Huang jia shi jie zhi III: Ci xiong da dao

Hong Kong action films of the Eighties were so bloody tough and so beautifully made, especially films that had budgets (like this one).

Against the bland, CGI-driven Hollywood action flicks of the Noughties, a film like IN THE LINE OF DUTY 3 looks like an artifact from another planet.

Everything you see was done for real. Every sequence was staged by stunties who risked their lives.

There is an amazing relationship between two Japanese lovers (Michiko Nishiwaki and Stuart Ong) in this mind-blowing film. Ong is dying of leukeamia, and in one scene, they make love while Ong's hair comes off in Nishiwaki's hand. Later, after Ong is killed, Nishiwaki vows a brutal revenge that we clearly understand because we've been intimate with them.

It is this kind of attention to nuance that lifts this Arthur Wong-Brandy Yuen-directed pic to classic status.

Cynthia Khan, debuting as D & B Films' replacement for Michaelle Khan, does a terrific job as a cop assaulted at ever juncture by the murderous villains.

A sequence involving a jewellery heist is one of the best of its kind and possesses a kineticism rarely seen in any films these days.

Ditto an incredibly violent and realistic fight sequence between genre stalwart Dick Wei and Hiroshi Fujioka's hardcore cop.

Relentless, operatic and explosive.

I have to say that this 1988 Hong Kong action movie titled "Huang Jia Shi Jie Zhi III: Ci Xiong Da Dao" (aka "In the Line of Duty III: Force of the Dragon") was a pretty generic late 1980s Hong Kong action movie. But hey, at least you know what you are getting here if you opt to sit down and watch this movie.

Writer Kiu-Ying Chan churned out a fairly generic storyline for this movie, and it felt more like a collection of random action scenes put together and then directors Arthur Wong and Brandy Yuen laced a narrative upon those action scenes. I felt like the storyline was lacking greatly in contents, and the movie felt sort of half-hearted.

The character gallery in "Huang Jia Shi Jie Zhi III: Ci Xiong Da Dao" was incredibly one-dimensional. I have to admit that I didn't invest anything into any of the characters, as they were generic, lacking depths or personalities, and essentially were all one and the same. And this was a major hindrance for the overall enjoyment of the movie.

It should be noted, however, that "Huang Jia Shi Jie Zhi III: Ci Xiong Da Dao" does have an okay cast ensemble. The leading performances were adequate, but the movie does have a treat for fans of the Hong Kong cinema, with appearances from Paul Chun, Dick Wei, Sandra Kwan Yue Ng, Eric Tsang and Richard Ng.

There is a good amount of action in the movie, and that definitely helps to make the movie bearable to sit through, along with the appearances of some very familiar faces on the cast list.

While I managed to sit through "Huang Jia Shi Jie Zhi III: Ci Xiong Da Dao", I was only mildly entertained. This is not an outstanding movie in the Hong Kong action genre, and most definitely not from the late 1980s. This is the type of movie that you watch once and never again. And believe it or not, then now in 2022 was the first time I watched this movie, much less even heard about it.

My rating of "Huang Jia Shi Jie Zhi III: Ci Xiong Da Dao" lands on a generous four out of ten stars.

Seminal film in the modern Hong Kong action film series, notable for the debut of Cynthia Khan, who had the unenviable task to replace the `retired' Michelle Khan/Yeoh.

In a bloody beginning, a pair of stylish Japanese thieves steal some valuable gems. In a harrowing scene, during their escape, they kill the partner of a ruffled detective (think Columbo with a Chuck Barris hairdo). The detective swears revenge, and the thieves played by the athletic and lovely Michiko Nishiwaki and her terminally ill partner/lover played by Stuart Ong plan on going to Hong Kong, sell the loot, and buy weapons for the Red Army. All the while Cynthia, a rookie cop in Hong Kong, tries to get in on the action of the task force she has been assigned to, but unfortunately her superior is her uncle who wants to keep her out of harms way. The Japanese thieves and the detective trailing them, all make their way to Hong Kong, and Cynthia ends up entangled in the same mess with the detective, trying to bring the cold blooded and desperate thieves to justice. People on both sides are killed, leading to crossed paths of personal revenge, everyone out for each others blood.

The action, typical of the genre, is fast, bloody, and brutal, both Cynthia and Michicko are firecrackers and, in addition to being very easy on the eyes, display some great kicks and punches. The fight scenes, particularly the finale, are directed in a rapid paced, blink and you'll miss it fashion, with shots edited so that someone will be falling down from a punch, then in the next shot they are already up and spinning a kick against the opponent (any kind of reaction or recovery shot is gone, its just kick, punch, kick). Highly entertaining film.

A pair of stylish Japanese thieves steal some valuable gems at a fashion show, and during their escape, they kill the partner of a ruffled detective (Hiroshi Fijioka). The detective swears revenge, and the thieves played by Michiko Nishiwaki and her terminally ill partner/lover played by Stuart Ong plan on going to Hong Kong, sell the loot, and buy weapons for the Red Army. All the while Cynthia, a rookie cop in Hong Kong, tries to get in on the action of the task force she has been assigned to, but unfortunately her superior is her uncle who wants to keep her out of harms way. The Japanese thieves and the detective trailing them, all make their way to Hong Kong, and Cynthia ends up entangled in the same mess with the detective, trying to bring the cold blooded and desperate thieves to justice. People on both sides are killed, leading to crossed paths of personal revenge, everyone out for each others blood.

Cynthia Khan takes over from Michelle Yeoh in this "girls with guns" action thriller which has a mix of comedy, drama and hard-hitting action. It's a strange concoction as in one hand you have light humour between Cynthia and her uncle, who doesn't want her to be a cop, and in the other you have two cold-blooded villains who make Bonnie and Clyde seem like church-going devotees; they cold-bloodedly kill, and are part of the Red army. They are pretty dark characters. Plus you got a detective, who looks like a cross between Sonny Chiba and Columbo, who is on a mission to nab the killers. It's not as good as Royal Warriors, but it's a satisfying piece of action mayhem with a good plot, good humour and some intense and exhilarating action scenes. Plus Cynthia Khan looks cute, is likeable and kicks butt!

This is the first and only Cynthia Khan movie I have seen so far, and all I have to say is "WOW!". She is amazing - more flexible than rubber. If she ever got in a fight with Jackie Chan, he could conceivably beat her, but I wouldn't bet my money on it! Plus, she is MUCH cuter than Michelle Yeoh. And if she is not enough, there is an extra bonus for action-girl fans: one of the villains is a real tough bi*ch who definitely won't go down without a fight. But the men don't get short-changed, either: there is a Japanese cop and two male villains, and all three are VERY determined and VERY good at fighting - the cop and one of the bad guys engage in one of the most brutal, vicious fights that have ever been committed to film. The rest of the action scenes (car crashes, explosions, shootouts) are also supreme. The film never stops to take a breath - there is little of the comedy that usually bogs down Hong Kong productions (there ARE cameos by some of the "Lucky Stars", but they only last a few seconds). As a result, there is more room for action, action and more action. And if action is what you want, "In The Line Of Duty 3" is as good as it gets. (***1/2)