Psychological thrillers are a fine line in the cinematic world and can often fall foul of predictable scenarios or weak leading performances but Hong Kong is one of the few movie industries that churns out so many successful ones.  'Infernal Affairs' is just another example of this enviable pattern and came at just the right time considering the terrible slump in Hong Kong box office takings.

Ming (Lau) and Yan (Leung) joined the police force at a young age and both were full of ambition, graduating top of all their classes in the hope that they would progress through the ranks.  However, their prospective paths couldn't have been further apart as while Ming rose up the ranks, Yan was given duties as an undercover in the Triads and experienced a very different and challenging lifestyle.  Years pass and both men had seen little or nothing of each other for some time until Ming is suddenly assigned to assist the investigation into the Triad group that Yan is working for.  A simple enough case you may think, especially when the police have an inside man on the job but unbeknownst to his superiors, Ming is in fact a triad spy placed in the police force.  Obviously this complicates matters somewhat and introduces an intriguing game of cat and mouse.

With many of it's stars departing for Hollywood, the Hong Kong film industry seems to have spent a good few years feeling sorry for itself (minus a couple of exceptions) but with 'Infernal Affairs' it has finally returned with a bang.  Helmed by Alan Mak and, bizarrely enough, Andrew Lau of 'A Man Called Hero' and 'Storm Riders' fame, this truly is a fond return to form thanks to one essential ingredient; an original plot!  Far too many films in recent times have wasted money retreading old ground with disastrous results but 'Infernal Affairs' really gives the traditional storylines a working over and complicates simple scenarios to the degree where the outcome become unpredictable.  This, accompanied by some stylish direction and beautifully shot locations, is the heart of the film's success and what makes it such an exciting and refreshing watch.

Another key factor that contributes to 'Infernal Affairs' is the casting of two of Hong Kong's most favourable stars and, coincidentally enough, biggest heartthrobs.  Firstly, there is Andy Lau who has come under quite a bit of criticism from me in recent outings, mainly because he has chosen such poor projects that don't make use of his acting ability.  Thankfully, this is not the case here and he puts in one of his most enigmatic performances that shows he is capable of pulling off any role if he is given decent material to work with.  Alongside him is Tony Leung, one of Hong Kong's most underrated actors who finally seems to be getting the recognition he deserves thanks to appearances in recent high profile films such as this and 'Hero'.  Leung's portrayal of his character is equally as exciting as Lau and the two also forge an excellent on-screen chemistry where they can conceivably be friends one moment and enemies the next.  Throw into this mix the heavyweight backing of stars like Anthony Wong and Eric Tsang and you can be sure that you will not be disappointed by the star quality on display here.

Watching 'Infernal Affairs' it's easy to see why it became the highest grossing Hong Kong film in the last couple of years as it really is a return to form for all parties involved.  The cast and crew all produce some of their finest work to date and are backed by an excellent script that crafts out one of the most interesting stories to emerge from any film market in some time.  Prequels, sequels and an American remake (please no!) are already on the cards for this franchise but whether or not these will prove as enjoyable remains to be seen. For the moment though, we can just be thankful that there is light at the end of the tunnel for the Hong Kong movie industry.