Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

I didn't feel that this was a unnecessary prequel but it's still competent. So if you liked the first one, this won't ruin this franchise for you. This prequel delves into how Chan Wing-yan earned the trust of the Triad bosses. Lau Kin-ming affair or one sided love with Hon Sam's wife. His work and his cunning executions while working for Ngai Kwun a Triad Boss. This prequel builds some sympathy for Hon, his grief and his rise to power. It further delves into some unnecessary subplots but it did a alright job of showing insight to the two moles younger years. Some parts did not seem all that consistent when it comes to the narrative and some parts did come off a bit corny. But overall, it's a competent prequel that came about thanks to the first one's huge success.7/10

INFERNAL AFFAIRS II is a prequel to the smash-hit movie about undercover operatives and their parallel lives in the Hong Kong police and Triads. This one explores the early lives of the characters played by Tony Leung and Andy Lau in the original, the actors replaced by newcomers Shawn Yue and Edison Chen respectively (Yue and Chen had bit parts in INFERNAL AFFAIRS).The problem with this prequel is that it feels hurried and unnecessary, lacking almost all the qualities that made the first film so good. Leung and Lau were engaging actors who brought subtle nuances to their roles, but Chen and Yue feel bland and too fresh-faced in comparison. Realising this, the film-makers spend a lot of screen time with rivals Anthony Wong and Eric Tsang instead, but you can't help feel but the plotting in this one is redundant in contrast to the life-or-death stakes of the gripping original.There's a distinct lack of emotional involvement in the film as the story develops, and although the technical qualities are strong, the twisty-turny plotting isn't. There are the requisite betrayals, executions and bombings, but they have a slightly tired quality to them. This isn't a bad film by any means, but it's one that's easily lost and indistinguishable during a decade in which Johnnie To made seemingly endless variants on similar themes.

this prequel to the first movie is mixed bag,in my opinion.at times,i found it even more muddled and hard to follow than the first film.however the action sequences are very good here.and there are some really gripping edge of your seat moments.once i could figure out what was going on and who was who,i actually found myself getting really involved in the story and the action.overall,i did think it was more exciting than the first film and i cared more about the characters,which makes sense since the movie does delve into the past of the main characters.even though the movie felt muddled at times,the excitement and the gripping moments made up for it.for me,Mou gaan dou II is a 7/10

This is the second installment of Infernal Affairs trilogy, and a prequel to part 1. In this movie the reason for Lau's association with Sam, and Sam's relation with Anthony Wong's character is fleshed out, and how Sam became the triad boss is also told. Edison Chen plays the role of young Lau in the police academy. Two new players Carina Lau, and Kelly Chan plays the role of Sam's wife, and a shrink who would play an important role in part 3.This is one of the best trilogy to be ever made in cinema history, that rivals and may surpass former greats like the God Father. Interesting that the whole drama sort of gets started with human weakness of Lau to various temptations. Although this is a prequel to the first installment, it stands on its own as a good movie, and even if you saw this first, you'd be impressed by the story.One part that's not immediately clear is that the character played by Edison Chen is young Lau, and I'm sure that threw many viewers as to what's going on.The good of this movie was Kelly Chan in her role as the psychologist. She was beautiful, and added key point to the story.If you've seen the other Infernal Affairs movie you'd definitely need to see this one. In fact, Part 3 doesn't make sense unless you've seen Part 2. Great movie to watch by any standards.