Infernal Affairs III (2003) User Reviews

The quiet men of violence

[paul2001sw-1 · 8/10 · 14 November 2006]

If you loved the first two 'Internal Affairs' movie, then you'll probably find it easy to also enjoy this concluding part: if not, you may find it more difficult. Part one was a tense thriller; part two, more epic in tone, a prequel that filled in the back story, concentrating on some of the secondary characters from the first film. But it's not completely clear where there's any plot left to fill a third part. What this film does is overlay the previous stories with an additional layer of romanticism and complexity; but there's a certain lack of focus to the plot, with almost all of our favourite characters already dead by the end of the second film (although, in flashback, there's a rebirth for the great Tony Leung, absent from part two). Indeed, the film works almost entirely by encouraging us to feel differently about scenes we have already witnessed. I still liked this third story about the quiet men of violence, and it did succeed in feeling like something more than just a repeat of the earlier films. But it's not so clear how much it adds to them.

Tying up loose ends

[lastliberal · 8/10 · 13 June 2007]

While this is a great film with an incomparable score and outstanding cinematography, it leaves a lot to be desired.

It is really not necessary as the first two films really give us all we need. It is light on action and heavy on psychological trauma. Andy Lau as Inspector Lau has taken care of all the moles - or he thinks he has. he is not sure and wants to be clear there is nothing tying him to Sam so he can be the good cop he wants to be. SP Leung is a creepy fellow and we are never sure just what he is. Is he a mole, or just a crooked cop. It is never clear.

I was glad that Kelly Chen got a much bigger role as Dr. lee, but it would have been even better if we saw a relationship with Yan. It was obvious that she had love for him, but it never blossomed on screen. Yes, I know that would be a violation of the doctor-patient relationship, but it was there under the surface. Why didn't it come out.

We got to see quite a bit of Tony Leung in this film, and that is always a good thing.

It was very distracting the way the film jumped back and forth through time. It was trying to tie up the loose ends, but it was disconcerting.

It could have been an outstanding film, but it'll just have to be great to see the actors and enjoy their performance.

Shows Scorcese how it should be done

[murkin · 8/10 · 11 November 2006]

If you haven't seen the other two Infernal affairs see them before this.... Preferably one night after the other as I did... or all at once! The plots really complicated and there are loads of characters. If you've seen the departed you will be surprised how much it resembles all three films but how little of their magic it carried over. The Scorcese remake has borrowed everything from the IF series but learned nothing. I enjoyed the Departed so I thought id watch IF - mainly because the ending of the Departed left me feeling let down. Looking back im embarrassed to have enjoyed it its completely inferior to the originals. Watch them and you will see why.

SPOILERS FROM IF I AND II NOT III!

This is the total opposite of Infernal affairs I and totally different to Infernal affairs II - where the first film was all action, too fast too see the plot, this is slow,almost plodding (at one point I found it annoyingly slow) but its worth it because it really brings out the true nature of the characters from the other films. The action flicks around in time and is often a little confusing. However it is masterfully done, I would say much better than in Pulp Fiction which is the first example that comes to mind. Someone used a food analogy previously - I would say this is the dessert and its best savoured slowly to end what has been a great meal.

I thought IFII was greatly influenced by the first and second Godfather film and in a way IFIII has common elements to the second and third - flicking through time to see how the story has emerged and tying up the loose ends with style.

Without spoiling the plot this film shows how Yans rise through the Triads isn't as smooth as it appears to have been in the previous two films and also shows a darker side of Sam, Wong and (if possible) Ming. Mary and Keung's characters are also developed much more. There are a few interesting twists and a smattering of violence to keep you on the edge of the seat. The real centre piece of this film is the emotional artistic element though. Some of the locations and shooting is breathtaking. The climax of the film occurs after Yans death and is one of the most moving movie moments I've experienced. The final scene is a master stroke... nothing short of genius.

Only reason not to give this ten is that in places its a little slow... also there is less action and when there is action it somehow feels like its only been put in to keep action fans happy. Other than that its fantastic there has never been a finer end to a trilogy I hope that it is a lesson to the movie makers of Hollywood who only make trilogies if they involve toys and video game licences. I expect they are so busy counting the revenue from the Departed they don't care though. Their loss is our gain! Watch Infernal Affairs! Don't buy into the Hollywood money making machine!

