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Finally out on DVD, fans of true crime dramas and action films will really enjoy this 1988 made-for-television production. Based on actual events in Miami, Florida (I'm not sure how embellished), "In the Line of Duty: The FBI Murders concerns a pair of military trained bank- robbers and the FBI task force who attempted to identify and apprehend them. This is a far cry from the fictional movies that attempt to glorify G-Men or violent criminals.

Both sides are portrayed in their real life bumbling glory as the robbers act stupidly and recklessly and the task force basically stumbles into them and is ill prepared for the confrontation. But this makes the story quite fascinating and if you connect with it you will probably want to watch it several times.

The film is structured as two parallel stories and what suspense there is stems from the viewers knowledge that the two stories will eventually intersect with each other, you just don't know how or when it will occur.

The strength of the film (besides its real life feel) is the characterization of the two robbers, played by David Soul and Michael Gross. Although their backgrounds are fragmentary, it appears that they bring out the worst in each other and their crime spree continues more for the adrenaline rush it provides. They begin to really get off on the violence and power, their crimes are almost random which tends to work in their favor as the investigation can find little logic or pattern behind their activities.

The film's weakness is the parallel story of the task force. This was a far cry from a cerebral Sherlock Holmes type investigation so you eagerly wait for them to cut back to Soul and Grace. The characterizations are generally shallow and weak so almost all viewers will end up identifying with the two criminals; even though they have a lot of mad dog qualities. Doug Sheehan is quite effective as the task force commander but Bruce Greenwood and Ronny Cox (rookie paired with veteran) are painful to watch.

The violent climax is worth waiting for, although the violence is in real time, the confrontation has the slow-mo feel of a Sam Peckinpah production.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

The FBI Murders is a made-for-TV film that really surprised me. The acting ranges from good to excellent. No one in this film did a poor job portraying their characters. Ronny Cox and David Soul are the stand-out performances here.

The shoot-out in the end is quite graphic for TV standards. There were a few moments in the shoot-out where I was wondering how this film made it onto network television. And this was in the late 80's, way before shows like "The X-Files" and "ER" started to push the limits of graphic bloodletting. The climactic confrontation certainly isn't gratuitous, but it doesn't shy away from showing a little blood (as would be expected when shotguns, sub machine guns, and a dozen pistols are going off).

The film isn't perfect though. There are a few times where it feels like this was filmed in the early 80's. Shaky aerial shots support this noticeable flaw. It's hard to explain, but see it and you'll know what I mean. And the music is, at times, a little chintzy. Synthesizers in the 80's usually never helped a film to age well and it certainly shows in this case. Still, this did not detract too much from my satisfying viewing experience.

All-in-all though, highly recommended.

This has to be one of the best made for TV movies that you are ever likely to see.

Based on the real life story of Platt & Matix ( played by David Soul & Michael Gross ) two murderous bank robbers operating in Dade County, Florida, this film is expertly crafted and maintains a gripping pace all the way through. Hollywood veteran Ronny Cox (Deliverance, RoboCop, Total Recall) brings a steely eyed brilliance to his role as Ben Grogan, head of the FBI unit charged with the apprehension of these bandits.

Soul and Grosse put in dynamite performances as the two violent and unstoppable villians, which was a total role reversal from the warm, friendly characters that they are both best known for on television. Amazingly, the film does not pull any punches when it comes to the vicious nature of the crimes committed by both of these men. The final gun battle involving the FBI and these two villians is well shot (no pun intended), powerful and gripping television.

Liberally based on true events surrounding a mid-80's F.B.I.

investigation and notorious apprehension attempt of a pair of

murderous, military-styled bank-robbers, IN THE LINE OF DUTY:

THE F.B.I. MURDERS (1988) is well-scripted, beautifully acted,

and superbly directed. The pacing and tension build up perfectly

as the two story-lines –– one involving the F.B.I. team diligently

working its way through the case, the other showing the harsh

criminal viewpoint –– mesh together with ever-tightening switch- ups until the dramatic and bloody climax. Nothing feels forced or

out of place, and nothing seems missing. Just solid story-telling

and top-notch drama from beginning to end.



