In the Line of Duty 3 (1988) [Film Review]

In the Line of Duty 3; or, The Force of Cynthia Khan

     I won't let that bitch go if I see her!

The 1980s were a great decade for action movies, especially Hong Kong action-oriented productions, as they offered not only martial arts, but also shootouts and lots of explosions. Surprisingly, the 1980s also saw the rise of Girls with Guns genre, a fact to which many social justice warriors are oblivious nowadays. In the Line of Duty 3 (technically, the first movie of this series) is the prominent example of this genre.

Release Info

Directed by: Arthur Wong, Brandy Yuen Starring: Cynthia Khan, Hiroshi Fujioka, Michiko Nishiwaki

Language: Cantonese Original Title: 皇家師姐III雌雄大盜 Runtime: 80 min

 

Synopsis

Tokyo, prestigious jewellery exhibition. Two ruthless terrorists, Nakamura (Stuart Ong) and Nishiwaki (Michiko Nishiwaki), stage a robbery in order to provide finances for the Japanese Red Army. During their bloody escape, the assassins kill a protégé of Inspector Fujioka (Hiroshi Fujioka). The policeman goes after them to Hong Kong where they intend to sell the jewels. In the meantime, a young officer, Madam Yeung (Cynthia Khan), is climbing up the ranks in the police force. Her protective uncle, Inspector Cameron (Paul Chun), does not want her to get hurt, so Yeung is assigned to menial tasks. Only when she is assigned to keep Fujioka out of trouble do the two cops join forces in hunting down the killers.

 

Maximum Impact

Firstly, I should explain that In the Line of Duty is a very loose and ambivalent series. The production company D&B Films Co., Ltd. initially released a string of unrelated action flicks with Michelle Yeoh (then known as Michelle Khan) in the leading role (ex. Yes, Madam! (1985), Royal Warriors (1986), Magnificent Warriors (1987)). When Yeoh married one of the producers, she retired from acting for a good period of 5 years. With the studio wanting to continue their action-oriented productions, they brought in a replacement in the form of… Yang Li-tsing (nicknamed as Cynthia Khan after Yeoh and Rothrock). As a result, with the release of In the Line of Duty 3, the previous Michelle’s films were retroactively incorporated into the series.

 

To be honest, Cynthia Khan’s reputation for being just a Michelle Yeoh’s replacement is quite unfair and harmful. Right from the opening scene, Cynthia proves that she is a very gifted martial artist who is not afraid of the camera. Whenever Yeoh drew a gun, I just saw (great) Yeoh with a gun, but the sight of Cynthia holding a gun, was to me, the image of the real policewoman in action. She is a true action heroine in her own right.

 

With regard to the movie itself, it is filled with typical 80s clichés (cop-on-the-edge on a mission to avenge his partner, violent sex scene which does not further the plot), shifts in tone (light comedy mixed with extreme deaths), city pop atmosphere (disco shootout), and relentlessly non-stop action which ultimately make this film a ridiculously entertaining 30-year-old classic. I would go as far as to say that this movie should be an obligatory screening for every politically-correct snowflake.

 

My only critique limits to the narrative of In the Line of Duty 3. In other words, the plot focuses more on the errands of Inspector Fujioka throughout two thirds of the runtime, and then Cynthia comes into the spotlight in the third act. It seems as if the producers were not sure about giving Cynthia more stuff to do and went with the more established actor instead. Nevertheless, the action sequences are more than rewarding. The three most memorable scenes are Fujioka vs. Nakamura’s fight for life and death at the harbour, Cynthia vs. a henchman in a car, and Cynthia vs. Nishiwaki’s final showdown which is sheer awesomeness incarnate. Two ladies at the top of their game, one trying to kill and the other trying to stay alive: no further comment required.

 

Recommendations

I recommend In the Line of Duty 3 to any fan of Hong Kong action movies. In addition, it is a good way to start your journey through Cynthia Khan’s filmography. Give it a go and you will certainly not regret it. This film is one of the best entries in the series, topped only by In the Line of Duty 4, starring Cynthia and young Donnie Yen, but that sequel deserves its own review.

Overall score: 7/10