A brilliant sequel, but see Part 1 first to understand it

[Private_Beach · 28 December 2003]

Infernal Affairs 3 builds cleverly on the plotline of the first movie, but with its complex story and frequent switches between past and present, is likely to seriously confuse anyone who comes to it without having seen Part 1 first to understand the two main characters. For those who have, this film brings out further details of the relationship between the two, superbly played again by Tony Leung and Andy Lau. With frequent flashbacks, the film focuses on extending the story of Triad mole Ming (Andy Lau), warping up the tension as the stresses of his double life become intolerable. Leon Lai's usual expressionless performance, which mars his other films, works well here as it leaves you few clues about his character's motivation until the climax.

If you enjoyed Part 1, you will enjoy this. (I haven't seen Part 2 yet.)

"Men are changed by events, not events by men."

[Anonymous_Maxine · 7/10 · 26 February 2008]

The last installment in the Infernal Affairs trilogy is surprisingly slow moving, but still has the high production values and intricate story of the first two, although as a whole it is slightly less engaging than the preceding films. There have been a lot of comparisons between this trilogy and The Godfather films, and the similarities in story-telling structure and the overall arc of the sequels are definitely there, although I have to admit that I think the Godfathers exist on an entirely different level as these films. The Infernal Affairs films are good, but they're not THAT good.

There is a lot of work in bringing together the stories of the first two films and it definitely adds to them, but I found this one to be too slow moving, although the pace picked up by the third act and the final scene is definitely impressive.

On the other hand, the trilogy ends on a serious downer - "Ksitigarbha Sutra - 'People of the like shall be cast into the Avinci Hell and will continue to suffer from Kalpas to Kalpas with no means of escape.'

I may as well just admit that I don't know the meaning or source of this quote, but it sure seems like a depressing note to end the trilogy on. Nevertheless, despite being just a little bit of a let-down (like countless trilogy finales), Internal Affairs 3 is a necessary closure, and Asian cinema fans are sure to eat it up.

The conclusion to a fine Hong Kong crime trilogy.

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 6 April 2011]

After the first two instalments of this trilogy I wondered if we'd be getting another prequel or a sequel to the first film; as it turns out this film is both! We follow Chan Wing-yan in his undercover role working for Sam in the run up to a major deal and we also observe Inspector Lau as he works to make sure nobody can connect him with Sam, his erstwhile employer, so he can become an honest police officer. The problem for him is that his boss Yeung is also searching for any of Sam's moles left in the force. Doctor Lee takes a much greater role in this film as Chan Wing-yan is ordered to see her after assaulting a Triad member in a restaurant and Lau sees her to learn more about Chan Wing-yan's activities.

While I think this was probably the weakest of the three films it was still pretty good and anybody who enjoyed the first two films really should watch this as it neatly wraps up the story. Having missed the second film Tony Leung and Andy Lau are back as Chan Wing-yan and Lau and once again they put in fine performances; other notable stars are Leon Lai as Yeung and Kelly Chen as Doctor Lee the psychiatrist. The earlier parts of the film are mostly action free but there are some good action scenes later on, there are also some nicely humorous scenes as Chan Wing-yan tries to avoid being hypnotised by Doctor Lee.

Not A Bad Way To Close The Trilogy

[coconutkungfu-30704 · 6/10 · 17 February 2020]

This film feels like an interesting conclusion to the Buddhist themed trilogy that had a masterpiece of a first film, a decent second film that was a prequel and now a well-made conclusion.

Not nearly as good as the first one but still worth the watch and a must for fans of the series.

I thought Leon Lai and Chen Daoming actually looked cool

[thebeautifulones · 10/10 · 4 January 2006]

I give it a 10, honest! The show was so confusing, I had to switch the subtitles to Chinese instead of English to understand.

Set 10 months after Chan Wing Yan's death, Lau Kin Ming is relegated to mundane administrative work until the Internal Affairs department had finished investigating SP Yeung's involvement Sergent Chun's death. It turns out Chun was Sam's mole and someone had sent a box of tapes to Yeung of the various people supplying intelligence to Sam.

What follows is a series of very confusing events: Yeung seeming to trade intelligence with Sam, Shen's involvement in business with Sam in China, Yeung's friendship with Yan...and all of it accompanied by very cool music to add to the suspense.

