Generally an okay watch but knowing that Scorsese was behind it makes it a disappointment for me

Rating: Null/10 (4 November 2007)

I don't see what all the fuss is about. 'The Departed' comes nowhere near the brilliance of 'Mou gaan dou' (aka 'Infernal Affairs'). Not that it's a bad film. It's quite an entertainer but it's far from great and miles from Scorsese's excellent works such as 'Raging Bull', 'Goodfellas' and 'Casino' (only to name a few). In my opinion, it's one of Scorsese's weakest films. 'The Departed' is a thriller and yes, it does have its twists and turns but it lacked depth and there are several unanswered questions. It could have worked well as a character study but many of the characters appeared to lack development. Also the pace of the film is a little slow at the beginning and it could have easily done without a few sequences.
Here are some examples of what I disapproved.
I find it hard to believe that Costigan 'masters' being a gangster in four months and Costello easily believes him and almost immediately takes him into the gang. Who is Costello? Once he's portrayed as a kingpin and then we seem him hanging out with small-time gangsters. It's also strange that no one in the force suspected Sullivan AND his superiors so easily trusted him (when everyone should be a suspect).
I found the excessive swearing to be irritating. This isn't a surprise since it's a Scorsese film but somehow here it seemed forced. Sure people do swear but they could have toned it down a little. I mean if this was an attempt to make the film look more realistic then they should have improved a whole lot of other things too.
The love triangle between the psychiatrist Madolyn and the two moles was very weakly portrayed. There was no development at all. What are Madolyn's motives for staying with Sullivan? She only leaves him in the end after discovering his identity. What was her relationship with Costigan? Why did Costigan send the CD to Sullivan and not to the authorities? It's understandable that he wanted to make the arrest himself but he could have sent a copy to the authorities without taking the risk. The climax, though a surprise, seemed a little rushed.
The film is mainly about Sullivan versus Costigan but I think Scorsese could have made these two characters stronger by focussing a little more on their psyche.
As for the performances, most of the actors do reasonably well with their parts. I liked Damon as Sullivan. It may arguably be a one-dimensional role but he played it well. It was great to see him yet again in another different role. Dicaprio too does well as Costigan but he tends to come across as a little too whiny at times. Nicholson is a pain to watch as he hams it up. The actor isn't that different from his other films and he fails miserably because this is a character that required him to act with a different style than he does with his usual persona. He fails to engage. Though Martin Sheen isn't bad, an actor of his caliber deserves far better. Wahlberg is back in swearing mode...again. Vera Farmiga shines. Alec Baldwin is irritating.
Now what's good? Well, for those who haven't seen the original version, it has its twists and turns and the viewerwants to know what happens next and what the fate of Sullivan and Costigan are. The background score isn't bad either. 'The Departed' more an average thriller but still comes as a disappointment because one doesn't expect anything short of great from Scorsese.