kongwong

Just remember that when you go watch the movie.

It is the adaptation of the graphic novel and is not about historical accuracy.

It is an excellent movie with graphics to die for.

Maybe the "freedom" overtone was a bit over the top, but it is quite enjoyable. About the Persians, well, we know it is not accurately depicted. Phlanx do not fight the way they fight in the movie neither. So whatever compliant on that front is very stupid.

However, one should never forget, the Spartans died defending Greece despite Greece was not united and had internal strife well before the Persians invasion. Yet the Spartans died defending its neighbors and allies. And whatever advance the Persian had in poetical or social arena, they were nonetheless the aggressors.

This movie has some nice CGI special effect and thats about the only good thing I can say about movie.

It has a poorly written script and even worse direction. The plot holes are laughable. The characters never fully developed. The story was as predictable as it can be. The experienced actors were wasted with bad lines and limited expositions. The central character need a real actor behind it.

Eragon tried to be a Lord of the Ring clone, except the producers and the directors forgot how many hours Peter Jackson and his team put in on working the script.

This isn't a movie that deserve its Chritmas slot. I hope the sequel never gets made.

Save your money and get a burger or something. This movie is not worth the film it is shot on.

Just watched it last night and can't help but think how much better the original "Infernal Affairs" was compare to "The Departed." The Departed had wasted its cast power, failed to fully develop the characters, failed to focus on the inner conflict for the two undercover, didn't make enough of a point in betrayal, and tried but failed to made up with Scorsess' trade mark violence and sex.

I didn't feel the inner conflict of Matt Damon the same as Andy Lau. I couldn't help but feel for Jack when Matt betrayed him while I could understand Andy's inevitable turn and his trying to be a better person than he was.

I couldn't feel for Leonardo. He was crying and breaking up after what? SIX MONTHs? Damn! Tony Leung was a undercover for nine years and he didn't sign up because he chose to, he signed up because that was the only way he could be a cop! Martin Sheen got shafted in his role. There was no time for his character to develop a believable relationship with Leonardo. His screen time was wasted. When he got pushed off the roof, Leonardo wasn't feeling the loss of his only life-line to the world, there was still Mark, he wasn't feeling the loss of a trusted friend, there was no friendship, he wasn't feeling the loss of a fatherly figure, and the only emotion he could have was the shock from the brutality of the murder.

Mark Walhberg and Alec Baldwin got shafted, too. Mark Walhberg was reduced to a foul mouth asshole turned plot device. What do we need him for other than showing up at the end to put Matt out? Alec Baldwin? His whole highlight was to make that stupid speech about marriage at the golf course? COME ON! The only bright spot in this movie is Jack Nicholson. But even his talent is wasted because he had no one but "Mr. French" to play off his evilness. The classic scene of the original Infernal Affair had Jack's character to confront his counter part in the police station with some of the most memorable moment of the film. Jack has no counter part in "The Departed" and his brilliance was wasted. (The dock encounter was lousy with Martin Sheen making empty threats and Mark Walhberg just running his mouth off.) Matt Damon and Leonardo Dicaprio made lousy under covers, nowhere up to the professionalism showed in the original. Even the confrontation at the end lack the power of the original with the surprise. More dead bodies and more punches and elbows actually subtracted the suspense and the confrontation. There was nothing like the psychological confrontation with the calm manner in the original. Instead, we had elbows flying and a character cracking up crying. Mark Walhberg's existence actually ruined the helplessness of Leonardo. Unlike the original, logically he didn't have to do it alone.

"The Departed" is a good movie if only it wasn't a remake. There is a reason it is not doing well in Hong Kong. The original is much much better plot wise and character wise. The acting was superb in both movie but the script and the direction was the difference. Even though the plot was essentially the same, Infernal Affair was a much better movie.

Watch the original if you haven't seen it, and see the difference in camera work and characters.

Its a bit errie to watch this film when Dr. Reiss' lab is just under my seat. Yes, I watch this action packed film right in the Mall where the lab was suppose to be and all the audience chuckled when the actors spoke in Chinese or what they think is Chinese.

This film is a good action movie with the standard Hollywood fancy which leads to a lot of special effect, explosions, gunfights, fist fights, pretty girl in bikini, pretty girl in nothing but a towel and very little senses. There are lots of eye candies, and nothing you will remember.

It could be a better film if someone take out like .05% of the overall budget and pay some real writer to create a plausible, belivable and enjoyable plot. Instead, we have a stright forward line that consist of shoot them up and shoot some more with a villian thats not even half competitant, a heroine with an emotion crisis only in the last minute of the film, and a dude who does a 180 with no sign offered at all. The movie's climax, if it was a climax, was very disappointing.

It is a hollywood summer action movie, what else do you expect.