Ming decides to investigate Yeung. In his mind he thinks of Yeung as the mole, trying to get rid of all the other moles. Towards the middle, you will be convinced that Ming has gone completely mad, and during a therapy session with Dr Lee, accidentally reveals that he is indeed, Sam's mole.

Chen Daoming's persona as the cool undercover cop from the Mainland, who works with Yeung to expose Ming is super cool indeed. The suit, the walk, (even though towards the end he has to limp) you'll be convinced he is the coolest guy in the whole series, although he played a small role in the story-telling.

So Shen isn't really Shen. Who is Yeung then? Is he the good guy or the bad guy? I say, watch all 3 shows, and the Special edition DVD. Everything will be clarified. (I've watched the Special edition DVD possibly 3 times to clarify this.)

On a par with the second instalment but neither are as good as the first film

[grantss · 6/10 · 16 June 2021]

The first movie was great, second was OK and so is this. (Completing the set, The Departed was fantastic, even better than the original - yeah, I know, very untrendy to rate a Hollywood remake better than the non-Hollywood original).

Interesting enough but seems to go over a lot of old ground, covered in the first movie. Gets quite convoluted, and loses focus, after a point too.

An awesome ending....

[rockyunderscore · 8/10 · 29 November 2006]

Well I know most people think that part 3 is the least favourite of the trilogy. But i liked it. It's better thn part 1 but not as good as part 2.The plot is very smart and complex. I don't think any writers in HK can pull off something like that. Its so complex and so messy but at the end it ends up to be a brilliant script. I think the directors did a great job. This film should've deserve an award for best screenplay in both HK Film Awards and The Golden Horse Award. The other cast did a great job too. Especially Leon Lai. His sinister character just give me the chills and I really hate him. He too should've deserve an award for best supporting actor.

8.1/10

The final chapter of the double spies

[ryanmo-35178 · 7/10 · 22 December 2022]

Just watched the infernal affair 1 4K version and thus watched this one as well, while infernal 2 was a prelude. In my memory I just watched once and thought it was a bad movie because it's just a illusion of inspector Lau. However, I just found out there were many connections with the first one (such as the broken arm of Chan)! Although it is impossible to overcome the first one, the plot of this is just not that bad! Lau became a bad guy, and investigates the inspector Yeung and Chinese gang, actually it is found out both of them are spies as well! And he gradually became chan kin Yan, and finally got shot and fell into infernal way indefinitely! What a poor ending! With a such short time it 's not too bad! Maybe I can discover more when I watch again in the future...

Best of the three

[Karfoo · 8/10 · 22 December 2003]

I must admit I was surprised. And pleasantly so.

The first two instalments of the series were, in most respects, well-done cop-and-robbers fare, with the first sequel explaining a piece of history in the story, while making some nice adaptations from Godfather. This second sequel, however, in fact requires some thought as the story unfolded.

*** Spoilers Ahead ***

I will try to reveal as little as possible, since my own enjoyment was partially ruined by having read a review which gave the plot away.

On the surface level, the story weaves together the past and present, showing the fall of the main character. Some would criticize the introduction of too many seemingly commercial elements. While the use of Leon Lai may be so, his character is IMO an outsider necessary to unravel the mess that plagues the police department, namely the many moles inserted by Han. The introduction of a mainland Chinese element ties in nicely with the second sequel, again highlighting the fact that the affairs of Hong Kong is no longer merely its own. Han was indeed getting to be one of the biggest fishes in the pond, and has attracted the attention of powers higher than just the Hong Kong Police. Although his untimely demise, at the hands of one of his protege, put an end to his mainland ambition, the point is by and large neither here nor there in so far as the story behind this particular instalment is concerned.

I am uncertain as to the true intentions of the directors, but, having seen the whole story knitted together so tightly, I must conclude that the first half of the film was designed to mislead the audience in emphasizing the characters who turn out to be in fact subsidiary. The story does indeed focus on Lau as he sinks deeper and deeper into his personal hell. Personally, I dislike schizophrenia as a dramatic device, but I can accept it in this case since the previous instalments alluded to Lau's desire to turn himself clean.

The actions of Han also explained the gaping hole in the first sequel, namely his taking on the son of the former triad boss who tried to kill him and was, in the process, killed by Han. That is simply a supreme piece of human resource management we so often see in the real, corporate world. And, in having watched all three films in the series, I must commend the writers/directors on how Han's character has been fully developed, and I would say his is the most fleshed out of all, barring perhaps Chan Wing Yan.

