Good, but Overrated

Rating: 8/10 (11 February 2007)

From what I had heard, The Departed was supposed to be an amazing flick, but it really ended up being just a little above average. I was one of the big supporters of the film at the beginning. I had people all around saying, "That looks so bad," but I knew it looked like a great movie. How can you possibly go wrong with a cast consisting of Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nickolson, and Mark Wahlberg? First off, the performances were probably what made this movie. If not for the sensational acting, The Departed just would not be worth watching. Leonardo was great as the lead, and Jack Nickolson was classic as the crime boss. Matt Damon was good, but he didn't really play that big of a part until the very end. However, the performance that really stood out here was that of Mark Wahlberg. He REALLY proved he can act here with an incredibly memorable character.
The plot felt like something new, and I was on the edge of my seat for most of the movie. However, I had many issues with the film. For one, the ending made me want to throw up. One of the worst endings to a film I've ever seen! Secondly, there were just too many plot elements that were left wide open and many things that were never given any explanation whatsoever.
The Departed was good, but if you want to see an amazing crime movie, stick with Alpha Dog. Alpha Dog is underrated, so you won't really know what to expect.