It's largely the casting which plays such a huge role in determining

the quality of this picture, in my opinion. With screen veterans

Ronny Cox, as senior agent Ben "The Grinch" Grogan, and David

Soul, as the sadistically deadly robber Michael Lee Platt, you have

both sides of a very truthful and convincing acting team

represented. Add to that Bruce Greenwood, as the rookie agent,

his ex-"Knot's Landing" compatriot Doug Sheehan, as another

hard-driven and concerned field-agent, and a plethora of other

lesser-known but equally skilled actors and you have a solid cast.

But the most notable and electrifying performance turned in is in

the surprisingly cold and delivered performance by Michael Gross,

as fellow killer William Russell Matix. Here Gross completely

sheds the compassionate, intelligent and endearing character

traits so well-portrayed with his much-loved character Steven

Keaton on the TV series "Family Ties", and gives a completely

inner-defined and chilling turn as a contradictory bible-thumping/

womanizing, murderer and bank-robbing degenerate. Shocking

and terribly engaging all in one. The film pulls few punches with

regards to violence throughout –– the final "take-down" scene is

surely one of the most graphic and bloody ever shot for

mainstream audiences, even by today's standards I'd wager ––

but it never comes across as exploitive. The story is always the

main focus of the film and for THAT reason it succeeds; it's simply

a good, engaging story that needed to be told.



I first saw this made-for-TV movie on it's original network television

airing and was extremely impressed. Now, 15 years later, I still

hold it in high regard (with only the cars and the synth-driven

soundtrack music really adding any dating to the picture at all).

Unfortunately, IN THE LINE OF DUTY: THE F.B.I. MURDERS, has

long since been out-of-print on VHS, and rarely turns up on TV. For

those lucky enough to come across it I whole-heartedly

recommend it.



7/10. A made-for-TV movie that succeeds in being more!

Probably David Soul's best work ever... Michael Grosse is topnotch also... This film was developed shortly after the true-life tale of these two robbers ended in a mass of gunfire and death. The best thing about this film is that it remains faithful to that true-life tale. Everything, down to the meticulously choreographed final shootout, is done accurately (I have also seen the FBI training film based on this event and the final sequence here follows that training film to a "Tee").

The truth of the matter is, when you have true-to-life villains as ruthless as Soul and Grosse's characters, there is no need to embellish. This film is understated and cool. The FBI-side of the story is told through Ronnie Cox and Ben Sheehan analytically, without theatrics and flash. You still get the sense that the FBI wanted these killers off the streets ASAP and there is great tension as the violence continues while the FBI gets closer and closer.

If you get a chance, don't miss seeing this fine film!

Miami in the 80s. This better-than-average television movie first introduces us to the half dozen members of the FBI team that will figure prominently in the shoot out. They are all happy and adjusted. Their modern houses are as neat and clean as an operating theater. One of them, Bruce Greenwood, sings a happy song while getting dressed at six in the morning after a run on the beach. His comely wife smooches him but there's no time because he must be off to work, snapping a round into the chamber and holstering his Glock. They're all that way -- kidding one another about their weight, playing grabass. They go to church bake sales. I haven't been that happy at six in the morning since I discovered puberty. Maybe it's time to join the FBI.

Gradually we meet the bad guys, who may give the most credible performances in the film. They have sloppy back yards, lie to their wives, and play dirty pool when they conduct business. Michael Gross is the more relaxed of the two -- his expression a cross between a smile and a leer. David Soul is less stable. Gee, the guy has a terrible temper, kicking around some defective goods he's just bought, throwing bottles against the wall. The most memorable feature of this duo is that they are absolutely fearless and ruthless. Apparently they ride around armed and wearing camos LOOKING for armored cars or anything else to rob. When balked, Soul deliberately kills an innocent bystander. "Well, we didn't get anything," remarks Gross. "I did," says Soul.

They're hypocrites too. Gross gives a phony spiel in church about having buried his daughter so he can hustle young ladies. He tells his pregnant girl friend, "You disgust me," then kicks her out. The victim, Becky Ann Baker, has a small role but she delivers. The surprising element of the script is that it shows us David Soul in an apparently happy marriage, teaching his son some basketball moves with obvious proprietary affection. It must have been tempting to edit the brief scene out -- draw a clear dividing line between good and evil -- but it would have cheapened the movie.

The miscreant duo become more bold and reckless until a confrontation in a residential area. The battle is persuasively presented and it winds up rather like a slaughterhouse with two agents and both armed robbers dead.

