I forget what year I saw the original film, Infernal Affairs, that The Departed was based on but I do remember as I sat through that magnificent film thinking what a well crafted story it was. Seeing the two moles try to outwit and catch one another was just intense and mesmerizing. And when the twist came in the end I admit I did not saw it coming, and this coming from a jaded movie watcher like me.

So I was a bit apprehensive when I heard the news that Hollywood was going to make an American version of the film. Let’s face it, Asian movies don’t exactly have a record of being treated right by Hollywood. But then I saw the cast they put together: Leonardo Dicaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Martin Sheen, Mark Wahlberg and Alec Baldwin. Okay. Color me impressed. Then I heard the director was Martin Scorsese and all my fears disappeared. This movie was not just going to be fine, it was going to be legendary.

And I was right. Thank all the fuckin shine boxes that I was right. (Goodfellas represent yo!)

I just finished watching it again just now and an old thought came back to me. It was when I first saw the movie in the theater. If you’ve seen both the original and the remake then you’ll understand what I’ll be saying here. And if you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend you stop reading now since I’ll be spoiling the brilliant ending for you. Now in the original film, when the undercover cop holds a gun to the criminal mole’s head in that dilapidated building, they were joined by another cop who pleads with UC (undercover cop) to let CM (criminal mole) go. Both of them board an elevator and as the door closes a shot is fired by the cop and it hits UC square in the head, instantly killing him. The cop then explains to the CM that he was also a mole in the police force planted by the triad. CM then kills him to make sure nobody knows his secret.

In the American remake, I already knew what was going to happen in that building. While Leo, playing the role of UC, was cursing and manhandling Matt, playing the role of CM, Anthony Anderson bursts in and tries to get UC to stop. Now in my mind I was sort of disappointed since I liked Anthony’s character in the film, and I didn’t want him to be the 2nd mole. As Leo dragged Matt into the elevator, I braced myself with the inevitable bullet to Leo’s head. But surprisingly, nothing happened. The doors closed and we were treated with a scene that wasn’t in the original. Matt breaks down and just pleads to Leo to just kill him instead of turning him to the police. And just when I start feeling sympathetic to his pitiful character, the elevator doors open and bang! Leo’s dead on the floor.

The shooter, however, was not Anthony’s character and somebody else.As I tried to sort my confusion on the events unfolding before me, Anthony catches up to them. He surveys the scene before him and before he could do anything else, the 2nd mole shoots him in the head as well. He then frees Matt from the handcuffs and the scene ends similar to the original, Matt shoots him to protect his secret.

I went over that gut-wrenching scene again and again in my head, and I’m simply amazed. I haven’t read any confirmation on this so it’s just a personal theory, but I don’t think it’s far off. My take on it is Scorsese wanted to give the people who have seen the original film a twist that they can enjoy. So that when the surprised gasps of the first time viewers happen, the ones who’ve seen the original can share in on the moment. Just imagine it. Some know-it-all twit boasts his superior knowledge to a companion and confidently discloses the secret that Anthony is the 2nd mole, only to be embarrassed shortly when the real 2nd mole is revealed.

Just something to think about.