"Infernal Affairs" or "The Departed" ?

Finally, Martin Scorsese won the Oscar for his newest movie, “The Departed”.
As you know, “The Departed” is based on a Hong Kong movie “Infernal Affairs”. So if you access to YouTube or something, there are lots of debates, vitriolic criticisms or even nasty racist’s remarks on which one is better than the other.

If you ask me what is my take on that, I think you would like the one which you watched first. Whether you see “Infernal Affairs” or “The Departed” first, because the sudden departure of your boss is so shocking, because the gradual showdown with your invisible opponent is so thrilling, and because an outcome of that showdown is so unpredictable, you can’t escape from strong and almost forcible impact when you judge the other.

Personally, I prefer “Infernal Affairs” to “The Departed”. Vulnerability and solitude of Tony Leung, a seemingly tenuous, but firm affection of Superintendent Wong toward Tony Leung, and a sentimental flashback that suggests that Tony wishs he had taken a different path in his life, all appeals to my preference. To be honest, I was, and still am so influenced by Tony Leung’s afflicted gesture in THAT falling down scene to the point where I scratch my hair when I encounter shocking events!! (Of course, I am humming that song in my head). Oh, don’t forget that breathtakingly beautiful rooftop scene!. A clear and serene sky against which two men stand with one pointing a gun to the other risking their lives.

Whereas Dicaprio’s character has a contact with his boss, their relationship is not as deep or affectionate as the one between Tony and Wong. So when time came, I couldn’t sympathize to them as much as I cried to Tony and Wong. And I watched "Infernal Affairs" first of course...

Or maybe, I was just so disappointed to see Alec Baldwin transformed into a petulant and foul-mouthed salary-man whom I can easily find on Friday night’s train here. Time wears on, and people change. I know it. But...I am always speaking as if I am a CIA officer when I am delivering a speech in public. Get back to me that intelligent Jack Ryan in “Hunt for The Red October”!!!