Extrême violence

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!