The Departed Review

Saw this early morning Friday and I felt that two scenes in (both rooftop scenes, to be exact) were executed more beautifully in the Departed BUT the ways the scenes ENDED were so unsatisfying. The drug trade scene in the original is still one of the best moments I have seen in modern cinema but in the remake it was just horrible. The original had so much tension with the morse code signals but here all the tension was lost when they just did it with a cell phone. And that last shot DID SUCK the big one. Despite these negatives, I still found it to be a very good piece of pop entertainment.

It's good but it's no Infernal Affairs (unlike what most U.S. critics have lead people to believe). I find it sad that The Departed will receive most of the credit while Infernal Affairs will sit on the video store shelf unrented or unbought. I found it to be irritating to hear audience members talk about how the plot was so original, smart, and the ending so shocking.

havent seen it but what really annoys me that a lot fo reviewers (obviously not you and here!) dont even mention or what's worse: dont even know that its a remake. best scorsese film, best american film, aargh! that makes me so angry that i already hate it.

'the departed' has probably a clearer (ultimately - it takes its time to get there, but its clearer in my mind than 'infernal affairs' is or was) but far more familiar story to it, some compromises - love interest? - that feel a little out of place, and i am never convinced by the younger generation of actors that were supposed to have faith in. di caprio, damon, walberg are all good in this film, though we're far too aware of them as people outside there work so the lack of relative mystery (compared to those like nicholson that are either relative enigmas still, or that produced the main creditable performances in a time where the surplus info is now lost from) makes for a less convincing character in the film. i didnt find 'the departed' to be particularly carefully crafted of well shot in terms of cinematography - chris doyles 'infernal affairs' in head and shoulders above this, even though that dark, almost chrome-like shooting style / pallette of colours is fairly common now - and in the end it doesnt really feel like a remake, more of an 'inspired by' with the basic premise in place and a different story enveloping it; it makes no attempt to portray its roots as creditable, as a selling-point as with other films that have japanese / HK origins.

Personally, after the rave reviews IA received from kfcfilms when it first came out, I was pretty disappointed when I finally got around to seeing it -- though I may revisit it again relatively soon.

OTOH I enjoyed The Departed a great deal and I'd have to say that this review probably covers it pretty well: http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=24227 FWIW, all 3 of dvdtalk's reviews cover both and some have a pretty good comparison of the two.

I really enjoyed this movie. it had a great plot, but where i felt it was lacking was in explaining the characters more. i could tell that the characters where developing and chaning but i felt like too much of an outsider to it. i wanted to be let in.

Horrible ending. The metaphorical rat.... GAWD! It was a cop out and I wanted more creativity for the end.

Still, the rest was great and I was truly, as cliche as it sounds, on the edge of my seat. Waiting to see who the first guy to get caught would be. Loved it til the end.

~Drewbacca
MoviePatron.com

I have not see The Departed. I do not wish to. Please do yourselves a favour and go see Infernal Affairs, that movie is awsome. The only reason The Deaprted was made was for lazy westerners who can't be bothered with subtitles and possibly the Oscars. But who cares about a movie academy that praised Titanic? They should all do us a favour and sink away to oblivion.

Just came from viewing "The Departed" and as Peter Martin commented, "The Departed" was better than expected but not as good as I hoped" That final shot was something I would not have expected from a Scorcese film!!! As James Cagney would exhort..."you dirty rat you!!!" Call me a purist, but I'll take "Infernal Affairs" any day over Scorcese's take on it.

I saw the movie and though it was great! I thought all the stars played a good roll and contributed to the over good movie. I especially like Jack and Leinardos parts (and i am not really a Decapro fan, but he was great)- they were very intense and beleivable. Nickolson is great. The move was full of suspence and mob style violance. Great move and would see it again.

it was pretty damn amazing. the sound/editing/cinematography were seriously intense. for those who have seen it, what was with that short scene of jack at the operah and then at home with those two women?? so frickin' random and spectacular. loved it.

I saw Infernal Affairs at SIFF in the Cinerama movie theater a few years ago knowing little about it other than the fact that it was a highly-touted HK crime thriller (seriously, if you've never been to SIFF or the Cinerama in Seattle, you're missing out). Regardless, I was disappointed that Infernal Affairs came across as a lot of visual panache and melodrama but with little more than a A-grade genre thriller. People seem to think this trilogy is Hong Kong Godfather but it isn't even close. Infernal Affairs is good entertainment but it's no Goodfellas, maybe a Usual Suspects.

The Departed is simply a variation on the original. I don't think Scorsese was shooting that high either. Like Spike Lee's Inside Man earlier in the year, The Departed is Scorsese's attempt to make a solid genre film and maybe get the leverage as a result to make films that are more personal and engaging to him.

Have fun, enjoy yourself, go see the movie. There's definitely more good than bad in this remake (which is the very rare occasion that a Hollywood remake isn't a total insult to your intelligence).

