We voiced concern over this remake (as we did for 99% of all others) when it was first announced, and it looks like we might have had due concern.
News in from Empire on an interview with Mark Wahlberg tells us that things have indeed departed from the original script.
“I’m a cop. I’m actually Leo’s commanding officer and Matt Damon’s commanding officer. I can’t tell you what happens but I start killing people, left, right and centre. I play a crazy fucking psycho. They’re rewriting the script and my part right now, so…”
Have you noticed the subtle differences already? Empire point it out quite well when they say…
…Inspector Wong, who was in the same position in the Hong Kong film, completely failed to go crazy and kill everyone. In fact, he verged on the cuddly as he shepherded Tony Leung’s undercover cop-among-the-gangsters and unwittingly mentioned Andy Lau’s undercover-gangster-in-the-cops.
Different is hardly the word. So what can we expect now? Not a lot of the original I would think judging from the above. Now I know this is going to get some fans of the original upset, so feel free to comment. Does this bode well? Does Hollywood need to stop rewriting when they remake, or is it necessary to ensure success? Where can the Departed go now?
Hmmm… suddenly I’m very happy they changed the name. This isn’t going to be Internal Affairs.
I pray that it isn’t so. If that’s true, it will be the first sign of the maniacal rewrites that are to come to the rest of the characters and the story.
Anthony Wong did a splendid job with that character, cool and respectful, but also a tad dark. Personally, I would prefer a much older, wiser equivalent (or perhaps Edward Norton; Norton is a helluva of an actor). I don’t appreciate Walhberg much, to tell the true. My hope goes to Nicholson and if Brad Pitt were still in, he would get my vote too.
Anyway, this remake seems to me like a bad idea just from the scratch. The cultural differences make it really hard to convey the subtleties of the original.
Well, it’s a remake, right? Can’t make tall orders.
My two cents, for what it’s worth.
Sarcasm.
i think he’s joking. knowing people are concerned about changes to the amazing story it’s based off. i think he’s just fooling around in the interview, trying to push buttons. even though it’s a remake, i still think they would rather people not know all the details of the story. most moviegoers will go into this movie blind about what happens with the lead characters.
I’m not too sure what that second part means:
“Inspector Wong, who was in the same position in the Hong Kong film, completely failed to go crazy and kill everyone. In fact, he verged on the cuddly as he shepherded Tony Leung’s undercover cop-among-the-gangsters”.
Are people suggesting that the character of Inspector Wong is flawed because he wasn’t psycho?
I think that the change in the Inspector’s character will kill the message of the movie.
Im sure it’ll still be good , but it sounds nothing like Infernal Affairs now.