Reviewed by: MrBooth Date: 06/18/2014 Summary: Fairly shambolic A pair of jewel thieves rob a jewelry exhibition, killing dozens in the process - including the young protege of Inspector Hiroshi Fujioka. When the thieves discover that the stolen jewels are fake, they travel to Hong Kong to track down the designer whose exhibition they raided. Inspector Fujioka follows them there, where the local police are tasked with keeping him out of trouble - a job that is delegated to Madam Yeung (Cynthia Khan). ITLOD3 is the film that started the IN THE LINE OF DUTY series, retrospectively retitling YES, MADAM! and ROYAL WARRIORS as parts 2 and 1 and attempting to pitch Cynthia Khan as the successor to Michelle Yeoh (also known as Michelle Khan) and Cynthia Rothrock. The plot has echoes of ROYAL WARRIORS but is rather undeveloped... a bunch of stuff happens, but when it makes narrative sense it's probably more due to judicious editing than forethought. The production generally has that charmingly Hong Kong feel of being shot on the fly without too much thought as to what the next day would bring and little more than an outline for a script. Whilst this approach has produced some of Hong Kong's finest works, where creativity and enthusiasm were allowed free reign, ITLOD3 feels more like a half-hearted effort to produce a clone work. A set of familiar ingredients are thrown into a wok and stir-fried, the result tipped out onto the plate without much attention to artistry. Given this, the film basically has to stand or fall on its action scenes. There are quite a few of them, but nothing that reaches the kind of jaw-dropping heights of spectacle that films like ROYAL WARRIORS or RIGHTING WRONGS manage to achieve. Part of this is due to the fact that Cynthia Khan isn't that great a fighter or acrobat - she doesn't seem to pack much of a punch, and although she's reasonably limber she doesn't pull off any truly impressive moves, and is clearly doubled on even relatively straightforward stunts. Michiko Nishiwaki doesn't do all that much better as the villain, though, and she's proven that she's capable and willing, so perhaps the fault lies with the action directors not giving the girls better choreography. The film isn't actively unpleasant to watch, but it feels like a rather lackluster effort compared to the Michelle Yeoh films it seeks to imitate, or the far more impressive Cynthia Khan sequel IN THE LINE OF DUTY IV. Reviewer Score: 5

Reviewed by: j.crawford Date: 03/29/2007 Summary: well done In the Line of Duty III marks the film debut of then 20 year old Cynthia Khan starring in the role made popular by Hong Kong superstar Michelle Yeoh in the seminal action film, Corey Yuen Kwai's Yes, Madam [1985]. After casting his new young star, D & B Films house producer Stephen Shin Gei-Yin takes this box office franchise down a harder, more brutal path. In the opening scene, Ms. Khan has to tear her skirt so she can do some high kicking to subdue a bad guy. She wins over the audience immediately with that move. The movie is non-stop action and features an extended fight sequence between bad guy Stuart Ong and Japanese cop Fujioka Hiroshi, who is wearing handcuffs throughout the scene. Grisly stuff, well done. Reviewer Score: 7

Reviewed by: Frank Lakatos Date: 03/27/2006 Summary: The best in the series This is the best entry of the In the Line of Duty series, simply because the story and Hiroshi Fujioka's performances are intense. Fujioka is a Sonny Chiba in this one, and he kicks ass. The movie is very elegant and stylish. WIth that great combination, this is an excellent movie. 5/5

Reviewed by: dandan Date: 03/08/2006 Summary: good addition to the series well, cynthia khan makes a great debut and fills miss yeoh's boots pretty well. again, a really good slice of hong kong action. it's not quite up to the standards of 'royal warriors' or 'yes, madam!', but it's got enough to be close behind them. it's also a less light-hearted and much more grizzly than those two.

