Why The Divide In Loving Or Hating The Film - Its Like Marmite

Rating: 1/10 (2 February 2007)

I have watched a number of Asian films over the past few years and have found them to be refreshing in the ideas they present to an audience as opposed to Hollywood where the majority of films seem to either be bogged down by having a special effects budget that needs filling or a complete act of mindless violence which can pass the time with some occasional thrill seeking. I can understand the need for the latter form of film, it can be entertaining to a degree but that is all it can provide, a simple short term solution. The basis and overall genius of "The Departed" lies in the fact that it cloned a pre-existing masterpiece that provides more than a short term fix of a film.
The original Infernal Affairs (on which The Departed is almost completely based on, and not just inspired by as Scorsese has stated)is a brilliant film, it stays in your mind and makes you think, its not a quick fix or light form of entertainment but a gripping and involving story between two men and their struggle to deal with the blurred boundaries of right and wrong.
I honestly read no reviews before watching the departed and had no idea it was based upon Infernal Affairs. I sat down expecting something good, I mean goodfellas was excellent so I assumed The Departed would be at least an on parr as Mr Scorseses previous works, but as the the film progressed I realised what the story was and that I had been greatly mistaken. It copied Infernal Affairs and at each scene my heart sank lower and lower as I felt the sheer mess the director had made of the originals work. Soo much about this film was wrong, it felt wrong, as if someone had stolen a beautiful piece of art and exchanged it for a toilet roll! I understand why people like the film, and the majority of those that do have probably not seen the original. If you have I think you will agree it is a superior movie in almost all aspects, I mean it was one of Hong Kongs most popular movies of all time. Had it not been for my partner being from Hong Kong and urging me to watch some of Asia's finest films I admit I probably would never have watched Infernal Affairs and would therefore have ignorantly liked the departed and voted it in the top 250 movies. It doesn't deserve it, I plead with you to watch the original and see for yourselves, you will not be disappointed, if anything you can watch the sequels and progress your love of the plot even further.
I realise my rating of the Departed is low but that is mainly out of respect to the original, I couldn't believe that Scorsese didn't even properly accredit Infernal Affairs well at least a large proprtion of the population still have no idea its a remake, what was he thinking! Anyway enough ranting basically you love The Departed because its a great story with great scenes and ideas and the cast does manage to carry off their individual performances well, especially Mr Nicholson who I found to be the only redeeming feature of the film. I feel for a remake to be justified it needs to at least add somethng new to the original material and provide the audience with a novel and unique perspective into the film. The departed i felt actually detracted from the original and did in no way improove upon the original. This leads on to why people hate it because it cloned a great story and some great scenes and ideas from another great film and in the majority of the movie it actually removed the strength and impact of certain scenes through a poor level of re-interpretations and lazy mundane camera work. Its obvious what side of the marmite divide im on but i do feel the quality of Infernal Affairs far surpasses that of The Departed, Even though the latters budget was substantially higher.