I would even go so far as to argue that the plot is a cut above any other Hong Kong director/writer has produced so far, both in terms of the plot consistency and its style. One can not avoid comparing with Johnnie To who has regrettably floundered of late.

*** Spoilers End ***

There are, however, minor details that I have contention with:

1. In both sequels, the writers still think, as evidenced by the dialogue, it is the Department of Justice which sentences people.

2. In the first sequel, the flag on Wong Sir's desk on the even of the Handover was an Australian flag.

A 6/10 and i'm being generous

[kembong · 6/10 · 18 September 2023]

The 1st one is great, probably the best police film ever made, the 2nd one is really good with a prequel story about Sam and Hau and the triads bloody mess, this 3rd one is lagging sooooo far behind, it can be a great chance if the movie focused on Yeung vs Ming, Yeung was so greatly introduced and on par with Yan in the 1st one but Ming somehow becomes a mad man who cant differentiate reality from illusion. What the heck, Ming was so calm and calculated in every moves go crazy so easily, no way in hell. Why not make an intense chess-game between Ming and Yeung, he is right therw and ready for the match. "Shadow" is cool and can be the last help in the battle but dont make it too easy to win. There is no suspense, no mind blowing or head blowing. The romance with dr. Lee is not fun, the hypnotizing Ming part is lame, too easy again. If Yan is back why not explain how Yan becomes Keung's best friend, Keung protected Yan until his last breath in the 1st movie, focus on explaining that. A big miss opportunity for a great ending. I give this a 6 amd im being generous.

Entirely unnecessary

[Leofwine_draca · 4/10 · 24 November 2012]

Having now watched the entire INFERNAL AFFAIRS trilogy, I've concluded that only the original film was necessary. The first sequel took the form of a prequel, an entirely extraneous piece of back story that adding nothing to the original and would have worked better as a stand alone movie. This, the second sequel, is even worse, a muddled attempt at tying together both prequel and sequel, adding in lots of entirely superfluous stuff and additional characters that are all entirely necessary.

Tony Leung returns to the movie series, but his scenes amount to nothing more than padding; his character was so carefully delineated in the first movie, there's entirely nothing to add. Andy Lau has the most interesting role in a sub-plot that follows on directly from the first film's, and this section of the film was the most entertaining. But it's still rather unnecessary, and would have been much better had it been tied up at the end of the first film, as Scorsese did when he remade the series as THE DEPARTED.

Overall, INFERNAL AFFAIRS 3 feels confused and muddled. The constant jumping between past and present happens so much that it's ridiculous, and it becomes overwhelming clear that this was only rushed out to make a quick buck or two after the success of the original film.

An effective film if you love the series and the characters; an OK one if you have seen the first two films and a pointless one if you haven't seen anything

[bob the moo · 18 December 2006]

Where Scorsese's recent version of Infernal Affairs all the loose ends pretty much got tied up during the film whereas with the original we were left with an open (but much more emotionally impacting) conclusion. The first sequel was a prequel so part III was left to pick up afterwards while also going back over the original film and filling in more detail. In doing this it marks itself out as one that is aimed at the fans rather than being just out for money. The downside of this is of course that if you are not a fan you might find this hard to follow along with (and if you have not seen the first film then just forget it totally). Personally I thought the first film was an enjoyable cop thriller but I didn't think it was brilliant or developed characters that well but the tension was great. With the third film the focus was very much on the characters rather than the tension – with the fate of Ming being the modern thread that holds the film together.

If you are into the characters and the parallels with the original film then it is worth seeing because it does do it pretty well. It does ask you to pay attention but it rewards you if you do and have been. There is action but mostly it is the Ming's ongoing struggle with who he is that the film pays most attention to. I quite liked this but must confess that this film still didn't do a great job of bringing out the characters that well and it is more the events and revelations that kept me interested rather than an emotional buy-in with the characters. Lau is perhaps partly to blame for this because I thought he was buttoned a bit too tight – it was understandable in some regards but the third film should have been the point where he shows more of a breakdown (which he does, but again it is events rather than emotion). Leung is good again but his scenes don't seem as relevant or as interesting within this film – again it is probably to do with the lack of emotional buy-in I felt with his character; his performance is natural and engaging though. Outside of these two the rest of the cast are pretty good. Again I didn't think much of the use of Chen but Wong and Tsang are both solid in their small returns.

