Bodyguards and Assassins
Directed by: Benny ChanStarring: Donnie Yen, Wang Xueqi, Nicholas Tse, Tony Leung Kar Fai, Leon Lai, Eric Tsang, Simon Yam, Yuchun Li Synopsis: Hong Kong, October 1906: Dr Sun Yat Sen, destined to be the “father of Modern China”, is about to arrive from Japan, to discuss with representatives of 13 Territories his plans for revolution against the Ming Dynasty. As Dr Sun’s loyal followers make preparations for his safety, a cohort of assassins is despatched to the Colony to make sure the meeting doesn’t take place. The film follows a group of individuals drawn together for a common cause, although for very different reasons, and the heroic stand they take in the hope of providing China with a new era of democracy. Together they must run a mile-long gauntlet of crowded streets full of assassins waiting for their moment to strike... Review:The first thing that needs to be addressed with Bodyguards and Assassins is that it isn’t the all-out action movie the trailer might have you believe. Instead it is divided between a long first-half of set-up, followed by an almost continuous action sequence. Now we’ve cleared that up, we can concentrate on what an epic, passionate, enthralling film Benny Chan has made, and which contains one of the best, lovable characters you’re likely to see all year. Wang Xueqi plays Li Yue-tang, a newspaper publisher, who has been secretly financing the revolutionaries in Hong Kong through his long-time friend Chen Xiao-bai (Tony Leung). Patriarch to a large household, Li Yue-tang is very protective of his workers and his family. When he discovers that his only son is involved in distributing revolutionary propaganda, he is horrified and feels betrayed by Chen, who is also his son’s tutor. He wants to keep his involvement at arm’s length, but is sucked deeper into the situation when Chen is abducted and the original troupe of bodyguards for Dr Sun are wiped out. It is left to Li to recruit volunteers to protect Dr Sun. And when the police, led by Detective Smith (Eric Tsang in excellent form), arrive to close his printing office, Li finally confronts his own feeling and finds himself standing up to them, berating them in public, which wins him a lot of support from the locals who’ve gathered to watch. The first half of Bodyguards and Assassins is spent in and around the local streets, as we get to know our protagonists and their motivations. Nicholas Tse is Ah Si, Li Yue-tang’s loyal servant and rickshaw driver, who volunteers for the mission to please his master. Donnie Yen plays a duplicitous police officer who starts off as an agent for the assassins. However his wife, who has all but left him due to his excessive gambling and is the long-term lover of Li Yue-tang, begs him to protect Li in the coming battle – his reward, that his young daughter will be told that he is her real father. Basketball star Mengke Bateer plays Wang Fu-ming, an exiled Shaolin Monk working as a street vendor. His towering frame belies a gentle yet valiant heart. His only motivation is to take on the “bad guys”. Leon Lai plays Lau Yuk-bak, a kung fu master brought low because he fell in love with his father’s second wife. He agrees to participate in order to earn a heroic death and specifically asks to be placed in the most deadly part of the mission. Finally there is Yuchun Li as Fang Hong, daughter of Fang Tian, a legendary fighter who was killed by the assassins – but not before chopping off one of his killer’s fingers... 
By the time Dr Sun is due in Hong Kong, his visit is an open secret and the danger is palpable. Li Yue-tang knows better than most of the dangers that are ahead, and he knows that he is asking his friends and employees to sacrifice themselves for a noble cause. When Ah Si asks Li to introduce him to the daughter of the local portrait shop, he does so immediately because he knows that the odds aren’t good for tomorrow.So now we get to the second half of the film. The gauntlet the entourage has to cover is probably about a mile long, and the whole length is lined with people trying to kill them. Each of the people I mentioned get their spot in the limelight as they perform acts of heroism which will have your pulse pounding. That Donnie Yen is fantastic, is a given at this point in his career. Mixing a parkour-style chase with some bone-crunching fighting, Donnie provides some of the action highlights in a second half packed with them. However my favourite scenes belong to Mengke Bateer, whose sheer perseverance will have you cheering him on and Leon Lai, whose introduction into the battle is an incredibly striking image. 
Hong Kong cinema, unlike Hollywood, understands that in order to be a hero, sometimes you have to die heroically, and it won’t be much of a surprise to HK fans to learn that a good portion of the cast don’t make it to the end of
the film
. Benny Chan really pushes the boat out here though giving two of his cast that moment of bliss in dying – think of Gladiator, as Marcus goes to meet his wife and son in the afterlife, and you’re in the right ball-park. Personally, I love that stuff.Verdict Immerse yourself into the build-up as you learn the motivations and passions of the protagonists – and antagonists – and you will be rewarded with an emotional, exciting rollercoaster as imperial assassins and rebellious democrats take to the streets and do battle. 8 out of 10 (MikeOutWest) New! CommentsHave your say about this! Leave me a comment in the box below. |
