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Bodyguards and Assassins

Bodyguards and Assassins (2009)

December. 18,2009
|
6.8
|
PG-13
| Drama Action History

In 1905, revolutionist Sun Yat-Sen visits Hong Kong to discuss plans with Tongmenghui members to overthrow the Qing dynasty. But when they find out that assassins have been sent to kill him, they assemble a group of protectors to prevent any attacks.

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Reviews

SoTrumpBelieve
2009/12/18

Must See Movie...

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Comwayon
2009/12/19

A Disappointing Continuation

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Kien Navarro
2009/12/20

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

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Winifred
2009/12/21

The movie is made so realistic it has a lot of that WoW feeling at the right moments and never tooo over the top. the suspense is done so well and the emotion is felt. Very well put together with the music and all.

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Lomedin
2009/12/22

With a running time over 2 hours, I found this movie a bit slow and extremely over-dramatized. I mean no disrespect for the events that led to the China Revolution of the beginning of the 20th century, although trying to put too much drama into this by ways of overacting and continuously falling in a pit of drama is not helping much.There are a couple of moments that shine, like the fight of the policeman with one of the assassins or, particularly, the apparition of the cleaned up beggar. Well, in fact, these are the only 2 real fights in the whole movie.This movie could have done much better without so much drama and little less running time. In order to make people know about the Revolution, you don't need to make a mockery out of the real tragedy.

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SirJun
2009/12/23

This is NOT Hollywood type Kick-Ass. This is NOT an Arty House of Daggeers.This is a historical drama with some neat kung-fu thrown in. Beautiful to look at. From the elegance of the costumes to the dirty streets in the ghetto. Bodyguards and Assassins has charm, tragedy, drama, loyalty, respect, ignorance and more going for it. Slightly long but thoroughly enjoyable.I was unaware of this part of Chinas history (boy do the English come off bad yet again) and I'm glad I watched it.

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Chandni_Lilikoi
2009/12/24

Not based on a true story? I'm not sure but it sure could have fooled me. Don't know all China's history but imagine all the political assassinations and you wouldn't think that this was could have been real.Although the characters were great... being a Donnie Yen fan, I felt he lacked a strong and good character out of all. The martial arts scenes were great but the visual effects for blood could have been a lot more realistic instead of seeing just vivid & bright red color. Even some make-up on characters were very heavy.There's English subtitles but in the beginning, it tends to be a bit faster than later on in the movie. The story made it bearable to watch though and I recommend all to watch this.

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dbborroughs
2009/12/25

Set in 1906 this is the story of a bunch of revolutionaries in Hong Kong looking to make China a democratic nation no longer under corrupt feudal rule. To that end the seek to protect Mr Sun (Sun Yat-Sen) who is coming into Hong Kong in order to meet with the heads of the various revolutionary groups in all of the provinces. Unfortunately his arrival is known by the ruling Chinese authorities and they have sent a team of assassins into the British controlled city to kill him. Our heroes must assemble a team of men to get Mr Sun from the boat to the meeting and then to distract the assassins while the meeting takes place.This refreshing mix of drama, action and politics is the first great film I've seen in 2010. I might argue that its one of the high echelon of action films for reasons other than just the spectacular fight sequences.Perhaps I should begin by saying that the film is essentially divided into two parts. The first half of the film is a very character heavy, mostly light on action stretch where we get to know the characters, their backgrounds and their reasons for doing what they are doing. Unlike most action films there really isn't a clichéd character in the bunch. All are human beings, all of them want a better place. Because the film doesn't jump into the action but takes the time to not only build the characters, but to set up the situation, the film creates a huge amount of tension by the time Mr Sun arrives and the rag tag bunch has to try and keep him alive. This second half of the film is pretty much an hour plus long set piece as the various characters fight to stay alive. Its an hour that will exhaust you.The film works primarily because we have real characters. This is due in part to the casting of 15 big name actors Donnie Yen, Eric Tsang and Simon Yam among them. Normally the casting of so many actors can work against a film, but here it adds weight and makes the vast number of characters more easily recognizable. Better than the casting in the writing which allows for many small moments that add nice shading to everyone in the tale. The rick shaw driver who quietly tinkles his bell so the lady he loves will look up, Donnie Yen and the little girl, the flashes of wishes and the past. All these little moments come together so that we're watching a bunch of characters who make us hurt when something bad happens to them. When was the last time that you were so invested in bunch of characters that you actually feared for them in a film? Everything that happened made me wince. These are characters that pay a heavy price for what they do and we feel it.I know some people are not happy with the overt political message of the film. This is a film that wears what it feels on its sleeve. The point of the film is that in order to be free one must shake off the shackles of oppression and that the pain of today is for the happiness of tomorrows children. Some people don't like the message because its coming from a film that was made under the watchful eye of the Chinese government, however the statement that what we do today to assure freedom is not just a message for the people in China, its a message for everyone everywhere. Its a call for vigilance and for action anywhere in the world. The film says flat out that the struggle for your rights today will hurt, but if you are successful your children will have a better place. Its not specifically aimed toward any philosophy beyond the general promise of freedom, which makes me kind of wonder why people are unhappy about it.In all honesty if it wasn't for the intensity of the politics the film wouldn't work as well. The politics, right or wrong, provides the reason for the events to unfold. Why are you doing this? The reason is the politics. Even the intensity that drives the final hour, the need to have this meeting for freedom, comes from the politics and the desire to be truly free.The reason many people are going to watch this film is the action. Outside of one battle early on and one or two small moments nothing really happens until the second half. When the explosion of violence happens its pretty much an hour of solid fighting as the bad guys try to kill the good guys in every way possible (knives, fists, arrows, guns, explosions). There are pauses but thats just waiting for the next wave. This final hour takes place on a huge street set that recreates a large chunk of the Hong Kong water front area. Its put to good use as we watch as the cast winds their way all through it.Its amazing Its also heartbreaking since not everyone lives and as I said you feel each death as it happens. By the time it all breaks loose these are no longer characters on the screen but friends, with the result that what happens has so much more added weight. By the end of the film I felt broken. This is the rarest of action films, not only are you affected by what happens to each character, but you also fear for what might happen. Its never really clear what will happen, and the film is so much better for it.For the most part this film is a masterpiece. Easily one of the best films of the year. Its so much more than a drama or a political film or an action film. It is something else, simply a great film.

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