Overall then an effective and enjoyable film if you love the series and the characters; an interesting one if you have seen the first two films and a pointless one if you are looking to join in at the last minute. Tying up the loose ends of the series, the film isn't tense enough or emotionally impacting enough to be worth a look unless you are really already into the characters but it is an interesting way to bring things to an end – with restraint and tragedy rather than excess.

Internal Affairs III gives us answers and a good crime story but the pacing drags it down, Andy Lau's powerful performance makes it satisfying

[Holt344 · 7/10 · 26 April 2023]

Internal Affairs III is the final film in the trilogy, this film is like the prequel (the second installment) directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, the former being the one who directed the original. This third film serves as both a prequel and sequel to the first film, as it continues after the events of the first film and before those events. Andy Lau and Tony Leung reprise their roles from the first film as Senior Inspector Lau Kin-Ming, an ex-Triad spy in the Hong Kong Police Force who tries to cover his criminal past and remain as a cop. Tony Leung as Chan Wing-Yan, an undercover Hong Kong Police Force officer in the Triad. He was killed by Inspector B in the first film, but returns in the prequel aspect of the film. Kelly Chen, Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang and Chapman To also reprise their roles again, joined by new cast members Leon Lai and Chen Daoming. Andy Lau actually won the award for Best Actor in the Golden Horse Awards, well deserved I must say. The film was nominated for a lot of other different awards. Andy Lau's acting is superb. Being one of the new cast members, I think Leon Lai is one of those standout performances in the film as Superintendent Yeung Kam-Wing who's Lau's rival in the police force. Chen Daoming is too quite great as "Shadow" Shen Cheng, two good additions to the trilogy.

Months after the events of the original film, Ming suspects a police superintendent as being a new mole for the triads, while years earlier, Yan embarks on his first mission.

So I bought the whole trilogy on Criterion and I got the director's cut of the movie, more than I knew before buying as I had only heard about the first film. I thought this version of the film was a good viewing, a crime story worth telling, with great themes. Will Lau survive the infernal agonies of fear, paranoia, and lack of trust? Watch and you'll find out. It contains many satisfying answers to questions that have lingered after the first two installments. I've seen the question is it unnecessary? It depends on how much you like the story and characters, I don't think this film was wanted, but it was needed and it's because of the story and how much depth it has. The questions you might have, are answered here. The first film ended perfectly and the second installment was a great prequel that gave more context and just more, this film struggles but ends up being a fine addition. Also a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, I think the pacing could have been better and some of the writing too. Yet, it's solid, tying up loose ends and brings the character arcs to a satisfying conclusion. Especially Lau's character arc. I think the ending was fitting. The trilogy could have worked as one film, but how the writers and directors expanded the story and characters, into something memorable. This was a terrific trilogy. Internal Affairs III was a good crime drama, perhaps a bit unnecessary, but good.

Past of Yan as mole and Present of Ming as High Official

[jimniexperience · 7/10 · 28 December 2017]

Final movie in I.A. Trilogy

Movie shows the 6 months leading up to Yan's death: funny moments with Boss Tsui, romantic moments with his therapist, and Sam sending him on dangerous missions - suspicious of Yan's past connected with the Ngai. Yan is in the arms trade with Shen and investigated by Yeung, Sam's new "mole".

Movie also follows present moments of Inspector Ming coping with Yan's death and his wife's divorce. He has psychotic episodes where he believes he is Yan trying to right the wrong of his death. I.A. tells him to investigate Yeung after officers suspicious of being Sam's mole wind up dead. They're led to believe Yeung is also a mole covering up Sam's tracks. Along with Ming learning Yan's profile from his therapist, Ming begins to investigate Yeung as if he is Yan, and hallucinates he is Yan ..