For those of you complaining about the rat at the end, I wonder if you've thought of the symbolism behind it. Not only does the shot show a rat, but it shows a rat in front of Beacon Hill. I have no idea about MS's politics, but it seems to me to be quite fitting given the corruption, not only in Boston (e.g., Big Dig), but in US government (e.g., J. Abramov). I could be full of it, but it seems like a very uncharacteristic scene to not have any deeper meaning.

well, i haven't seen the movie but definitely read enough reviews to make me go and see it. reason being that i am a big movie fan and i want to compare the two; i loved the original 'infernal affairs' and still does. the movie stands out in almost every single aspects. however, what really depresses me is how the filmmakers decided to make the pre-and sequel to it, which i think sucked all the way. why can't the filmmakers be more independant and say 'to hell with money'. i still think a good movie should stands on its own and not elaborate any further.
also, as much as i love chris doyle's cinematography, i have to point out to the comment made by 'logboy' here, that 'infernal affairs' was not shot by chris doyle; but the director Andrew Lau with another collaborator (which i don't know his english name). however, chris does serve as a visual effects consultant, so don't get it wrong. in fact, andrew lau started of as a cameraman to chris long time ago in few of wong kar-wai's films, and later moved to become a director himself. he shots most of his films himself. One reason i admired his work, anyway, i hope 'the departed' will be a good movie. i really hope Marty could make it this time, after many times being over-extravagant with his work. he, however, is still a wonderful director.

THE RAT.

Okay folks maybe the rat is symbolic... But if you've listened to a lot of Scorsese's commentaries and read his interviews (Scorsese on Scorsese is a great one) you kind of pick up on his like to "wink" at the auidence and his likes of such "winks" in genre films. I don't mean to say that the last shot isn't a visual refrence to the theme of the story, but I think it isn't meant to be a really serious deep thing. It's a crime genre picture. Think of the great train robbery shot in Goodfellas, for example. Anyway, I thought the last shot was a bit silly, but somehow it seemed right. It quickly got rid of the over pretentious feeling that MOST directors would have tried to grab to make their film look grand. Think of Road to perdition's last shot. Give me a frickin break, Sam! It's a american Lone wolf and cub/serial comic adaptation! Stop trying to force feed grand-ness down our throats and just be confident in your material... As Scorsese is with this film.

The Departed is an adaptation of a good HK cop thriller. Neither it nor Interal Affairs is a grand masterpeice of film art and nethier are paticularly original, but both are excellent genre films. Just as Yojimbo is not really a deep film, yet both it and Fist Full of Dollars are such excellent cinema, loved by so many the world over.

loved the movie and JN was perfct as the baddie. What is driving me mad is the name of that guitar piece over the credits I had goose bumps in the dark. anybody know? I thought it was Roy Buchanon not sure though

I enjoyed the first half of the movie, but, honestly, I found myself looking at my watch every twelve minutes during the second half. It seemed to me to dragggggg onnnnnn. The dialogue is great in spots - emotionally taking the audience to different places. And the acting - for the most part- was superb. Though., I'm not a Nicholson fan. He is basically a cocky old man. And EVERYBODY loves him, but I find his character choices cutesy rather than compelling, as if he's trying to win favor with audiences rather than create an inspiring character. But, he's good at pleasing the audiences, so...don't see it, unless you want to.

I really enjoyed the movie. Never saw Internal Affairs, really could care less about it. I thought that JN was a little over bearing as the baddie... I think he enjoyed the 'coolness' a little too much. Matt Damon was prick, so he did a good job and I loved mark Wahlberg's character. Ending, kinda expected it. No one ever gets out a live except for Henry Hill, but did he really? Also, the rat... MS is a legend, and i think I could've done that. I understand the imagery, but come on. Okay for this last show i want to show corruption in government and since we have said rat so many times in this film lets just have a rat scurry in fron of a government building... come on. Good movie though... I guess I will go see IA though.

For those who have not seen the original film - Infernal Affairs then you would say this is a great film, maybe the ending was a let down.
I have seen the original and that was a master piece, and this remake just cannot live up to it. They had to change certain parts of the original and that was the mistake - you don't mess about with a classic master piece!
I dont think any of the scenes in The Departed can better Infernal Affairs, i was hoping this would at least live up to the original but i was very disappointed.
A good film overall but Infernal Affairs will forever stay in my mind while this will just sadly fade away.

Anyone catch the not-so-subtle Chris Doyle "Chungking Experss" nod in the middle of the film, considering Doyle was also cinematographer for the original Infernal Affairs, has to be intentional.

Good political commentary: Alec Baldwins characters shameless love of the patriot act.

Bad political commentary: The closing shot. Put me on the side of those who think the rat is strictly amateur hour.

Still The Departed is much more gritty than Infernal Affairs (can anyone say most-head-shots-ever?) IA went way more for style (Again Doyle in there makes a big difference) and seemed to be aiming to be a genre picture first and foremost. The Departed straddles the line between genre pic and trying to be something more. It almost gets there a couple times, but in the end it is a very, very well salted and seasoned genre picture, and maybe some of the cultural humour in the original went past me, but I just found The Departed to be a lot 'funnier,' especially with the addition of Wahlbergs character.

