Wong ga si je ji IV: Jik gik jing yan (1989)

Director:

Woo-ping Yuen

Writers:

Chi-Sing Cheung (writer)
Wing-Fai Wong (writer)

Release Date:

21 July 1989 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Action | Crime

Plot:

Two detectives who are up to their necks in trouble and in each other's face, as they try to shut down...

Plot Keywords:

Roman Numeral In Title | Punctuation In Title | Sequel | Number In Title

Cast

Cynthia Khan	...	Madam Rachel Yeung Lai-Ching
Donnie Yen	...	Captain Donnie Yan
Michael Wong	...	Captain Michael Wong
Yat Chor Yuen	...	Luk Wan-Ting
Kai Chi Liu	...	Ming
Chiao Chiao	...	Luk's Mother
Gei Shun Wai	...	HK Police officer
Shun-Yee Yuen	...	Drug dealer
Blaine Lamoureux	...	Officer Peter Woods (as Blaine Camoureux)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stephen Berwick	...	Fighter in blue T-shirt
Wing Cho	...	Loan Shark's Man 1 / CIA Agent
Farid Dordar	...	Thug at pier
Tom Hyland
Jim James	...	Officer John
Yiu Man Kee	...	Loan Shark's Man 2
Farlie Ruth Kordica	...	Blonde female fighter
Eddie Maher	...	Loan Shark in Seattle
Kwok-kin Ng	...	Policeman
David Petersen
Ray Pichette	...	Violent policeman (as Ray Pachette)
John Salvitti	...	Fighter in alley
Paul Wong	...	Killer at hospital
Michael Woods	...	Black fighter on rooftop / Motorbike
Tin Hung Yee	...	Loan Shark's Thug in Seattle

Also Known As:

In the Line of Duty (UK) (video title)
In the Line of Duty 4 (Hong Kong: English title)
Key Witness (International: English title) (video title)
Survival (International: English title) (video title)
Wong ga si je ji IV: Jik gik jing yan (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence.

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Ireland:18 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | Australia:MA

Filming Locations:

Hong Kong, China

Company:

D & B Films Co. Ltd.

Goofs:

Continuity: Luk and Officer Yeung are handcuffed to each other in Luk's mother's home, but when they are outside, only Luk is handcuffed.

Quotes:

Donny: [gives madam Yeung a drink] Here, thought it might wake you up.
Madam Yeung: [takes the cup and remembers how Donny saved her and Luk from an attack at the hospital] You're still in Hong Kong?
Donny: It was the way that guy died in questioning. It didn't feel right.
Madam Yeung: [smiles] Who do you think did it?
[Donny doesn't respond]
Madam Yeung: Don't wanna know? Your good friend...Captain Mike Wong.
Donny: Listen up, I was just beginning to like you.
Madam Yeung: You like Michael and that's exactly why you don't wanna consider him. You said it yourself, a cop can't let his emotions get in the way. And while you don't have many, they're conflicting your judgment.
Donny: [angrily gets in her face] Shut up! Despite what you think, I do have feelings, but I also have a job to do and I need to do it! I have a sense of responsibility. How come I came back here?! You think I like listening to you, you stuck up..
Madam Yeung: [cuts him off] 'Stuck up bitch'. That what you wanna call me?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Followed by Hai lang (1991)

Hong Kong action, par excellence.

It's non-stop fight action all the way in director Yuen Woo-ping's amazing martial arts classic 'In The Line Of Duty'.

Sporting a great line in blouson jackets (leather AND tassled suede) and tight snow-washed jeans, feisty female fight star Cynthia Khan, aided by high-kicker Donnie Yen, battles nasty gangsters and corrupt cops in this prime slice of 80s kung fu cinema.

OK, the story might not be anything special—a witness to a crime is hunted by both the police and the gangsters—but with blistering chop-socky and dangerous stunts from the opening frames to the end credits, those who enjoy Hong Kong mayhem will be in heaven when they watch this.

Using virtually none of his trademark wire-work (that, in my opinion, ruins many of his films), Woo-ping presents the viewer with a roller-coaster ride of top action set-pieces and amazing acrobatic mêlées that show off his stars' skills to great effect. Khan is easy on the eye, but deadly in a fight, and gives her all in several brutal battles, one of which sees her performing an amazing routine with a couple of spanners standing in for a pair of nunchakus, and another which has her fighting atop a moving ambulance. Yen is also on fine form, performing more than his fair share of life-threatening action, but his best moment is undoubtedly the final rooftop punch-up with the massive Michael Woods—David and Goliath, kung fu style!

Throw in some great motorcycle-fu, loads of energetic gun fights, a sword fight or two, and good support from both Yat Chor Yuen (as the unlucky witness Luk) and Michael Wong (as a traitorous CIA agent), and the result is a hugely enjoyable masterpiece of the genre.