The Departed: An ode to the great William Shakespeare

Rating: 10/10 (5 August 2007)

For years, William Shakespeare has been regarded as the greatest writer in history and his works have been studied, analysed and influential ever since his quill first touched a sheet of paper. He had the ability to take familiar stories and turn them into something triumphant. He managed to enthrall audiences with his witty and fascinating dialogue and tales of star-crossed lovers and brave Moors, among others. This year, The Departed was honoured with the Academy Award for Best Picture and many that considered a triumph for Martin Scorsese, one of the greatest modern filmmakers still standing strong since he first came to prominence in the 1970's. However, I would not be surprised if Shakespeare was watching from above and applauding the win along with everyone else in the Kodak Theatre. After all, if he was a screenwriter in Hollywood, The Departed would certainly be a work of art he would produce.
Unlike the typical action film that Hollywood likes to churn out every week or so, The Departed has actually an intelligent and well thought out plot that one needs to think in order to make sense of it all. Not surprisingly, this is due to it being heavily inspired by not only the Bard but also the Chinese film Infernal Affairs. Billy Costigan is a mole for the police who has been placed in the middle of the Irish Mafia of Boston, headed by the ruthless Frank Costello. Costello himself has placed an informant of his own in the police sector, Colin Sullivan trusted by the gangster since the boy's youth. Tensions run even higher when both learn of a mole on either side and with guns ablaze, the plan is to get them sniffed out. As the film's 152 minute running time comes to a close, identities are revealed, lives are lost and Scorsese adds another triumphant production to his filmography.
Martin Scorsese, deservedly so receives the bulk of acclaim for The Departed as his eye for detail and clever camera-work is enough to make any film of his the heart of a film school course. Despite this being an American remake of an already great foreign production, Scorsese allows it to stand on its own and even surpass its inspiration. His talented ensemble of actors are also intelligent enough not to ham it up as they bring their characters to life easily. Leonardo DiCaprio sheds his pretty boy image, playing Costigan as the rebel who much like his actor wants people to forget his history and just see him for who he currently is. Matt Damon disappears into Sullivan and much like DiCaprio, plays a man leading a double life but not certain which one to choose. Jack Nicholson, always known for playing evil yet lovable villains portrays Costello as the ultimate of evil and a man you're cheering against and not for. However, the actor who gives the most enjoyable performance is Mark Wahlberg who plays a character who isn't even in the original. The film's writer William Monahan gives him some of the film's best lines and he delivers them with a sharp tongue. Wahlberg allows his f-words to be the most fun to listen to since the Canadian sung tune from South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut.
As the film proceeds at its surprisingly fast pace, the film gets more and more exciting and us, the viewers, get more immersed and fascinated in the story. And then the last half-hour comes along and each character meets their demise, we're reminded of the triumphant finale Shakespeare wrote for Hamlet, his magnum opus. Each character, good and evil, dies and the audience laughs, not because it's ridiculous but because it's done in such a light tone. We gasp as blood gushes from their brains but even on the second viewing, when I knew a character's death was arriving, I couldn't wait for them to happen. I'm not a sick individual but it's so much fun watching one right after the other dropping down on the ground. And as Sullivan falls to the ground in the film's final scene and we watch a rat scurry on his window sill, we look back and want to see that last half hour again. Just for the fun of it.