Le Sens du devoir IV

I think this fourth installment to the In The Line Of Duty series is the first that I have seen. If you like cop action movies In The Line Of Duty 4 is truly first rate. This was made in the prime Golden Era of Hong Kong cinema, which means you are getting some of the best action, fights and stunts on Planet Earth. It's directed and choreographed by Yuen Woo Ping( who is one of the best of the best action chreographers in HK and the world). Yuen Woo Ping adapted well from period martial arts films to modern action pictures like this. Cynthia Khan is the leading lady and Donnie Yen teams up for a early performance. This fits into the "girls with guns" subgenre that was popular in HK, but also has lots of great fight sequences. The stunts are insane and as a whole this stands up to pretty much any action movies coming out of the east or the west. I definitely need to check out the rest of the series as I really enjoyed this fourth installment.

"In The Line Of Duty 4" is one of the best kung fu movies ever made. I will simply list the reasons:

1) An astounding Cynthia Khan. She looks great, she fights great, and when she's required to, she can also act!

2) An incredible, young, full of I-want-to-show-the-world-what-I-can-do energy Donnie Yen.

3) Fight choreography that cannot be topped (and virtually wire-free, too).

4) Great, skillful, ruthless villains. Guys (and one woman) that make you wonder: can they be defeated?

5) Awesome, death-defying stunts.

6) A take-no-prisoners, anything-goes attitude that is unique to Hong Kong action cinema.

7) A simple and functional plot, that still manages to touch such subjects as friendship, betrayal and the emotional involvement of law enforcers.

Don't miss this film. Rating it within its genre, I give it a full **** out of 4 stars.

This is one great action film. It combines the fighting talents of Cynthia Khan and Donnie Yen with Yuen Woo-Ping's excellent directing skills. The plot is something about a witness to a murder by the CIA who flees to Hong Kong. However, this movie is filled to the brim with fight scenes. Of note is Donnie's fight with Michael Woods, the dirt bike joust, Cynthia's fight in the elevator shaft, and the last big brawl. There are so many good fights, that this movie isn't to be missed.

Between 1984 and 1991, after the demise of the traditional kung fu film, and before things really started going downhill with excessive wire-work, Hong Kong action movies moved through a kick-boxing phase which introduced more pragmatic fighting but retained some old-school sensibilities. Of all the films produced in these five/six years "Witness: ITLOD 4" is hands down the best. Here's my reasons why:

• the pacing is superb. You watch action films for action - and Yuan Ho-Ping,as is his wont, keeps the movie going at a breathless pace with a fight or chase almost every five minutes.

• Yuan Ho-Ping uses his strict rhythmic parameters so the action is clear and we can enjoy every movement. Some classical moves are dropped in just to make the action a little prettier. Long shots and close ups are used when appropriate and to give variety - all typical Yuan Ho-Ping trademarks and this is what sets him apart from inferior filmmakers in the genre. He also introduces some great novelty fighters - the female foreign fighter who looks like an English teacher with a heroin habit, the crazy eyed foreigner in the alley with the eccentric fighting style and of course Michael Woods.

• The syncronisation of the action and sound effects is SO crisp here and the sound effects have never sounded better - deep body blows and crisp "pak" sounds - music to my ears!

• The soundtrack music is superb! A little bit like the repeated theme of "Halloween" - it's icy and sinister - a delicious backdrop for the brutal and surgically precise action. There's a way that the theme anticipates the action in the way that a repeated theme introduces particularly nasty sequences in a Lucio Fulci film.

• Silence accompanying action. I love the way that characters roll over, across in and out of cars and buildings in silence. It may not have been a deliberate device - but the fact that HK films are shot silent and then dubbed later sometimes results in some very interesting dynamics.

• You enter into a world of claustrophobic and relentless brutality - which slips in and out of a cartoon universe where people take beatings with tire-irons and walk away intact one minute, and end up bleeding and lifeless in lift shafts in another. Yet in this icy universe of remorseless violence there are moments of compassion - for example when the "witness" is allowed to visit his mother - but this touching scene is, once again, abruptly terminated and violence resumes.

On top of the best action you will ever see, there are also the qualities to the film I have listed above. This all results in a quite extraordinary film with a very distinctive feel and ambiance. It's strange - I've never experienced the same kind of quality with any other Hong Kong film. When I first showed this to friends they demanded repeat viewings - it's like a roller-coaster ride that leaves you craving yet another adrenalin rush.

Director Woo-ping Yuen who also created other classic martial arts flicks, Iron Monkey 1993, Thi Chi Master 1993 and another classic modern martial arts flick, Tiger Cage 2 1990 and was action choreographer on other classic flicks, The Matrix 1999, The Matrix Reloaded 2003, The Matrix Revolutions 2003, Fearless 2006, Kung Fu Hustle 2004, Kill Bill: Vol 2 2004 and was martial arts adviser on the classic flick, Kill Bill: Vol.1 2003 has created another gem in In the Line of Duty 4.

Starring Donnie Yen who has also been in other classic flicks, Ip Man 2008, Ip Man 2 2010, Flash Point 2007, S.P.L. 2005, Hero 2002, Blade II 2002, Once Upon a Time in China II 1992, Dragon Inn 1992, Cheetah on Fire 1992 and Woo-ping Yuen's Iron Monkey and Tiger Cage 2.

Also starring Cynthia Khan.

Also starring Michael Wong who was also in another classic flick, Beast Cops 1998.

I enjoyed the fight and chase scenes.

If you enjoyed this as much as I did then check out other classic modern day martial arts flicks, American Samurai 1992, Best of the Best 2 1993, Bloodmoon 1997, Bloodsport 1988, Broken Path 2008, Chocolate 2008, The Hunted 1995, Kickboxer 2: The Road Back 1991, The King of the Kickboxers 1990, Martial Outlaw 1993, Mission of Justice 1992, Ninja 2009, Ninja Assassin 2009, No Retreat, No Surrender 3: Blood Brothers 1990, The Perfect Weapon 1991, Ninja: Shadow of a Tear 2013, Death Grip 2012 and Versus 2000.