Of the two adversaries, the robbers are the more interesting. Law enforcement was doing it's job but for Gross and Soul it had turned into a witting way of life. Neither had ever been charged with a crime before and there was no evidence that they'd ever been violent. Yet here they are, carrying deadly automatic weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition, two men courageously shooting it out with a dozen FBI agents on a quiet palm-lined street. Both men struggled on despite multiple bullet holes. Mortally wounded, Soul drags himself from car to car, shooting the agents who have already been downed.

What he and Gross did would have earned them decorations had they done it on a battlefield in service of their country. Instead they chose to display their bravery and their willingness to fight to the last breath somewhere in Dade County, Florida. We treasure values like that but only when they are subject to the control of the state. No individual entrepreneurs.

It's exceptional for a TV movie, in the script, in the direction, and in the performances.

An explosive and completely true account of the most horrific shootout between criminals and federal law enforcement in U.S. history. It is the story of Bill Mattix and Mike Platt, two former Army Rangers and ordinary blue collar guys who have families, raise kids, and pay their taxes. They also rob armored cars and shoot people for a living. And they are damn good at it. They kill people about as routinely as mowing their lawns with absolutely no remorse or second thought as to the consequences of their actions. Their exploits attract the attention of the Miami F.B.I. field office who become more and more interested in finding out who they are. The agents quickly become obsessed with stopping them before they rob and kill again. It sets the scene for the eventual showdown and the carnage that ensues when they try to corner the robbers. This one is hard to find but it is a great insight into the minds of two bank robbers and the FBI agents who hunted them.

Most people tend to look down their noses at made-for-network TV movies. In fact, a rap against some theatrical films is that it plays "like a made-for-TV film". IN THE LINE OF DUTY: THE FBI MURDERS should take a backseat to no movie: network, cable or theatrical. Based on an actual FBI case, FBI MURDERS chronicles the attempts of the Bureau to capture two men who were going on a spree of murder and robbery across Florida in 1986. Eight agents shot it out with the two men. By the time the smoke cleared, two agents were dead and six were wounded before the robbers were taken down. The action in this film can stand side-by-side with such shoot 'em ups as HEAT (which was a remake of a made-for-network movie: LA TAKEDOWN), BONNIE AND CLYDE and TAXI DRIVER. What may come as a surprise is the actor playing one of the robbers. While David Soul has portrayed men on both sides of the law, it is the shock of seeing Michael Gross, best known for playing the ultraliberal Stephen Keaton on FAMILY TIES as the most vicious of the two crooks. I had the opportunity to go back and look at new articles about this case, one of the news photos is used as a shot in the film. The makers of this really did their homework. It was a shame that FBI MURDERS did not receive any Emmy nominations. Maybe someone will do a theatrical remake of it and cop some Oscars. If it can happen with HEAT, it can happen to this movie.

IN THE LINE OF DUTY was a series of TV movies looking at law enforcement officers working in America, and not to be confused with the ass-kicking action franchise from Hong Kong. THE F. B. I. MURDERS is perhaps the best of this genre, a true crime tale about a couple of bank robbers who go on a crime spree in Miami. I've never liked Michael Gross outside of TREMORS but he was really effective in this one as a cold-blooded sociopath who thinks nothing of gunning down the innocent. Nice to see Ronny Cox as the hero for a change, with Bruce Greenwood as his support, and David Soul adding another strong villain to his oeuvre after that Dirty Harry role. The extended shoot-out at the climax is fantastic!

The first in a series of made for television movies, this is perhaps THE BEST. David Soul and Michael Gross play two "respectable" Floridians who set about murdering others and robbing banks. Their exploits come to the attention of the FBI who pursue them in true J Edgar Hoover type fashion. The climatic gun battle is not to be missed. Though toned down considerably for TV, it would rival the shoot out in the movie HEAT. Strongly recommended.

'In the Line of Duty: The FBI Murders' is a made for tv movie (from a series) that came two years after the real deal. It gets a lot of the top names, details right but also many wrong, fictionalized for drama. Overall it's a good piece - shootout if you know the case already - that you're ultimately waiting for and in the meantime it drags a little.

Ex-military men, friends Platt (David Soul) & Matix (Michael Gross) are in the midst of taking down armored cars, banks and killing randoms in the fall of 1985 in Miami. FBI Agents Jerry Dove (Bruce Greenwood), Ben Grogan (Ronny Cox), Gordon McNeill (Doug Sheehan) must put a stop to it. As the violence, robberies escalate it's random luck that brings these two sides of the law together for a brutal finale.

