Don't care who directed it, who were the actors, I don't stick to brand names.
They turned Hong Kong classic "Infernal Affairs" into a real Hollywood cowboy flick.
"Infernal Affairs," had this delicate touch, like a fine dim sum, revealing the moral gray areas these characters were navigating. But in "The Departed," subtlety took a one-way ticket to Mars. They hammer you over the head with the morality, like, "Hey, in case you didn't get it, these guys are morally conflicted!"
Character depth? Yeah, not here, buddy. "Infernal Affairs" was all about digging deep into these characters' souls. "The Departed" turns them into cardboard cutouts with flashy badges. I mean, come on, guys, these are characters, not action figures.
Now, violence. Yeah, "Infernal Affairs" had some violence, but it was more like precision surgery. "The Departed" is like a gorilla with a chainsaw. It's like they said, "More blood, more guts, more shock value!" I get it, it's Hollywood, but subtlety is your friend, people!
"The Departed" might be a decent flick on its own, but if you're a fan of "Infernal Affairs," it's like eating a Big Mac after savoring some gourmet dim sum. Sometimes, Hollywood should just leave well enough alone and let the classics shine on their own.