In the Line of Duty 3 (1988) -Blu-ray version - KUNG FU KINGDOM
Taiwanese actress CYNTHIA KHAN makes her action debut as tough, rookie cop “Rachel Yeung Lai-Ching”. Her real name is Yang Li-Tsing, but producers were hoping to cash in on the success of the “Yes Madam” (AKA “Police Assassins”) films starring Michelle Khan (later known as Michelle Yeoh) and Cynthia Rothrock, hence the screen name.
She would go on to become one of the leading stars of the “girls with guns” genre of the 1980’s, often playing tough cops in movies such as “Tiger Cage 2“, “Yes Madam ’92”, “The Avenging Quartet”, “Angel on Fire”, and the sequels “In the Line of Duty 4, 5, 6 & 7”!
Japanese bodybuilder-turned-actress and stunt performer, MICHIKO NISHIWAKI stars as deadly thief and terrorist, “Michiko Nishiwaki”!
Debuting in the action comedy classic “My Lucky Stars“, she went on to appear in films such as “City Cops”, “Princess Madam” and “God of Gamblers”. Michiko appeared in the 1999 biopic “Man on the Moon”, starring Jim Carrey, and has performed stunts for Hollywood films such as “Red Corner”, “Blade“, “Charlie’s Angels”, and “Rush Hour 2”.
She recently made a cameo appearance in the multi-award winning movie “Everything Everywhere All At Once”.
STUART ONG stars as fellow thief and terrorist “Genji Nakamura”. In a long and prolific career, Ong made many notorious Cat III Hong Kong movies. Outside of Hong Kong movies, he will be recognised by international audiences from his roles in Hollywood movies such as Sean Connery’s “Entrapment”, the James Bond film “Die Another Day”, and director Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster “Batman Begins”.
Fans of BBC TV dramas may recognise him from guest appearances in shows such as “Cracker”, “The Bill”, “Doctors”, “Midsomer Murders”, “Dalziel & Pascoe”, and “Holby City”!
Japanese icon HIROSHI FUJIOKA plays a cop called “Hiroshi Fujioka”! He gained fame in Japan playing the hero Takeshi Hongo in the tokusatsu superhero series “Kamen Rider”. In the 1990’s he became the Sega Saturn game console mascot, Segata Sanshiro. Fujioka is so revered as a cultural icon in Japan, the minor planet 12408 Fujioka, discovered by Akimasa Nakamura, was named in his honour!
“Project A” Pirate King, DICK WEI does what he does best, playing tough as nails fighter, “Kikamura”. He has appeared in classics such as “The Prodigal Son“, “The Lucky Stars Trilogy“, “Millionaires Express“, “Eastern Condors“, “Dragons Forever” and “Pedicab Driver“.
Two deadly thieves for the notorious Red Army terrorist organisation, carry out a brutal and violent robbery, resulting in the deaths of dozens of innocent victims, including a Tokyo detective.
The would-be terrorists head to Hong Kong with their stolen jewellery to buy weapons for their organisation.
When the duo discover the jewellery is actually fake and that their co-conspirator has set them up, they are determined to get what is owed to them, even if they have to tear Hong Kong inside out.
Recently promoted Hong Kong Inspector Rachel Yeung is assigned to be a police escort for Officer Fujioka, a quiet-but-determined Tokyo police officer who has a personal vendetta against Michiko and Nakamura.
As the violence escalates, Rachel is determined to bust Michiko and Nakamura any way she can. It leads to a brutal showdown pitting cop against criminal.
Cynthia Khan is introduced as an apparently rookie cop on foot patrol, but very quickly demonstrates that she is both courageous and highly skilled when it comes dealing with an armed robber.
Villains Michiko and Nakamura are introduced in an explosive and violent raid in Tokyo. The editing uses quick cuts giving the de rigueur insane stunts an exciting energy.
Cynthia has a great running fight with Stephan Berwick, playing an underground arms dealer.
Stephan is a former wushu alumni of Donnie Yen‘s mum, Bow Sim Mark, who also appeared in “Tiger Cage” and “In the Line of Duty IV”.
Considering his stocky body-type, Berwick fights with agility, speed and flexibility. It is fitting testimony to the time he spent training hard in China at the Shaanxi Athletic Technical Institute under the acclaimed martial arts champion, Zhao Changjun.
As the action progresses in this film, the scenes become more and more brutal and graphically violent. A fight in a boatyard features some gruesome flesh-ripping that would make many horror films look like a Disney animation!
Hong Kong action legend Dick Wei has always had a reputation as a tough screen-fighter. With the increased brutality in the second half of this movie he really gets to let loose.
Cynthia Khan was always going to have a tough job following in the footsteps of Michelle Yeoh, but this film is an impressive introduction for her. She is maybe doubled a little more, and perhaps looks a little too “cute” on occasion, but Khan still delivers when it counts.
In the Line of Duty 3 may not quite top the action of its contemporaries, such as Yes Madam or She Shoots Straight, but it definitely holds its own. In terms of the levels of violence, it certainly outdoes its peers of the time.
The picture quality is absolutely pristine in this restoration, especially in the almost tourist-guide location scenes filmed in Hong Kong.
The audio commentaries from Frank Djeng and the always entertaining Mike Leeder and Arne Venema, provide some great background into the many actors and locations that pop up throughout the film.
It’s a shame that out of the In Line of Duty movies and the 80’s Hong Kong cops and gangsters genre, or girls with guns sub-genre, that this one seems somewhat overlooked. If you are a fan, In the Line of Duty III does not disappoint and deserves its place on your shelf alongside the rest of the series.
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