Hong Kong Infernal Affairs returned 69.7× its production cost, earning $8.7M against a $125K budget — one of the highest-return Hong Kong films in our catalog.
Synopsis
無間道
“Loyalty. Honor. Betrayal.”
Chan Wing Yan, a young police officer, has been sent undercover as a mole in the local mafia. Lau Kin Ming, a young mafia member, infiltrates the police force. Years later, their older counterparts, Chen Wing Yan and Inspector Lau Kin Ming, respectively, race against time to expose the mole within their midst.
Reception Benchmarks
Ranked #19 of 836 Hong Kong films indexed here (98th percentile by TMDB audience score).
Rating is +1.5 points above the Hong Kong average of 6.3/10.
Among Hong Kong Drama productions specifically: #12 of 311 (top 4%).
Audience Engagement
1,447 audience reviews — more than 98% of Hong Kong films in our index.
Popularity sits at the 88th percentile among Hong Kong films.
Budget & Box Office Efficiency
At a 1h 41m runtime, production spent $1K per minute on screen and earned $86K per minute back.
Other Titles From Media Asia Films
Drama + Action in Hong Kong
136 Hong Kong titles in our catalog blend the Drama and Action genres. Below: the top-rated of them (excluding Infernal Affairs itself).
The 2001–2003 Hong Kong Window
Among 43 Hong Kong films we catalog from this window, Infernal Affairs places #2 — near the top of its class.
The 2000s Hong Kong Landscape
Catalog density by release year across the 2000s in Hong Kong, 146 titles in total. Highlighted year (yellow) is when Infernal Affairs premiered alongside 12 others.
Position in Catalog
Released alongside 12 other Hong Kong films in 2002.
The 540th Hong Kong title from Hong Kong we index (earliest catalogued entry: 1955).
Our Hong Kong catalog contains 836 titles in total (828 films).
Production Details
| Primary Country | Hong Kong |
|---|---|
| Original Language | Cantonese |
| Spoken Languages | Mandarin, Thai, Cantonese |
| Production Companies | Media Asia Films |
| Runtime | 1h 41m |
| Release Date | December 12, 2002 |
| IMDb | tt0338564 |
Questions Answered
Was Infernal Affairs profitable?
Yes — Infernal Affairs earned $8.7M against a production budget of $125K, a return of 69.7× its cost.
How highly rated is Infernal Affairs?
Among Hong Kong Asian filmss in this catalog, Infernal Affairs ranks #19 of 836 — in the top 2%.