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 002's "Infernal
Affairs" was, in many ways, a seminal work in Hong Kong cinema. Not
only did the film come out during a period when the industry was mired in bubbly
nonsensical comedies starring an army of interchangeable pop
"musicians", but also it continued a growing trend in Hong Kong cinema
of smartly written noir. Following in the footsteps of films like "Running
Out of Time", "Affairs" was a breath of fresh air despite its
gritty, grungy, and doomed atmosphere. In many ways, Andrew Lau and Alan Mak's
continuation of the series, 2003's "Infernal Affairs 3" (which comes
to us a scant few months after the release of the first sequel, "Infernal
Affairs 2"), is better than it has any right to be.
Returning for the final go-around are most of the
original's cast, including Tony Leung ("Hard-Boiled")
as doomed undercover cop Yan and Andy Lau ("Full-Time
Killer") as crooked Triad mole turned good cop wannabe Ming. Eric Tsang
also returns as Sam, the untrustworthy Triad boss, who has become the biggest
prick in the entire series with this third outing. Kelly Chen ("And
I Hate You So") also returns as
Dr. Lee, the psychiatrist who Yan, after an incident involving an ashtray and
someone's head, is court-ordered to see. Lee and Yan develop romantic
entanglements, even as Yan struggles to keep his identity as an undercover cop
from her. Meanwhile, Leon Lai ("Heroic
Duo") joins the cast as Leung, the boss of an elite
squad, who has his own hidden agenda.
Returning in what amounts to an insignificant cameo this
time around is Anthony Wong as Yan's only police contact. And in a blink and
you'll miss scene at the end of the film, Carina Lau also returns as Mary, the
center of a young Ming's hormonal infatuations in "Infernal
Affairs 2". Chapman To also returns as Keung, the Triad who vouches for
Yan to get him into Sam's gang, but like Wong, To's appearance seems
perfunctory. Aside from Lai, the other new face is Daoming Chen, who plays a
Mainland gangster trying to make a deal with Sam for a boatload of guns, and
whose character returns to haunt Ming after the death of Yan.
As mentioned, "Infernal Affairs 3" really is
better than it has any right to be. Consider the short production time, the fact
that it appears in the same year as the first sequel, and it's really amazing
this installment is anything other than a cheap cash-making gimmick. But it's
not. Part three is better than part two, which I still contend doesn't really
belong in the "Affairs" franchise. Except for about 15 total minutes
where part 2 does seem to fit in with the "Affairs" universe, that
other film should have been another movie altogether. "Infernal Affairs
3" should really have been the only sequel to the 2002 original in
my opinion.
Part 3's narrative structure is separated into two
sections, one taking place 6 months before Yan's murder, and the other taking
place 10 months after. The two sections intercut flawlessly, with much of
section one spending its time on the developing friendship and then romance
between Yan and Kelly Chen's doctor. In my review of "Infernal
Affairs", I had mentioned that I would have liked to know more about
Chen's relationship with Yan. Apparently I wasn't the only one, because part 3
is the answer to our prayers.
In the second section, we follow Ming as his personal and
professional life disintegrates in the aftermath of Yan's death. His wife has
since divorced him, he's been relegated to desk duty, and the unflappable Leung
seems to have zeroed in on him. Ming comes to believe that he can redeem himself
by exposing a killer in the police department that is going around offing the
rest of Sam's undercover moles. Is Leung the killer? Ming thinks so, and sets to
prove it. Meanwhile, we begin to notice that the increasingly erratic Ming seems
to be losing his mind, and slowly but surely he's starting to fantasize himself
as Yan, even going so far as to worm his way into the life of Dr. Lee.
The movie's narrative structure is an outstanding idea.
This way, writers Felix Chong and co-director Alan Mak are able to give fans of
the series a resolution as well as filling in missing time. Easily welcomed is
the expanded upon relationship between Yan and Dr. Lee, which also brings some
surprisingly light-hearted comedy and romance to a series so infused with dread.
Maybe it seems out of place, but I can't help but feel a little better about
Yan's fate knowing that he had these few happy months with Lee before his
untimely death.
Although it lacks
the doom and gloom that permeated every celluloid pore of the original, part 3
is still a better product than the sludge of teen nonsense that is drowning the
Hong Kong cinema at the moment. There's no innovation here, but that's no
surprise. It is a sequel, after all, and all we can really hope for is a film
that doesn't embarrass the original too much. I don't think part 3 embarrasses
the original at all. If anything, it's the perfect companion piece -- part 2
notwithstanding.
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