Reviewed by: mrblue Date: 09/27/2005 A group of thieves (among them Michiko Nishiwaki) steal a batch of diamonds and kill some cops in the process. A hot-headed detective (Hiroshi Fujioka) heads to Hong Kong to catch the gang, and a rookie cop (Cynthia Khan) is assinged to keep him out of trouble. Before long, though, she joins with the Japanese officer to bring the case to a close. This movie's aim is pretty simple -- to make Cynthia Khan a credible star, and it does that. Khan (born Lan Yi Chiang -- her stage name is a combination of Michelle Khan [Yeoh] and Cynthia Rothrock, stars of previous movies in the series) had no martial arts experience before this film, but the producers needed a fill-in for Michelle Yeoh, who was retiring from the film business upon her marriage to producer Dickson Poon. Girls-with-guns movies, in particular the ITLOD films (Yes! Madam and Royal Warriors before title changes) were making good money with local audiences, and, more importantly, overseas and so the producers rushed forth with Cynthia as the star. Given what she had to accomplish -- step into the shoes of Asia's biggest female action star at the time (it should be noted that Cynthia was only 20 at the time of filming and had only done some television work beforehand) -- Cynthia does a good job in the movie. She doesn't seem as tough as Michelle was, and there are obviously a lot of camera tricks and doubles used for her fight scenes, but overall she comes off as a credible action star. However, with such a large and talented supporting cast, one doesn't notice any of Cynthia's (small) shortcomings. The action (done under the direction of five co-ordinators) comes fast and furious, with just enough time given to some exposition to let the viewer catch their breath. Of particular note is the final confrontation between Cynthia and Michiko Nishiwaki; it's a very brutal fight that shows just how females can be just as aggressive (or even moreso) than their male counterparts. [review from www.hkfilm.net]

Reviewed by: ewaffle Date: 09/26/2005 Summary: Obsessive violence Thre are a number of reasons to like “In the Line of Duty 3”. Among them are the ferocious fight between Hiroshi Fujioka and Stuart Ong that takes place in an abandoned boat factory, the battle that pits Cynthia Khan against Michiko Nishiwaki and Dick Wei in the same location and the lurid, extravagant and constantly over the top but riveting performance of Nishiwaki as the lovelorn and always deadly Japanese Red Army terrorist. One can ignore the anachronisms that pop up constantly because the action is so grand, the narrative actually makes sense and some of the devices used by Arthur Wong and the screenwriters work quite well. Last things first—the two Red Army terrorists, who are actually dressed in army uniforms, are able to defeat entire battalions of heavily armed Japanese police officers who have been deployed specifically to keep them from stealing some jewels that are being displayed. They kill scores of cops, grab the jewels, elude the reinforcements, very slowly murder Fujioka’s student/friend and escape to Hong Kong. They have no support system, only one trustworthy confederate (others have already sold them out) and wind up holding a huge bag of counterfeit gems that they risked their lives to steal. Luckily for them the Hong Kong cops, while more lovable, are as incompetent as their Tokyo counterparts. There are enough martial arts face-offs, gun battles and explosions during this part of the movie that the audience can ignore the improbables and enjoy the action. Cynthia is introduced a tough and well trained cop before the credits when she apprehends an armed thief—in one terrific image she rips the seam of her police issue hobble skirt to she can spin through the air and deliver a kick to the fleeing robber. The battle between Hiroshi Fujioka and Stuart Ong is very well choreographed and wonderfully executed by both actors. It is extremely brutal—each of the combatants absorbs at least a score of blows, any one of which would be fatal or disabling. They use metal pipes, chains, ropes and a boat under construction to fight and Fujioka is hindered by having his hands cuffed together for the entire time. Stuart Ong wields a long boathook most memorably, first driving the spike end into Fujioka’s thigh, then ripping into his shoulder with the hook and dragging him. The climax of this fight is excruciating—the antagonists have almost killed each other and can barely move. Stuart Ong still has the boat hook and he struggles to get to his feet so that he can drive it through Fujioka. Fujioka, exhausted, still handcuffed, covered with his own and Sai-Kit’s blood makes on last valiant stand. Terrific stuff. The strongest parallel is between Fujioka and Nishiwaki. While on different sides of the law they are driven by the same passion, to revenge the death of the person they loved more than anything. Arthur Wong and the writers lay it on very thickly—at the funeral of Ken, his police protégé, Fujioka is asked by the young policeman’s surviving son to allow his father to be at peace in the afterlife by hunting down his killers. Nishiwaki has what seems to be an extremely sick sex/love relationship with Sai-Kit. Their lovemaking is spiced by the use of sharp knives and licking each others blood in addition to the usual exchange of bodily fluids. Nishiwaki loves him maniacally—she probably brushes her teeth maniacally because she is the perfect picture of a maniac. Neither of them is willing to abide by rules when there is a chance to take vengeance on the other, both might (and do) go crazy at any moment, slaughtering anyone unlucky enough to be in the vicinity. They are a perfectly matched set of psychotic killers. It is easy to develop a rooting interest for Cynthia Khan’s character—she is obviously the most competent officer in the Serious Crime Squad but is constantly thwarted by her overprotective and extremely incompetent uncle who heads the squad. But it is the pursuit by and fight with Nishiwaki and Ong at the end of the movie that gets our hearts in our throats. Here Cynthia is not only a punching and kicking martial arts master, although there are plenty of punches and kicks. She realizes that she is trapped, unarmed and faced with two opponents, each of whom has as much skill, stamina and ability to withstand pain as she does. So instead of simply fighting it out with them and (somehow) eventually winning, she tries to avoid fighting by hiding among the industrial detritus of the abandoned plant. It doesn’t work, of course, but does serve to separate her antagonists so that she can deal with them individually. Ong is dispatched in an especially gruesome and satisfying manner. Recommended. Reviewer Score: 8

