Infernal Affairs III (2003)

I was watching this with a bunch of people on a huge TV and was the only one that stayed awake for the end.Please allow me to save all of you the anguish of sitting through this for two hours. Know that I loved 1 n 2. Spoiler ahead The guy from 1 that everyone wanted to die gets a bullet in the head towards the end by some IA dude, and that guy gets shot right afterwards. All of this takes place in a police station which could have worked under a better script. During this boring movie they kept the idea that someone was going to die by water poisoning or an explosion of some sort. However, none of that happens and it is just one boring moment after the other with flashbacks over and over again of people that are already dead. Then, after the main guy dies the movie keeps going for some reason for another 15mins, I kept thinking please end and it just wouldn't. When it did I felt that it was my obligation as a movie buff to warn everyone here about how bad this was.

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

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!

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.