Infernal Affairs II

A series that gets better with each film. This second part is a prequel to the first film and is best enjoyed after watching the first part, though it is also possible to see it as a stand-alone film. Everything is just a little bit more refined here, a bit more precise, and a bit better balanced. I never quite got the hype for this series, but if you're looking for a good crime flick, you won't be disappointed.

The plot is a simple twist on the first film. A young police offer infiltrates as a mole in a dangerous Triad gang. The Triad gang is playing a similar game and sends one of their guys to infiltrate the police force. Fate has it that both will need to work together when they are facing a common enemy, a second Triad gang that is marking its territory.

Andy Lau and Tony Leung are gone, but Anthony Wong and Eric Tsang are just as good (if not a tiny bit better still). The editing is a little slicker, the music a bit more fitting, and the plot just a tad edgier. The finale has a few too many reveals, which drives up the runtime, but other than that this was a perfectly fine crime thriller. Hong Kong and Lau know how to hone their skills.