The Departed
The best script out of Hong Kong cinema got fast-tracked to American remake with venerable Marty at the helm with all-star casting. Despite some rumors that production was in trouble, the movie is a blast and critically well-received.
I love the characters and relationships that refined over the original. Especially the strong, female character/love interest that binds our two protagonists over the forgettable yet beautiful Kelly Chen in the original. And, Jack, well Jack is simply marvelous.
However, I still got beefs about this remake. First, the suspense is lessen. Regardless of difference in running times, the original kept you at the edge of the seat. The pace was fast and with greater momentum. (When the ending hits you, it hits you hard with greater pathos.) It was like juggling glasses while you are walking on a rope.
Second, I really didn't like the push motivation they gave Leo to go undercover. Maybe the writers and director felt it was more logical, but Leo was a desperate cop with wrong motivation compare to the original undercover cop, played by suave but melancholy Tony Leung. He was a honorable and skillful undercover cop who was coming apart because of the stress and the pressure of his job. That made his plight more appealing than whiny Leo trying to get off the hook all the time.
Lastly, the ending, was a cop-out. I seriously couldn't believe they did that to the near-perfect ending of the original. I couldn't understand why Leo didn't go find Mark's character first near the end, until... I can't spoil the movie for my dear readers here. Andy Lau, another star of the original, didn't like Mark's constant swearing character and I agree. He was more of a joke character that the audience found relief, not a tough cop he was trying to convey with his demeaning words. There are some logical holes, to me at least, in the story, but that's minor compare to these three.
Now that the remake is a hit, I wonder if they'll do trilogy like the original did. The remake is for 'the departed' but the original is for those who understand the weight of surviving 'the infernal affairs' of the world.
I love the characters and relationships that refined over the original. Especially the strong, female character/love interest that binds our two protagonists over the forgettable yet beautiful Kelly Chen in the original. And, Jack, well Jack is simply marvelous.
However, I still got beefs about this remake. First, the suspense is lessen. Regardless of difference in running times, the original kept you at the edge of the seat. The pace was fast and with greater momentum. (When the ending hits you, it hits you hard with greater pathos.) It was like juggling glasses while you are walking on a rope.
Second, I really didn't like the push motivation they gave Leo to go undercover. Maybe the writers and director felt it was more logical, but Leo was a desperate cop with wrong motivation compare to the original undercover cop, played by suave but melancholy Tony Leung. He was a honorable and skillful undercover cop who was coming apart because of the stress and the pressure of his job. That made his plight more appealing than whiny Leo trying to get off the hook all the time.
Lastly, the ending, was a cop-out. I seriously couldn't believe they did that to the near-perfect ending of the original. I couldn't understand why Leo didn't go find Mark's character first near the end, until... I can't spoil the movie for my dear readers here. Andy Lau, another star of the original, didn't like Mark's constant swearing character and I agree. He was more of a joke character that the audience found relief, not a tough cop he was trying to convey with his demeaning words. There are some logical holes, to me at least, in the story, but that's minor compare to these three.
Now that the remake is a hit, I wonder if they'll do trilogy like the original did. The remake is for 'the departed' but the original is for those who understand the weight of surviving 'the infernal affairs' of the world.
posted by Calvin C. CHOI at
12:35 AM
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