on action to be very exciting, and far too generic and familiar to be genuinely intriguing, Infernal Affairsis ultimately a forgettable affair.

    Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment 3 Comments
    03/03/05
    Brian Mckay
    Brian Mckay
    eFilmCritic.com

    Infernal Affairs could be the syllabus for “The Effects of Michael Mann, Tony Scott, and the American Police Procedural on Asian Cinema.”

    Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | comment Comment
    06/10/04
    Ed Gonzalez
    Ed Gonzalez
    Slant Magazine

    Ultimately quiet tepid.

    Full Review Source: Lessons of Darkness | comment 3 Comments
    05/04/05
    Nick Schager
    Nick Schager
    Lessons of Darkness

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
    04/01/06
    Empire Magazine

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Boston Globe | comment Comment
    11/19/04
    Boston Globe

    It's all made artful by tense direction, gleaming cinematography and a complex performance by the never-disappointing Leung, who takes a stock character and fills him with brooding life.

    Full Review Source: E! Online | comment Comment
    09/25/04
    E! Online

    Beauty in its consistent, washed-out blues and silvers, grace in its understated, intense male performances and energy in its unyielding commitment to tone and tension.

    Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune | comment Comment
    12/24/04
    Allison Benedikt
    Allison Benedikt
    Chicago Tribune

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

    Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
    02/05/03
    Andrew Sun
    Andrew Sun
    Hollywood Reporter

    I was certainly happy to be trapped in the film's conceit, and the directors, Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, manage to convince us that we have witnessed an action movie, although in fact the quantity of violence is so minimal.

    Full Review Source: New Yorker | comment Comment
    09/14/04
    Anthony Lane
    Anthony Lane
    New Yorker

    ... furiously paced, full of drama, and as tense as elevator cable ...

    Full Review Source: Movie Gazette | comment Comment
    11/14/03
    Anton Bitel
    Anton Bitel
    Movie Gazette

    It’s a cop movie that’s constantly trying to convince you it’s not just a cop movie

    Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
    09/13/04
    Chris Barsanti
    Chris Barsanti
    Filmcritic.com

    A blistering thriller and an intelligent character study and a comic take-off on the conventions of thrillers.

    Full Review Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press | comment Comment
    12/09/04
    Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
    Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
    St. Paul Pioneer Press

    A beautifully crafted, exciting story that keeps on surprising you to the very end.

    Full Review Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune | comment Comment
    12/02/04
    Colin Covert
    Colin Covert
    Minneapolis Star Tribune
     
     
    1 - 20 (sorted by rotten rating)
    Text View | 1 2 3 4 >> >|
    all

    Latest News for Infernal Affairs

    August 05, 2008: Sam Jackson's Top 10 New Classic Asian Films Opens in new window
    Wondering if you've seen the latest, greatest Asian movies? Samuel L. Jackson is here to help: he's drawn up a list of his Top 10 New Classic Asian Films for Entertainment Weekly. More...

    February 08, 2007: Mark Wahlberg Dishes Some Dirt on "Departed 2" and Maybe "3"!
    Anyone who's seen all three of the "Infernal Affairs" flicks had to know this was coming: Word is that we'll probably be getting a sequel to "The Departed,"... More...

    January 22, 2007: Pre- (and Re-) "Departed"?
    Martin Scorsese's "The Departed" is nearing the end of its successful box-office run, and already rumors have started that not one, but two films may be appended to... More...

    October 09, 2006: Box Office Wrapup: Leo and Matt Face Off at #1 with The Departed
    Martin Scorsese scored the best opening of his career, and his first number one film in fifteen years, with the star-studded gangster thriller "The Departed," which... More...

    See All

    More DVDs

    Close
    Top Rentals
    Tomatometer Percentage Movie
    66% 66% Public Enemies
    83% 83% Harry Potter and the H…
    44% 44% Night at the Museum: B…
    75% 75% Julie & Julia
    32% 32% Terminator Salvation

    More Rentals…

    New On DVD This Week
    Tomatometer Percentage Movie
    90% 90% District 9
    86% 86% 500 Days of Summer
    63% 63% Extract
    06% 06% All About Steve
    78% 78% It Might Get Loud

    More New Releases…

    See All

    RT On Current TV

    The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

    DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

    Learn how you can be part of the show

    More...

    What’s Hot On RT

    Sherlock Holmes

    Sherlock Holmes

    New clips from the detective reboot!

    Iron Man 2

    Iron Man 2

    Watch the brand new trailer now!

    Awards Tour

    Awards Tour

    Keep up with latest nominations and awards!

    Did you see Avatar?

    Did you see Avatar?

    Rate/Review the film on RT now!

    Other News

    Close
    • Top Stories
    • Popular
    • Interviews
     
     

    Comments

     
     
    Top Stories
    Headlines Comments
      
    • Danny Trejo Talks Machete, Possible Sequels Source: Collider.com
    6
    • It's Official: Jackass 3-D Coming in 2010 Source: Collider.com
    15
    • Bryan Singer Returning to X-Men for First Class Source: Superhero Hype
    102
    • Mark Strong Talks Kick-Ass, John Carter, and Robin Hood Source: Collider.com
    1
    • How Avatar Happened: The Path to Innovation Source: CinemaBlend.com
    19
    • Rob Marshall Says Pirates 4 Is Still a Maybe Source: ComingSoon.net
    32
    • ET Teases Iron Man 2 Teaser Source: Collider.com
    28
    • Tobey Maguire Refutes Hobbit Rumors Source: Hollywood Reporter
    9
    • Prince of Persia Featurette Posted Source: Yahoo! Movies
    4
    • Trailer Bulletin: Robin Hood Source: ComingSoon.net
    61
    Popular
    Headlines Comments
      
    • Critics Consensus: Avatar Is Certified Fresh
    306
    • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Avatar Soars to #1 Spot
    164
    • Awards Tour 2009: Golden Globe Noms Here!
    145
    • Total Recall: James Cameron Movies
    89
    • Brittany Murphy: 1977-2009
    84
    • Awards Tour 2009: SAG Nominations Are In!
    42
    • Awards Tour 2009: Avatar Best Picture at NYFCO!
    38
    • Weekly Ketchup: Bryan Singer Teaches X-Men: First Class
    36
    • Friday Harvest: Alice in Wonderland, Sherlock Holmes, and more!
    14
    • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Inglourious Basterds and a Hangover
    9
    Interviews
    Headlines Comments
      
    • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
    21
    • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
    2
    • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
    17
    • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
    12
    • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
    23
    • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
    8
    • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
    15
    • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
    24
    • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
    9
    • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
    29
     
     

    Sponsored Links

    Around The Network

    • Infernal Affairs at Rotten Tomatoes
    • Infernal Affairs at AskMen

    Fresh Links

    Featured
    MSN's Year in Review
    MSN's Year in Review External Link

    Take a look at MSN's choices for the Top 10 films of 2009.

    Moviefone's Year End Poll
    Moviefone's Year End Poll External Link

    What were your favorites? Least favorites? The funniest and scariest? Moviefone wants to know!

    Tarantino's Characters
    Tarantino's Characters External Link

    Hollywood.com explores why QT's characters resonate so well with audiences.

    Top 10 Movies of 2009
    Top 10 Movies of 2009 External Link

    TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.

    Top 20 of the Decade
    Top 20 of the Decade External Link

    Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!

    Promos
    Follow RT on Twitter
    Follow RT on Twitter External Link

    Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

     
     
    About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
    IGN Logo

    IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
    TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
    AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


    By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
    Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
    IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
    Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.