| 
Story by: Jack Foley
HOLLYWOOD remakes don't come with as much potential as their
take on Hong Kong thriller, Infernal Affairs, given the talent
involved.
After months of speculation and rumour, cast details (and a name)
have finally been revealed for the eagerly-anticipated affair.
The movie is to be renamed The Departed and will unite Matt Damon
and Leonardo DiCaprio, under the direction of Martin Scorsese.
Damon is currently riding high in the US Box Office with The
Bourne Supremacy, the critically-acclaimed
sequel to The Bourne Identity,
and is also set to appear in Ocean's
12, while DiCaprio will reunite with Scorsese following their
work together on The Gangs of
New York and the upcoming, Aviator.
Infernal Affairs is, of course, the story of an undercover cop
in the Triads and a Triad mole in the police force, who become
aware of each other's existence, and are forced to seek each other
out before they themselves are discovered.
|
 |
The action unfolded in the form of
a tense game of cat and mouse on the streets of Hong Kong.
The remake will feature Damon as an Irish-American gangster,
who has infiltrated the Boston police department, with DiCaprio
as the cop hiding out amid the gangsters.
The potential for success is huge, given the talent involved
- although die-hard fans of the Hong Kong original will be quick
to point out that Hollywood rarely gets it right when it comes
to remaking such movies.
Damon, certainly, seems ideally cast as the villain of the piece,
and will no doubt building on the strong, silent menace he has
displayed in both the Bourne movies, while DiCaprio has long been
considered one of the brightest actors of his generation - although
it remains to be seen whether he can cut it as an action star.
Scorsese, though, should at least guarantee that the grit of
the original remains intact, even if some of the scenarios and
plot details are changed.
The film looks set to be one of next year's hottest prospects,
though...
|
