Infernal Affairs II(25th Anniversary of HKFCS Awards)

As the legend begins, the suffering continues. It’s no small feat to formulate a decent prequel to a phenomenon, harder still to finish it within weeks, next to impossible to measure up, downright miraculous to surpass the original. Andrew Lau and Alan Mak pull off the impossible by backing things to before the 1997 Reunification, rigging it with operatic emotions and powerhouse acting. Gleefully ripping off The Godfather Trilogy, Infernal Affairs II essays the conflicting pulls of family, morality and professionalism, laying down a post-fab foundation for the IA franchise that’s at once far-fetched and fascinating.