Men are changed by events, not events by men

[rollernerd · 6/10 · 24 May 2021]

Welcome back to another edition of Adam's Reviews!! **queue in intro music**

Today's movie review is the Hong Kong crime thriller sequel Infernal Affairs III (2003), the final entry to this series where it serves as a sequel and a prequel to the original. If you can get past with the constant flashbacks and keep up with the times then you will not mind this film, if not then you will definitely be hating on this flick. This flick picks up straight afterwards of the first while also going back over the original film and filling in more detail between Yan and Ming's overarching story arcs. This time around, the third film focuses on characters rather than the tension and thrill we saw in the first. The story is heavily focused on the fate of Ming being the modern thread that holds the film together. Here we get to see the deep psychological drawback from the first flick, whilst fearing that he will be exposed as the Triads mole in the police department. Plus, on top of that his wife has left him along with his newborn child. Lau who portrays Ming does a great job of a man who wants to leave behind his past and just be a good cop and a good man. His ongoing lines around "did I scare you, I am sorry" did get overblown. However, his depression, paranoia, fear, the lengths of covering his tracks while trying to be more like Yang is performed absolutely great. If you are into the characters and the parallels with the original film then it is worth seeing because it does do it pretty well. The only drawback of this flick is that you must pay attention to every detail. There are again great throwbacks to the other two flicks including eating the famous sharkfin soup. I did enjoy this film and liked the new characters who influence story lines attached to Yang and ultimately the ending of Ming however overall, the relevance of the characters who have died doesn't give you the emotional buy in as you may have during the first original film. A great way to tie up loose ends of the series, while portraying more of an emotional impact rather than a thriller - 6.2/10.

the best of the trilogy

[disdressed12 · 8/10 · 18 March 2010]

this final installment in the series is for me,i think the best of the trilogy.it it a bit confusing,as it does jump back in forth in time.but i think on repeated viewing it will become much clearer.forgetting that though,for sheer tension,it can't be beat.i was on the edge of my seat the whole time.this one focus4es less on the action and more on the character ans the story,as it should,since it ties everything(mostly) up in the end.there even a humorous bit that works very well.its' a great end to the trilogy.i will probably watch the all three movies again and see what i missed the first time around.for me,Mou gaan dou III: Jung gik mou gaan,AKA Infernal Affairs III is an 8/10

Plot thickens and comes to a closure

[ebiros2 · 8/10 · 6 June 2009]

Although this is a sequel to Part 1, much of the story takes place before inspectors Chan dies, so you'll see him still alive for most of the movie, as does Sam and SP Wong. New character played by Leon Lai (SP Yueng) enters the plot to add pressure to the nefarious activities of inspector Ming, and how the tape evidence to his crime survives his attempts to destroy it becomes part of the plot to this sequel.

Kelly Chen reprises her role as Dr. Lee and plays a part in unraveling of Ming's secret. Bit story of Ming and Chan + SP Yuen in their younger days in the academy are told to tie the plot.

This is a story where the schemer get out schemed by his own activity, and digs his own grave. In the end you see him tapping "Hell" in Morse code (which for some reason he was keen to study in previous parts), probably recognizing that there's hell to pay for all he's done.

Good of this movie was the part of SP Yueng played by Leon Lai. He was just great in this role.

Part 3 is made with same craftsmanship of the first two that put this series on the map. How inspector Ming's deception comes out in the open is the main intrigue of this final installment, and you will not be disappointed.

Thrilling

[thisissubtitledmovies · 8/10 · 17 December 2010]

excerpt, more at my location - The first movie in the Infernal Affairs trilogy was so good, it helped win Martin Scorsese his long-awaited Oscar for another film. Its prequel follow-up established an epic urban grandeur the like of which had rarely been seen in Hong Kong cinema before. Box- office receipts were good, worldwide critical acclaim was high. Andrew Lau and Alan Mak visit the well one last time - has it, by now, run dry?

At the conclusion of the film, which takes the viewer right up to the opening of a memorable early scene from the original movie, the viewer is in no doubt that a thrilling, memorable landmark trilogy has come to a close.

A tad disappointing...

[ajs-10 · 5/10 · 4 April 2011]

My infernal 'Infernal Affairs' marathon concludes with the third part of this epic saga. This time we're closing in on another mole in the Police force. The trouble is, we keep slipping back into the past so we can see how this guy ties in with it all. To be honest it's a bit of a mess but here's a brief summary while I can still remember it (summary haters, and those that don't wish to know about the plot, take some bad guys out while I write the next paragraph).

Lau Kin Ming has now been cleared of any wrongdoing in the death of the undercover cop, Chan Wing Yan. He can now concentrate on finding other moles in the Police force. His attention is drawn to SP Yeung Kam Wing who seems to be keeping his cards very close to his chest. Another candidate is Shen Chen, a man who, at one time, was Hon Sam's partner. Not everybody is who they seem to be and add to this a lot of flashing backwards and forwards in time, it makes for a rather confusing plot… Think I'll leave it there, I'm getting confused.

