The Departed—Movie Review
May 30, 2012I saw this film for the first time yesterday after reading both good and bad comments. I assumed the negative reviews generally came from those who had watched Infernal Affairs—the movie this is based on—people not entirely satisfied with Scorsese’s take on the Hong Kong original.
I would like to begin by stating that I saw the original Infernal Affairs a week ago, making it fresh in my memory. That film was a complex thriller, one which got straight to the point. The Departed on the other hand focuses on storytelling, and whilst staying faithful to the original, becomes its own film.
Scorsese has taken a great film and turned it into a masterpiece with breath-taking violence and superb character development. If fans were expecting a shot-for-shot remake, they obviously don’t understand why Scorsese is regarded as one of the best directors of all time.
The acting of all the leads was magnificent. They all looked extremely comfortable in their roles. I truly believe this was the film that won over all Leonardo DiCaprio detractors. He delivered an astounding performance, showing a gritty side to his character. I actually felt in parts that he was every bit as good as Mr Nicholson. Accolade also has to be heaped on Damon. He came into his own as the sneaky but smooth rouge cop. Add Sheen, Whalberg, Baldwin and Winstone to the mix and you easily have the best cast of 2006.
Of course no movie is perfect—although this stakes a strong claim—but the only disappointing aspect of the film will be from the perspective of those who have seen the original. I am ultimately referring to the ending. Whilst anyone seeing this film for the first time will most probably embrace the climax, those who have seen the original will know what I mean.
That aside, this movie has marked its place alongside such classics as Goodfellas, Raging Bull and Scarface.
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