Rating of
3/4
"Infernal Affairs II" by Yojimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 05/21/12
Set during the years leading up to the British hand over of Hong Kong to China, a police inspector attempts to overthrow a Triad gang and leave it in the hands of less violent and ruthless successor. The sequel to Infernal Affairs is actually more of a prequel, fleshing out the characters and events that led up to the time of the original. It's a beautifully made and intelligent gangster movie that reveals the various shades of grey within the characters; none can really be seen as totally "good" or "bad", particularly considering Inspector Wong's manipulation of events that lead to unexpected consequences. The only real problem is the fact that it's more of a companion piece to the original than a self-contained story and as such I think anyone who watched this without having seen the original will struggle to see the significance of the events as they unfold here. But to fans of the original film it's an excellent prequel that skillfully fleshes out the story and characters with a much broader palette, making the first film an all the more satisfying experience.
