Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		2.5

The Bodyguard Blu-ray Movie Review

Wait—where’s Whitney Houston?

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman September 9, 2016

If you were to ever see Sammo Hung without already knowing who he is, chances are you would never guess he was a martial arts superstar. While he’s currently around 64 and even paunchier than in his prime, even back a decade or two (or more) he didn’t really fit the mold of a Hong Kong action adventure star, at least the wiry, athletic mold as exemplified by the likes of Bruce Lee (with whom Hung appeared, albeit briefly, in Enter the Dragon). Hung is a hefty sort, to euphemize things, and he certainly doesn’t have what most people would call matinee idol good looks (it’s notable in this regard that one of his first directorial efforts, one in which he also starred, was called Enter the Fat Dragon, something that evidences self awareness and a nice amount of self deprecation). Nevertheless, Hung has been one of the protean influences in Hong Kong cinema for several decades now, not just as a performer but also as a fight choreographer and/or action director and director. Hung brings all those skills to The Bodyguard, which was evidently released in some markets with the somewhat more revealing title My Beloved Bodyguard. Hung’s somewhat dilapidated appearance and demeanor are utilized purposefully in The Bodyguard, with the actor portraying Ding Hu, an elderly former Central Security Bureau operative who is now retired and is perhaps suffering from early onset dementia. A whirlwind opening details that Ding witnesses a vicious murder by a gang led by local mobster Choi (Deng Chao), but when Ding is called in to identify Choi in a police lineup, he falters, either due to hesitance or to his incipient confused mental state. The film would therefore be seeming to set up a showdown between Ding and this gang, and while it’s inevitable that this particular plot point does ultimately happen, The Bodyguard turns out to be quieter character study, one which tends to focus on Ding’s protecting of a little girl named Cherry (Jacqueline Chan), after her father Li (Andy Lau) gets mixed up with the gang. The Bodyguard may therefore disappoint adrenaline junkies who come to it expecting a slam bang martial arts brouhaha. Sadly, the film may also disappoint those who have no preconceptions whatsoever, for The Bodyguard fails to really connect emotionally, despite obvious (probably too obvious) attempts to tug rather desperately at the heart strings.

There’s a bit of subtext to The Bodyguard which I have a hunch will be more meaningful to Asian audiences than to Western ones, including the whole Central Securty Bureau angle, as well as the film’s location, which is in a corner of China that is also close to Korea and Russia. That allows for a certain international aspect to some of the criminal goings on which may play more “authentically” for Eastern viewers, especially when it turns out that there’s a bit of internecine warfare going on between Choi’s gang and a bunch of Russian mobsters who are also attempting to control this particular turf. That element plays into the melodramatic saga surrounding Li, when he’s tasked by Choi with stealing a bag full of loot from the Russians, ostensibly to pay back debts Li, a compulsive gambler, owes to Choi. Needless to say, the purloining of the booty doesn’t go exactly as planned, and that leaves Li’s daughter Cherry threatened. Guess who comes to her rescue?

A lot of The Bodyguard then gives way to kind of cutesy interplay between Ding and Cherry, instead of exploiting bone cracking interchanges with the various bad guys (though those of course do play into the proceedings, albeit in short little bursts). There’s a sweet, perhaps even bittersweet, tone to the film that plays somewhat like an elegy, especially since it’s revealed that Ding is wracked by guilt over having lost his own granddaughter years ago, making Cherry a substitute of sorts. The interaction between these two characters is amiable enough, but it collides kind of uneasily against the more violent tendencies that ultimately erupt, evidently to satisfy those who were expecting a traditional action adventure yarn.

Hung has peppered the film with a veritable who’s who of stars and/or filmmakers in various cameos, which may provide those with knowledge of such things a bit of a distraction as The Bodyguard wends its way toward what amounts to a more or less happy ending. This isn’t traditional martial arts fare, and even as a kind of soapy drama often fails to hit the bullseye, but it shows that Hung, never a traditional action adventure star to begin with, is matriculating into older character roles with considerable energy.

The Bodyguard Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Bodyguard is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Well Go USA with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. The IMDb lists the Arri Alexa XT Plus as the camera on this film, with a 2K DI, and the results are often quite impressive looking. The visual presentation is aided by the fact that little if any overt color grading is employed, aside from lighting effects in scenes like a club party sequence. That gives the palette a very lifelike and nuanced affect, though occasionally Hung employs some "artier" effects, as in some flashbacks which are virtually black and white (see screenshot 5). Fine detail is excellent, especially in close-ups where elements like the fine threading of Ding's pajamas can be viewed with extreme precision. There are a couple of what I term "digital murk" moments in some nighttime shots, but as far as these things go, shadow detail is still well above average and general detail levels are not materially affected.

The Bodyguard Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Perhaps because The Bodyguard only infrequently bursts into frenetic action sequences, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (in Cantonese, with optional English subtitles) may not have the bombast that some would expect from a traditional martial arts actioner. There's still some nice immersive qualities, but they tend to be subtler, with some quiet but effective ambient environmental effects helping to populate the surround and to create a lifelike ambience for Ding's village life. Dialogue is rendered very cleanly and clearly, and when the film does exploit more traditional hand to hand combat elements, the soundtrack understandably explodes (at least relatively speaking) with considerable force.

The Bodyguard Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Making Of contains several short featurettes:

  All Star Cast With All Star Support (1080i; 2:49)

  About the Characters (1080i; 2:33)

  A View of a Legend, On and Off Screen (1080i; 2:13)

  Sammo Hung: Kindness is His Calling Card (1080i; 2:35)

  About the Action (1080i; 2:38)

  About the Girl (Jacqueline Chan) (1080i; 2:39)

• Trailer (1080p; 1:37)

The Bodyguard Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Hung fans will probably enjoy The Bodyguard if they come to the film without any preconceptions about it being a martial arts spectacular. But even those fans may not be entirely swayed by a story that tips precariously between the maudlin and the smackdown. Technical merits are very strong for those considering a purchase.