Infernal Affairs
A cold, noir-infused descent into a concrete purgatory where two souls, trapped in mirror-image deceptions, wander a maze of rooftops and Morse code while their identities slowly dissolve into the shadows.
Infernal Affairs
Infernal Affairs

無間道

"Loyalty. Honor. Betrayal."

12 December 2002 Hong Kong 101 min ⭐ 7.8 (1,778)
Director: Alan Mak Siu-Fai Andrew Lau Wai-Keung
Cast: Andy Lau, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Eric Tsang Chi-Wai, Kelly Chen
Drama Crime Action Thriller Mystery
Identity Crisis and Duality Moral Ambiguity and Karma Isolation and Trust Post-Colonial Anxiety
Budget: $6,400,000
Box Office: $8,836,958

Infernal Affairs - Characters & Cast

Character Analysis

Chan Wing-yan

Tony Leung Chiu-wai

Archetype: The Tragic Hero
Key Trait: Melancholy and moral integrity

Motivation

To regain his true identity and prove he is a 'good man' by taking down the Triad boss, Hon Sam.

Character Arc

Chan begins the film as a man exhausted by ten years of undercover work, clinging to the hope of reclaiming his status as a cop. He finds a brief sense of peace with his psychiatrist, but ultimately sacrifices his life for the truth.

Lau Kin-ming

Andy Lau

Archetype: The Antihero
Key Trait: Calculated and conflicted

Motivation

To fully transition into a 'good man' by erasing his past, even if it requires further acts of betrayal.

Character Arc

Lau starts as a successful officer enjoying the trappings of a 'good life.' However, he becomes desperate to erase his criminal ties. He 'wins' by surviving, but is condemned to a living hell of permanent deception.

Wong Chi-shing

Anthony Wong

Archetype: The Mentor / Father Figure
Key Trait: Stoic and duty-bound

Motivation

To dismantle Hon Sam's empire and protect the undercover agents he has put in harm's way.

Character Arc

A stern but caring superintendent who serves as Chan's only link to the real world. His death is the catalyst for the final conflict.

Hon Sam

Eric Tsang

Archetype: The Shadow Mentor
Key Trait: Charismatic and paranoid

Motivation

To expand his criminal empire and maintain control by rootting out any internal threats.

Character Arc

A ruthless Triad boss who treats his subordinates with a mix of generosity and extreme suspicion. He believes he can manipulate fate, but is ultimately betrayed by the very man he planted in the police force.

Cast

Andy Lau as Lau Kin Ming
Tony Leung Chiu-wai as Chan Wing Yan
Anthony Wong Chau-Sang as Wong Chi Shing
Eric Tsang Chi-Wai as Hon Sam
Kelly Chen as Lee Sum Yee
Sammi Cheng as Mary
Elva Hsiao as May
Chapman To Man-Chat as Silly Keung
Gordon Lam Ka-Tung as Inspector B
Shawn Yue as Young Chan Wing Yan
Edison Chen as Young Lau Kin Ming
Berg Ng Ting-Yip as Senior Inspector Cheung
Wan Chi-Keung as Officer Leung
Dion Lam as Del Piero
Tony Ho as Suspect