Small details like Dove being portrayed as a rookie newbie or the duo shooting up a bank when that wasn't the case. Though it's really the padding that got old. Too much time spent on fictional talk and much providing little to no insight. It reminded me of another infamous piece of true crime - North Hollywood shootout - and the tv movie made about it. Except here they have much more time to kill.

You get known names in Gross, Cox & Greenwood but Richard Jenkins has an early role as a Miami homicide detective looking further into the murder of Matix's first wife (factual). Acting is decent, the whole thing is shot professionally and the ending is at least exciting about the fatal mistakes made that day. Even if it gets details wrong - key among them - there was no fully automatic rifle involved.

'In the Line of Duty: The FBI Murders' is serviceable in almost every aspect. If you want to see this event done justice in a more condensed, accurate representation, I recommend you seek out a show called 'The FBI Files' episode 'Firefight'. It gives a more true account of the lead up to that fateful day without the fluff.

while this makes for good entertainment, its far from being a actual, factual event,some of the forensic evidence didn't match up with the FBI agents statements as to what happened,,this is not unusual..given being in a shootout,the agents were not out manned ,8 agents to 2 felons, they were out gunned but that was the agents fault, they were in FBI headquarters waiting ,in the arms locker were mp5 9mm submachine guns, m16 machine guns, and heavy armoured vests,none of which they took with them, despite knowing that the 2 felons had a rifle and a shotgun,,but most disturbing is the fact that the mini-14 used by the robbers was NOT a machine gun, as shown by NBC,, plenty of time passed so NBC did know that fact, but put a machine gun in the criminals hands, which didn't happen,this was common back then , when NBC did these in line of fire TV movies,NBC took every opportunity to put any kind of anti-gun message on screen ,regardless of the truth..

I first saw this TV movies years ago, and was as intrigued as everybody else by the casting of David Soul and Michael Gross.

Although I haven't seen it for some years, and didn't know the name, I felt compelled to hunt it down on IMDB to make a comment. As well as being outstanding in the action sequences, particularly the ultimate shootout, it was particularly notable for portraying the wrongdoers as unsentimental killers. These murders live with one years after having seen the movie. The makers achieve this not by lingering over the badness of the villains, but by showing them dispatching their victims lightly, unhesitatingly.

Good, skillful movie.

Super-charged TV movie concerning two Vietnam veterans (Soul and Gross) who embark on a ruthless and progressively more violent spate of armed robberies. As their heists become increasingly more murderous and brazen, the FBI's finest (principally portrayed by Cox, Sheehan and Greenwood) struggle to subdue the carnage. The cat and mouse game finally comes to a rousing climax when the fugitives are cornered in a car chase, and a bloody shootout ensues.

Watching this intense, suspenseful and shocking feature, you easily forget its TV movie constraints; nothing is inhibited by the TV scale. Characters are well drawn and given appropriate depth, and the action sequences are realistic and well staged. Directory Lowry shows his adept handling of the content, conjuring a pair of the most ruthless, frightening villains ever conceived. Gross completely dispenses the shackles of his (at the time) amiable alter-ego from "Family Ties", as a cold-blooded misogynistic, religious zealot, while Soul is devastating in a dichotomous characterisation - warm and sociable with his family and friends, and a total psychopath in balaclava and fatigues. Daring casting against type that succeeds.

Doug Sheehan is workmanlike in his performance as the central FBI guy, while Ronny Cox as the revered agent nearing retirement adds a significant prestige to the ranks. Bruce Greenwood's star has risen since this feature, and his portrayal of the young newcomer is played with conviction. Based on true events, director Lowry manages the pace for an outstanding climax of Sam Peckinpah proportions. Exceptional TV movie highly recommended for anyone remotely interested in the true crime genre.

I'd never even heard of these crimes, probably because I was in grad school at the time.

Two guys who knew each other in the military when they served as MPs are now running a lawn service together and have decided to branch out into pin ball machine rental - and robbery and murder. Usually when this sort of thing happens it is a couple of two bit crooks who can't back down when around each other and end up doing horrible acts of violence - I think of the murder of the Clutter family by Dick Hickock and Perry Smith in this case. But the odd thing is that until the fall of 1985 these two guys -William Matix and Michael Platt - had no record of committing any crimes at all, and had honorable discharges from the military.

