Vastly disappointed at Director Martin.... felt it could had been done better

Rating: 5/10 (31 October 2006)

I went into the cinema with high expectations on this film because of two reasons:
big cast w/ renown director and a Hollywood budget production. I am so sorry but in my personal opinion INfernal affairs in terms of plot was defo miles ahead of The Departed and here is how I would explain it, the major fault was the failure to display the characters inner struggle at the mental level:
1) excessive use of foul language to an unnecessary level... a level that actually hindered me from understanding what the actors were trying to say off their lines.
2) Felt that the director struggled to find a rhythm for the film, and tried too hard to fit in original scenes into this one, e.g. the cast-breaking scene when Leo D had his hand smacked on the table. golf practice scene.
Being inspired and plagiarism are two diff things in which unfortunately this film belongs to the 2nd CAT.
3) I don't see the core elements shining thru as much as IA, the contrast between good and evil despite a mis-match of physical identities. the contrast between the good vs. bad group is not presented strongly enough.
e.g. how they got young version of Matt Damon to pledge loyalty to the crimelord.......surely any kid wont understand what it meant when the crimelord helps him the 1st time literally for nothing... seemed like Jack Nicholson decided to be Santa that day and walked into the grocery to make sure the kid receives food/things under his name and practically not items from HIS shop but a poor food shop owner who had been harassed for protection fees just 3 mins ago.
4)the killing scenes?? supposedly a battle of wits, now it;s become random killing occasions. I cant see a trace of premeditation here, even the killing of Nicholson by Matt D was made to look as a total accident (i.e killed him out of self defense) From a viewers point of view I was thinking... Oh! just another one down, it kinda became a laugh at the end when 3 person where consecutively shot dead outside the lift........ and us poor viewers totally had NO clue what the motifs were at all.
OH not to mention that the death of Martin Sheen was so awkward!! deliberately slowing down his fall from the building... geez it nearly did made me think that it was a doll.
5) whats up with the Chinese crime org trading with the Irish gang? cant even speak cantonese properly...nor did he sound cruel. I really dun know how the crew picked their cast, esp knowing that a cantonese audience will be watching this film.
6) apparently bits and pieces of the plot were transferred to TD which for a person like me who had seen IA before found it stale, unoriginal and most importantly bored.
This film had failed to convince me to view a story with a similar backbone from another perspective. Because of a fragmented plot line, I can only give it a 5 at most. However I think Leo D's performance was a breakthrough and he deserves praise for that. Jack Nicholson also played the crimelord well... cruelty without an expression of fear or guilt, perfect. The psychiatrist role was also pretty good...playing justice for the both of these moles, although I would prefer if Vera played the wife of the crimelord cos she seemed to be witty and sly at times.
I bet Martin was prob sticking with his goodfellas blueprint and decided that women in mobster films should always be the dumb blonde.