While its international title is ROYAL WARRIORS, originally this film was IN THE LINE OF DUTY, the second of a long-running series about hard-hitting kung-fu-fighting female cops in Hong Kong. Inevitably these are excellent action movies for their era which mix car chases and martial arts fights, along with detective stuff and a little comedy. They feel a lot like Jackie Chan's POLICE STORY films, albeit with a little less humour and a more ensemble team. The first four in the series are particularly excellent and helped inspire a decade of similar films from the region.ROYAL WARRIORS is a must for kung fu fans thanks to the presence of not one but two genre luminaries in the title roles. First up we get a young, agile and athletic Michelle Yeoh as the heroine; while her acting isn't as assured here as later on in her career, she certainly livens up the screen in her many fight scenes. She's given excellent support by imported Japanese star Hiroyuki Sanada (ROARING FIRE) in one of his detours into Chinese cinema. It's a worthy follow-up for him to NINJA IN THE DRAGON'S DEN, and he once again plays the same honourable, hard-assed character.A lot of people give Michael Wong (IN THE LINE OF DUTY 4) a hard time, but I don't have a problem with the actor and he does well with his annoying-but-likable character in this movie. And the action is very good indeed, as is the suspenseful plot which forever moves forward with very few slow moments; a massacre in a nightclub is the dramatic highlight. Chan Wai-Man always makes for a decent villain too. While I would have liked a few more bad guys for our heroes to go up against - that's where the later sequels have the edge - this is still above average for the genre and a thoroughly entertaining movie.

Within this HK genre of hard-hitting crime thrillers, "In The Line Of Duty" stands out for its gritty storytelling and brutal presentation of martial arts. A group of psychotic war veterans carry out a terrorist attempt which ends up being foiled by policewoman Michelle Yeoh. After their failed attempt the few remaining terrorists target Yeoh and her comrades in order to enact revenge for the death of their fellow war- hardened brothers. In a messy blood feud Michelle Yeoh struggles to stay alive while simultaneously trying to capture her terrorist foe. Things get out of hand quickly as the stakes are raised and the death toll manages to roll even higher. The side plot involving Yeoh begins to wander but luckily it's not long before you are quickly revived by another action sequence. One apparent detractor is that unlike the sequel cutesy moments don't fit within the story being told, and the comic relief serves as a distraction rather than an aid. The fast-paced flick that In The Line Of Duty tries to be is weighed down by just a bit too much filler. Regardless of this flaw the terrorist plans while ridiculous keep you genuinely interested, and you'll be curious to see where the plot goes. An action packed finale is the highlight of the movie, as the tension remains strong and the Kung-Fu is fierce. Personally this is my favorite out of the series. The entertainment value is very high if nothing else, and Yeoh fans will surely be pleased. -7/10

The movie was made in 1986 when Japan was ascending, and it was fashionable to have Japanese element in the movie. As such, venerable Hiroyuki Sanada (Last Samurai) plays an Interpol agent that becomes friends with Michelle Yeoh, and Michael Wong. They stop a hijack of a plane that was carrying a criminal that was to be extricated from Japan to Hong Kong. In the process, they kill three of the hijacker that includes the extricated criminal. One remaining member swears revenge on them, and starts attacking Sanada, Yeoh, and Wong.It has a different feel from Michelle Yeoh's previous movie Royal Warriors, although she's in a similar role. She looks even younger in this movie, and looks rather cute. The movie has bit more serious feel to it, and as one reviewer put it is rather melodramatic which is unusual for a movie of this type.Its not a typical D&B movie style story, but they were just starting off as a movie studio, and maybe experimenting with different formulas. Production quality is high as usual for their movies. I guess I need to mention the relation between D&B's owner Dixon Poon, and Michelle Yeoh that eventually leads to their marriage.Not the great action movie like Royal Warriors, but a nice mixture of Japanese and Hong Kong actors. Movie is good, but not the stellar masterpiece like the Royal Warriors.

From the mid 80's to the early 90's, D & B Films produced some spectacular features. This is one of them. Everything here is big and loud and brutal. Michael Yeoh, credited as Michelle Kahn, plays a policewoman who prevents a major incident on a airliner, ably assisted by secret agent Henry Sanada. Kahn and Sanada's actions infuriate the mob and revenge comes quickly in the form of an explosion that kills the Japanese agent's wife and daughter. Michael Wong, another cop, assists the Chinese-Japanese duo in their quest for justice, but he only gets in the way, as does his bad acting.This has car stunts, explosions, rafts of grievous bodily harm and lots of woman-to-woman, man-on-man and man-on-woman fighting. John Chung, who directed the excellent "Web of Deception" and the delightful "I Love Maria", stages his action with tremendous energy and works hard to make us feel the pain the characters are feeling.The film has an expansive feel and, though it guns for some comedy relief now and then, never gets sidetracked by it. Kahn's character was replaced in "In the Line of Duty 3" by the aptly named Cynthia Khan, another tough cookie (but not as tough as Michelle).