Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer

Undercover State Trooper Billy Costigan (Leonardo Di Caprio, right) confronts mob mole Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) in a scene from the movie 'The Departed'. - Contributed

Martin Scorsese's The Departed is a fantastically-crafted film. The story is gripping, the acting is superb, the direction is insightfully above par and the editing smoothes it all together. As such, this film has everything needed to provide a great movie-going experience and puts a much-needed balm on any wound created by the last three terrible movies to come from Hollywood.

The only question is whether it will go into the history of best crime king pin movies, or best police films. The movie is a beautiful combination of the best elements of both types of films (which are often quite similar - the only question is usually whether a badge is involved or not). The plot is superbly constructed and the characters, good and bad, are fabulously engaging. It is a well-paced, riveting film that may just make you sit up and go "woa!"

The Departed first saw life as the 2002 Asian film Wu Jian Dao, written by Sui Fui Mak and Felix Chong. The writing talent of William Monahan (Kingdom of Heaven) was enlisted for this version which is now situated in the crime and police world of Boston. In remaking this film, Scorsese may well have out done himself.

The film is probably best watched gripping the arm rest, as it is an emotional and suspense ridden roller-coaster that keeps riding crest, after crest of suspense and drama until the end. It simultaneously sinks into the belly of crime and police work, telling the story of two men, Billy Costigan and Collin Sullivan.

Both men join the police force at the same time but their paths take them on interconnected but very different trajectories. The two never meet until the film nears its end when they must confront each other, but the plot takes them on several twists highlighting how their world interconnects.

Celluloid heaven

The film has a cast selected in celluloid heaven. Leonardo Di Caprio (Billy Costigan) and Matt Damon (Collin Sullivan) head the cast. Di Caprio continues to try to reach beyond his baby face and with the help of a scruffy beard, puffy eyes and an almost constant grimace. He succeeds beautifully here as the misunderstood and gruff Costigan. Di Caprio is a fantastic actor whose face tends to try to get in his way, but in this flick he makes it work for him. Damon is also a great character actor and contrasts beautifully with Di Caprio. He is slick and charming and totally deserving of being hated.

With the role Frank Costello, Jack Nicholson has got a brand new bad, and it looks so good on him. He sinks his teeth into this criminal par excellence with the ease that has made some of his most memorable roles.

The film also features Martin Sheen, Mark Wahlberg, Alec Baldwin, Ray Winstone, and even Anthony Anderson shoves silliness aside and delivers in his minor role. Of course, as with most crime/police movies, the cast is a bull pen, with the sole major female cast member being Vera Farmiga (Running Scared, The Manchurian Candidate).

By the end of the film you may well think that the writer/director team needs to find somebody to talk, but you cannot deny that The Departed is a fantastically-made film that is worth every moment in the movie theatre.