Wong ga si je IV: Jik gik jing yan

Great addition to the series.

The film opens in Seattle where, after meeting Cynthia in the obligatory opening kung fu scene, an innocent dockworker, Luk, accidentally runs across some corrupt CIA agents making a double-cross for a secret film negative. In a Hitchcockian twist, the negative is thought to be in the Luk's hands, when it actually has rolled into the water. Of course, no one believes the unlucky Luk doesn't have the film negative- not the CIA and not Donnie Yen, Michael Wong, or Cynthia, the cops on the case, who export Luk back to China. It is early on that Donnie is established as the hot tempered one, Cynthia is just Cynthia, and after playing a good guy in Royal Warriors (In the line of Duty 1) Michael Wong clearly is playing the good looking, but underhanded bad cop in league with the corrupt CIA. Despite trying to wine and dine Cynthia, she suspects Michael is a turncoat, and it takes awhile, and a lot of action for her to convince Donnie that Michael, his friend, is bad. All the while, they have to deal with protecting poor Luk from the renegade CIA agents at every corner.

The action (thanks to the great Yuen Woo Ping) is typical of the series, inventive and brutal, but what sets this one apart is the sheer number of action scenes. There are three kung fu fights and a shoot-out in the first fifteen minutes. In total (Yes, I counted) there are fourteen kung fu battles, three shoot-outs, a brief ice locker torture scene, a car bomb, two scenes involving hitmen on motorcycles, and two interrogation room beatings. Cynthia's highlights are a great fight on a moving ambulance in witch she is shoved though the window, her head dangling above the pavement, fighting on top of it, hanging off the front grill, and another fight with a fugly gwailo woman in a warehouse that involves some precarious scaffolding and elevator shaft fu. Donnie, however, has a the majority of the good fights, like a motorcycle chase and joust, as well as his fantastic final fight with a beefcake Ike Turner lookalike. If you are looking for action every three minutes, look no further.

The In the line of Duty series is mainly known for showcasing the talents of female action stars, Michelle Khan (Yeoh) and Cynthia Khan, however this entry is mainly Donnie Yen's chance to shine and one of the first films to gain him any notoriety as a lead. Before this films success, he was essentially going to give up hope for a movie career. Donnie actually saves Cynthia in most of her scenes. When she is drugged and fighting a knife wielding assassin, its Donnie to the rescue! When they are attacked by a motorcycle psycho hitman, its Donnie who takes him on. When Cynthia is fighting Michael Wong in the finale, it's only with Donnie's help that they finish him. So, its rather clear that Woo Ping favored Donnie, and, no disrespect to Cynthia, but kung fu fans are all the better for it.

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.

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.

Pretty much an obscure Donnie Yen action flick in the States when compared to the Ip Man series or Flashpoint. Which mean while this one is not an essential Donnie Yen movie to watch for martial arts/action movie fans, this is still a solid action film nevertheless.

This is the 4th films in the In The Line Of Duty series in which I never seen the previous films, so I don't know if this a standalone or a continuation of the series.

After watching it, I don't even think this is a Donnie Yen vehicle, Yen only seem to be starring in this instead of being the real lead.

Because the real scene stealer is actress Cynthia Khan who played Madam Yeung, most of the best action scenes belong to her. Her fight scenes are better choreographed than Donnie Yen IMO. There's one notable scene involving a police van featuring dangerous stunts, but that scene feature Khan instead of Yen who is suppose to be the main hero.

Check out this one if you can find it but no need to rush. There are probably better retro Hong Kong action movies you haven't seen yet.