Reviewed by: pjshimmer Date: 01/13/2002 Don't even try to watch this unless you're a fan of the girls-with-gun or police action style movies. There's really nothing great about it. Mediocore action, a lot of people getting whacked in their heads (which is respectable & courtesy of Jackie Chan), and police officers knocking down foreign terrorists. [6/10]

Reviewed by: GlennS Date: 05/29/2000 Cynthia Khan's first film has her as a new member of the Serious Crimes Division working under her uncle (Paul Chun Pui). During a jewelry heist instigated by Stuart Ong and Michiko Nishiwaki, the pseudo Bonnie and Clyde murder a Japanese cop's (Hiroshi Fujioka, looking like a Japanese Columbo) young partner. Hellbent on revenge, Fujioka follows the pair to Hong Kong, where he eventually teams up with Cynthia to stop Stuart and Michiko. This may be Cynthia Khan's first film but already her onscreen fighting skills are impressive. Nishiwaki though steals the show with her feral intensity and devilish beauty. Dick Wei has a supporting villian role as a co-conspirator with the bad guys (and girl). Also watch out for amusing cameos by Eric Tsang, Richard Ng and Sandra Ng. 8.5/10 Reviewer Score: 8

Reviewed by: hokazak Date: 12/09/1999 I *love* this movie! Cynthia Khan makes you *believe* thatshe can go toe-to-toe with any guy in a fight, but Michiko ends up being the ultimate foe. The brutal last-battle is amazing.

Reviewed by: spinali Date: 12/08/1999 Summary: NULL A trio of Chinese nationalists execute a bloody jewel heist. When peppy police detective Leung Lai Ching (Cynthia Khan) joins the Serious Crimes Division and gets on the case, she ends up killing one of the conspirators. Lai is now the object of vengeance, and in the process her father is killed and her Japanese partner (Hiroshi Fujioka) incapacitated. An amphetamine-driven crime drama with snappy (and often bloody) fight scenes, interesting characters, and a good sense of humor. (3.5/4) [Reviewed by Steve Spinali] Reviewer Score: 8