The Bodyguard from Beijing (1994)

Poor Quality Rip-Off

I returned this item because when I went to watch it, it turned out it was a terrible home-made copy of the movie-AND IT WAS IN THE WRONG LANGUAGE. It was in Cantanese, and the English subtitles were un-readable. NEVER BUY THIS PRODUCT! January 17, 2008

not worth buying

I saw this movie when I was little and liked it, and I have always been a Jet Li fan. When I received the dvd I was looking forward to watching it. The quality is horrible!! It was just dubbed from vhs and it is kind of blurry. Wish i did not purchase this. March 17, 2007

Not too Bad

This movie was made in Hong Kong, starring Jet Li, directed by Corey Yuen. Although it is not Jet Li's best, it is nevertheless worth watching.

The bodyguard (Jet Li) is assigned to protect the rich Christy Cheung, the only remaining witness to a murder case (the other two witnesses were killed weeks before the trial). At first, they don't get along, largely due to the stiff bodyguard violating her privacy, installing security cameras not only throughout the house but also her bedroom. However, a romantic relationship develops after she violates security procedures and goes shopping, only to be saved from being narrowly killed by several assassins, due to the first rate fighting skills of the bodyguard.

The movie starts slowly but it builds up to excellent martial arts towards the end. The major disappointment is that the producers forgot that this was supposed to be a martial arts movie and introduced guns unnecessarily, which spoils the action. The action is not as much as I would have wished. However, the fight, towards the end is first rate, particularly when Jet Li fights Ken Lo (Jackie Chan).

However, for those who like guns and also like martial arts, then this movie will excite you.

May 8, 2006

last reviewer was right, I didn't like it because I need more fight scenes.

that's not all, the story is really, really bad in this one. My god, who thought butcher wing from OUATIC could be a worse actor than Andrew Dice Clay. The dubbing is of course the exact same from swordsman 2, twin warriors, etc., so that certainly didn't help this out. March 7, 2006

HK take on Hollywood's The Bodyguard pleases

Jet Li portrays John Chang, a mainland Chinese bodyguard trained by the military to be the best and latest word in protection. After using a controversial technique in a training exercise, he is diverted from taking a coveted assignment with his comrades. Instead he is sent to Hong Kong to protect a young woman, Michelle, who is the only surviving witness to a murder. Michelle is the mistress of a wealthy man, who spares no expense at protecting her life after two other witnesses are murdered by the triad leader suspect's gang.

Li's John Chang is all business, a repressed, grim faced young man who has one objective: to protect his client, even at the cost of his own life. His vibrant charge soon finds his protective restrictions stifling and she sets about making life as difficult as possible for the man charged to protect her. It is not until an attempt is made upon her life in a shopping mall she has stubbornly insisted on visiting, that she begins to appreciate her no nonsense guardian.

Soon, appreciation leads to infatuation, and Michelle turns the full force of her romantic charms on the unsuspecting and emotionally ill-equipped Chang. She buys him fancy clothes, an expensive watch, finding herself increasingly dissatisfied and impatient with her rich but milquetoast boyfriend. The romantic tension is almost too much for Chang, who finds himself uncharacteristically unable to concentrate on his work as her protector.

The gang charged with her annihilation is now led by the brother of one of the gang killed at the shopping mall shootout. He is intent on revenging his brother by killing John. Taking advantage of Chang's distraction, he and his crew launch an attack on Michelles seemingly impregnable home which initiates the film's final showdown.

Jet Li's martial arts skills take a back seat to gunplay and suspense until the climax of the film. Li's wushu talents are on full display as he engages in hand to hand combat with his foe. Intent on not repeating his mistake from the opening training exercise, Chang must now show a willingness to die for his client.

Highly entertaining and ultimately more satisfying than Hollywood's The Bodyguard, Jet uses his screen appeal to good advantage in the film. The supporting players are excellent, especially Kent Cheng as one of two policemen that aid John in protecting Michelle. An excellent viewing choice for those who may not be fans of Li's period wushu pieces, the film will probably disappoint those who crave fight-laden martial arts films. September 1, 2002

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