If one was the dominant one it was probably Platt, who seemed to be a loving husband and father around his family and turned hostile, sullen, and homicidal away from them. Matix was the opposite. He wanted to impress members of his church with his gentle nature, but was both emotionally and physically abusive to the women with whom he was involved when behind closed doors. Together, they would kill without remorse, and rob without planning, with them walking away from a couple of robbery attempts with nothing to show.

The FBI in south Florida gets called in, and spends six months trying to figure out the duo's next move without knowing much about them other than they don't seem to do much in the way of planning and that they are bloodthirsty. There is pretty good character development of the agents, and it is interesting to see Ronny Cox play a good guy. His casting is especially odd since he played a homicidal executive in Robocop just the year before. Michael Gross did a great job with his role. There wasn't a hint of father figure Steven Keaton in his portrayal of the murderous sociopath William Matix.

Recommended as a good "true crime" film that resists the ham fisted dialog and situations of many made for TV movies of the 70s, 80s, and 90s, although some details have been changed or omitted for the purposes of dramatic license and focusing the plot. For example, the film mentions that Matix's previous wife was murdered, which she was, in 1983. It doesn't mention that Platt's wife's death a year later, from a shotgun blast, was ruled a suicide. Both of those cases were reopened after the crime spree. Neither was ever solved or resolved.

This movie received good reviews so I was stunned to find it was a total train wreck of a movie. Every FBI agent was very courageous and the end scene was painful to watch. Many people commented on how the end has been used in FBI training, but I think it must be training on what not to do. Other than that, this movie has no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

The In The Line of Duty series stands out as excellent - I was fortunate enough to watch a police training tape that re-enacted the infamous shootout upon which this movie is based. The movie itself is well acted and directed. The shootout at the end is pretty amazing - in fact, it shows a real double-standard on the part of network television - they'll cut a theatrical film to death, but if it's made for TV, they'll spice it up as much as they want. You won't believe your eyes as Michael Gross (Family Ties) and half of Starsky and Hutch (David Soul), play vicious robbers, who are finally caught up with by FBI agents, and engage them in a bloody shootout. Gross and Soul take hit after hit before going down, and taking two agents with them. (This isn't theatrics, by the way. Those two men were adrenalized, and determined to get away. They really did take a lot of hits) The tactical mistakes made by the agents that day have reshaped police training forever.

This is the best, or one of the best made for TV movies I've seen. Along with enjoying the movie, I was really moved by some of it's somber moments. It's total suspense, excellent action, and some incredible shoot out scenes. Everyone who enjoys cops and robber movies will really be engrossed in this high suspense thriller.

Growing up, TV Movies of the Week were staples in the industry and extremely popular. It was also a place for actors/actresses to show off their acting chops, especially if they were being that dreaded word "typecast".

There were many films but few standouts. Some films to seek out were 70's gems like Brian's Song, the peak era of Made-For-TV Horror with films like Duel, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, Helter Skelter, Trilogy of Terror, Salem's Lot, The Legend of Lizzie Borden and How Awful About Allan. ·Some great 80's treats include Dark Night of the Scarecrow, The Day After, Don't Go to Sleep, The Burning Bed, The Executioner's Song and A Cry For Help: The Tracey Thurman Story. ·And then into the 90's with hits like the original IT, In A Child's Name, The Langoliers, to cable getting more involved with films like HBO's And the Band Played On, Citizen X, Gia and If These Walls Could Talk.

In the Line of Fire: The FBI Murders is another one of those films. A fantastic TRUE story about two sadistic military veteran bank robbers in Florida (played brilliantly by David Soul and an AMAZING "out of left field" performance by Michael Gross). After years of city torment, they're finally being closed in on by the FBI. And it all culminated in a brutal early morning shootout in a residential neighborhood. Stellar performances by the entire cast with a riveting storyline and a nail-biter of a climax.

This is one to remember thanks to that FANTASTIC performance by Michael Gross, who played the hippie liberal father to Alex P. Keaton, Steven Keaton on Family Ties, and who is absolutely TERRIFYING in his portrayal of William Matix. A great film!

I actually knew Matix in the Army. Physically they had him down to a "T". It was uncanny watching the movie. The biggest thing they missed was his stutter.