A couple of years back I resolved to watch the IMDb Top 25o as a means of discovering films I never would've otherwise seen. Somewhat unaccountably- other than it's relatively recent release- 'The Departed' was on the list and this wasn't. Therefore, I saw the remake before the original. It's already a major regret of mine that it worked out that way because this film has all of the tension, intrigue, atmosphere and intelligence that Scorsese's bloated remake lacked- but much of the impact was undermined by having seen the same scenes done before only in English, with big-name actors not really giving a shit. I imagine that this is how it must feel to watch the Hitchcock version after seeing Gus Van Sant's massacre of 'Psycho'.
Enough about Scorsese's version, this is masterful. Slick, intelligent, with a clear but compelling narrative and perfectly cast- Tony Leung brings a kind of grubby paranoia to the role of Yan. There is an obvious fear of exposure about him which is undercut by an ambiguity about how deeply entrenched in the crime world he has become as if he's continuing to do the right thing but isn't totally sure why or if he wants to. Equally Andy Lau projects an overarching ruthlessness which is at once compelling and off-putting- as if he has charm available to use, but he has chosen not to.
This is a great movie and if I ever see Martin Scorsese on West Bromwich High Street I'm going to stick on one him for almost ruining it for me with his flaccid imitation which lacks the depth, soul and watch-ability of this original. 7/10.