Final Verdict: Both are excellent, both have strengths in entirely differen places. You'll always remember IA if you hopped on that ride first, but the remake is damn fine too. Other than that closing shot, the remake is well deserved of the praise it is getting and the original is the 21st century milestone in HK cinema.

well just saw it and love both movies despite their flaws.
i thought the characterisation and dialogue is much better in The Departed but the tension and set-ups in Infernal Affairs more satisfying. Jack Nicholsons overplays too much but FKN wahlberg was the star of the show for me. I personally never saw a more quotable movie since pulp fiction in the vein of, well all the smart-ass-talk movies. And i did not feel the decision of the psychiatrist to cheat on colin makes her slutty or unbelievable. quite the opposite. i thought the weak link was Damon, not in his performance, but for the fact that like Peter Martin observed, lost control in the end and would not get to that high rank being that squeamy little weasel he played. and i liked the end :)
still not godfellas-good but one of the better scorseses.

bye, toni

I enjoyed the film very much, and I'll make sure to see Infernal Affairs to compare. I'd actually anticipated seeing a rat crawling around in the digger that Costello's body feel into, but I have to say that the last shot was pretty cheesy! Spookily, when my sons and I walked out of the cinema, there was a car parked out front with the number plate V7 RAT!
There was one oddity which didn't make sense unless I missed something -- when Billy visited Madolyn at her apartment, she was packing to leave and the picture of her as a girl was there. But she had already moved in with Colin and showed him the same picture in his apartment. Is it me or just sloppy continuity?

Good point, Malcolm (re: the photo of her as a girl). In a way, I guess her still being at her own place was a bit odd (appeared a bit thrown in).

But, overall, I'm gonna have to agree with you that this was a damn enjoyable film. Perhaps one of my faves of all-time. I will also agree with some of you who said the ending was sorta cheesy and bad. I've been trying to stuff that thought down as 99% of the movie was/is damn awesome, but I can admit that when the ending happened (not the rat part), I was a tad groanish.

why is everybody so set off by showing "the building" at the end ?
do you all think it represents justice ?
I thought it was VERY sarcastic, meaning this is the only justice
you can get in these times
patriot act, patriot act, i love it, i love it.

Come on, gang. It was a cross between Shakespeare and a murder mystery! All the bodies at the end. Everyone killing everyone else because they "knew too much." And for me the rat at the end was pure Shakespeare! Too, the bodies all over the stage, everyone bleeding, the "hero" dead, too. I really think you were supposed to think, "ohmygod, what a crazy frigging mess". And it WAS melodrama! You were supposed to laugh when Colin disses his partner in the elevator!

I felt that the story had to end the way it did, from a logical standpoint. If you had had the diCaprio character live it would have been the same old same old--Damon's character and he have the big chase scene at the end, or somehow, the envelope (the MacGuffin, if you will) would contain something that would convict him, even if diCaprio died.

And I loved when Colin opened the door and we saw the feet first in gauze. I was completely surprised at who he met at the door. Again, pure murder mystery!

As for the female character's motivation--I think her character was defined perfectly. She isn't slutty, just human, plus she has an attraction for the suffering underdog. Remember, her dad was an alkie. Plus, she likes the challenge. Remember at the dinner when Colin says, "Who said I want to see you again?" She is completely, completely believable! Then, she does choose to go with off with the Colin character in spite of her tryst with idCaprio. She clearly feels guilt.

Perhaps my favorite line was when Colin and she were in bed, and he made some comment about being Irish and that the Irish always stay in a bad situation, no matter how wrong. The dialogue was some of the best I've heard in years.

Scorsese was having "fun"! The rat at the end was the clue to that. Sort of, "Okay, gang, did you get it?" It reminded me a lot of Pulp Fiction in places. I have to tell you, I was riveted to the screen, and not once did I feel disconnected. I think it was supposed to engage your mind and thrill you, more like a carnival ride than a deep emotional experience. The story carried me to the end. I suspect that many a patron of the Old Vic left the theater feeling the same way. What a great ride!

I have lots of admiration for Martin Scorsese and the actors, but I really think this remake of Infernal Affairs do not come anywhere close and it was shocking to know how the american critics had hyped it up so much and made it sounded like it was such an original masterpiece where truth is: It is not. It is an absolutely lousy intepretation of Infernal Affairs but so little credit was given to Infernal Affairs original script. I could watch Infernal Affairs so many times but I was trying to get The Departed over and done with when I first watched it. It was so boring and shallow. The high context suspense and intricacies of the original script is no where to be seen in the departed, all I saw were desperate attempts to mimic and recreate the Infernal Affairs's mastery for the American audience. I cannot be more disappointed and it's to my utter shock that Martin Scorsese actually won an Oscar for this. I wonder how are things judged at the Osacrs, I really wonder.

This movie was epic...I have watched this movie over 10 times 3 of which were in theaters and everytime i see it i learn more things about the story. I would give this movie a four star rateing as a highschool senior.