An orgiastic bloodbath - elevated by great performances

Rating: 10/10 (6 October 2006)

What started as a Hong Kong thriller has been elevated by the masterful touch of Scorcese. The Departed is most certainly a return to themes touched upon in older films such as Goodfellas, and even Taxi Driver, but more than his other recent projects, it seems Scorcese has "matured". Yes, this sounds strange - a director like him has always been an eloquent and masterful one - but here it seems as though he is looking back upon his career and making decisions based upon those that seemed correct in his past. The film? why worry - the plot is as similar as Heat, or any other crime thriller - the secret is in the delivery, and the way the director coaxes masterful performances from the cast. Magnificent.