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!
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!