After her film debut in the third In the Line of Duty film, Cynthia Khan returns in the fourth addition to the classic HK cop-action series. But, the true stars are Donnie Yen and director Yuen Woo Ping, who help make this 1989 sequel a superior effort.

The Film: The basic premise is about a dockworker who is thought to have gained some secret microfilm from corrupt CIA agents. In a Hitchcockian twist, the dockworker, ironically named Luk, is completely innocent, but no one, not the bad CIA or the Hong Kong Cops believe him. So, everyone is out for the poor guys blood. Eventually, it is up to Donnie Yen and Cynthia to protect him from the renegade agents appearing around every corner thanks to Donnie Yen's turncoat partner played by Michael Wong, who previously played a good guy in the first In the Line of Duty film, Royal Warriors.

The action (thank you Yuen Woo Ping) is typical of the series, inventive, fast, and brutal, but what sets this one apart is the sheer number of action scenes. I can think of very few HK action films that inject so much, nearly constant action into them, and if you know your HK action, that's saying quite a lot... In the first 15 mins there are three kung fu fights and a shoot-out- by the 30 min mark add four more kung fu fights and an interrogation room beating- in the next thirty mins (1 hr mark) add three more kung fu fights and include some torture, yet another interrogation room beating,- and finally, in the last thirty mins add four more fights, including the big finale, and another shoot-out... Cynthia's main moments are in a great fight on a moving ambulance in which she is shoved though the window, her head dangling just above the pavement, fighting on top and the sides of it, and hanging off the front grill, as well as a fight with a fugly gwailo (Caucasian) 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 beefcake Ike Turner lookalike (Michael Woods), who is a familiar face in the realm of HK villains.

If you are looking for action every three minutes, look no further. In the Line of Duty 4 is the basic epitome of mindless (really mindless) HK action. If you are looking for a complex plot, and deep acting, you wont find it, but if you just want some exploitative popcorn thrills and stuntmen taking it to the limit, you have found your film.

The DVD: Fair/Average by Hong Kong standards. The letterboxed picture is worn and washed out, but not enough to really heavily distract too much from this entertaining film. Its your average HK picture and sound (5.1 Mandarin and Cantonese) for an older film. There are the usual Universe subtitle options, nine of them, from English, Japanese, Chinese traditional and simplified, etc. It does has its fair share of subtitle mistakes ("Dare you bent me. You must call for death.") Extras include star bios of Cynthia, Woo Ping, and Donnie, where we are informed that "It is believed that Donnie is now working with might and main to open up his future." It also has trailers for the film, as well as In the line of Duty 3 & 5, and Yes, Madam!. Considering the film averages under $5.50 if you import it, it is a fantastic buy for the HK action fan.