It's pretty well made, but it seems very cobbled together and has little coherence. The plot is very hard to follow and a bit of a mess of a screenplay doesn't really help. Performance wise; Tony Leung Chiu Wai was pretty good as Chan Wing Yan, as was Andy Lau as Lau Kin Ming. Of the rest, Leon Lai did a decent job as the enigmatic SP Yeung Kam Wing and Daoming Chen was pretty good as Shen Chen.

The first two films were really good and so I found it hard to believe this one could be so bad. It almost feels like it was rushed out too quickly after the success of the first two and suffered greatly for it. It certainly lacks the punch of the first two and as such is a rather disappointing conclusion to the trilogy. NOT recommended.

My Score: 4.6/10

Feel the heart of the Chef

[philaychan · 29 December 2003]

I've watched Infernal Affairs I, II & III, in a year time. I loved the first one very much. It gave me a very unexpected feeling. It's simple but strong in impact. Though one could mention a lot of flaws in the plot, I just couldn't resist its charm. The second one made me disappointed because it lacked the kind of impact the first one gave me. Now after watching the third one, I realise why there needs to be a second one in totally different style than the first one. It's a preparation for the audiences adapting to the change in the third one.

I like this third one. Without the second one, probably I would have been like the other audiences critising the change of style from the first one. It's this kind of change, it's made the film more solid, full of human feeling. The first one indeed was touching only the surface of the hole. This third one is more into the content of it - the heart of the people.

I love particularly the part describing Andy Lau's psychological sufferings and changes. The shadowing effect he had with Tony Leung should deserve a credit for script writing, directing and editting. The interlacing of stories between that happened before and after Tony Leung's death has been editted great. I feel sorry for people who don't read this or who don't like it. It's certainly the best part of the film which should earn a credit rather than negative critics.

I would conclude that the first one is like spicy cuisine which is strong in taste and quick in making one like it immediately if you can stand it. The third one is somehow a French cuisine where you have to be patient, taste it slowly together with the wine before you appreciate the marvellous cooking skills and feel the heart of the Chef.

Final!

[punch87 · 8/10 · 10 October 2020]

Infernal Affairs III reveals the desperate lengths men will go to protect their covers and to survive the internal agonies of fear, stress and lack of trust.

A Dizzying Rollercoaster Ride That Overstays Its Welcome

[kluseba · 4/10 · 7 February 2023]

Revolutionary cop thriller Infernal Affairs and its clever prequel Infernal Affairs II have profoundly changed Hongkong cinema two decades ago. The scriptwriters, directors and cast decided once more to capitalize on the success of the two predecessors to present a nervously twisted third film that is prequel and sequel at the same time. As a prequel, it gives us more information about the two moles and their challenging everyday lives. As a sequel, this film shows how the surviving mole tries to cut loose ends by eliminating all other moles while he gets caught up in his own web of lies as the internal affairs department is investigating him while his wife plans on divorcing him.

This movie's most significant flaw is that it doesn't seem to know what it wants to be and ends up being too many things at the same time. The sudden changes from past to present prevent this film from having any flow whatsoever. This film feels dull, exhausting and overtly long.

To be fair, a few segments are rather interesting. For instance, the relationship between the mole who has infiltrated the triads and his resilient psychologist convinces with brilliant acting and slow burn romance that becomes quite palpable towards the climax. This movie also has a satisfactory climax as the mole working in the police department decides to see his plans to cut loose ends through by any means necessary.

Many characters who have carried the two predecessors are only side notes in this film. Tony Leung's character is reduced to a closed-minded, tight-lipped and childishly romantic sidekick. Eric Tseng's wonderful character is shown as conflicted mobster who has lost most of its charisma. Most remarkably, Andy Lau's character who was always cool, prepared and quick in the predecessors loses touch with reality and runs amok which seems to be completely out of character. The filmmakers tried to introduced quite a few surprising changes but they feel pulled out of thin air and are simply not believable.

At the end of the day, avoid yourself the trouble to sit through Infernal Affairs III that overall lacks too much in quality to convince from start to finish. Discover this franchise with the excellent second instalment and continue with the groundbreaking first film but ignore this third part entirely. This episodic psychological drama feels like a dizzying rollercoaster ride that overstays its welcome.