88 Films UK 4K UHD Blu-ray Synopsis: Jet Li stars as Allan Hui Ching-Yeung, a top Chinese bodyguard hired to protect Michelle Yeung, the girlfriend of a wealthy businessman who witnessed a brutal murder. As relentless assassins close in, Allan uses his exceptional martial arts skills and tactical expertise to keep her safe. The assignment turns personal as he forms a bond with Michelle, all while navigating a deadly game of cat and mouse. With intense action sequences, high-stakes drama, and Jet Li's iconic martial arts prowess, “Bodyguard from Beijing” delivers a thrilling ride, blending heart-pounding action with emotion depth and suspense. (93 Mins)

 

Dimension UK DVD Synopsis: Action superstar Jet Li – a sensation in Romeo Must Die and Lethal Weapon 4 – powers onto the screen in a non-stop action thriller about loyalty, betrayal... and revenge. Li plays a hard-hitting and highly trained bodyguard hired by a wealthy businessman to protect his beautiful girlfriend after she witnesses a murder. But things get sticky when the bodyguard and the girlfriend begin to develop feelings for one other. Then, while protecting the sexy witness, Li kills the brother of one of the assassins and becomes targeted for retribution himself. Featuring the always-amazing Jet Li performing all of his own hand-to-hand combat. The Defender is a must see for action fans everywhere. (89 Mins)

 

Views: Considered to be a loose remake of The Bodyguard starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston, The Bodyguard From Beijing tells the story of Allan, a professional bodyguard from China, who is hired by a wealthy Hong Kong businessman to protect his girlfriend Michelle – the only surviving witness to a murder, with all other witnesses having since been killed off by hired assassins. Competent and serious about his job, Allan inspects Michelle's home for bugs while installing his own listening devices and cameras throughout which frustrates his client. Assisting him is two plain-clothed Hong Kong policemen, Fat Po and Ken, who are a little less dedicated to the job than him and spend more time entertaining Michelle's little brother who also lives there. But after a trip to the shopping mall ends up in a shoot-out with a lot of deaths, Michelle then begins to take the threat on her life a little more seriously and begins to fall for her talented bodyguard as he goes toe-to-toe with the ultimate assassin in a fight to the death!

​

Initially banned in China after it was made, The Bodyguard From Beijing was seen as something of a change of direction for it's leading man and producer, Jet Li. After a decade of traditional kung-fu flicks and new-wave wuxia epics, albeit for a few modern-day set pieces such as his self-directed Born To Defense, Dragon Fight, and The Master, Jet would begin his journey as an action hero with his role here. Of course, he had already gained such a huge following after starring in films such as the Shaolin Temple Trilogy, the first three Once Upon A Time In China movies, Swordsman 2, Last Hero In China, the Fong Sai Yuk movies, Tai Chi Master, and New Legend Of Shaolin, proving to be one of Hong Kong cinema's biggest stars that was only just getting started. This would quickly be followed by the fantastic My Father Is A Hero, High Risk, Dr. Wai & The Scripture With No Words, Black Mask, and Hitman – although he would manage to squeeze Once Upon A Time In China & America in between the latter two which would see him return as the legendary Wong Fei Hung. By the turn-of-the-century, Jet had made his mark in Hollywood which would see him continue as a modern day action hero for the most part while his work back in the East, would see him return to the wuxia style of things.

​

In The Bodyguard From Beijing, Li does a fantastic job as Allan, delivering a stoic performance that leaves very little room for laughs, although still offers plenty of charm. Known in the West as The Defender – yet another drab retitling by Dimension Films that matched most of their other Jet Li releases that were also stripped of their original names – the film has long been a favourite for many fans of Jet Li and Hong Kong action cinema. Playing the hapless victim alongside him is the beautiful and entertaining Christy Chung; a Chinese-Canadian actress who had only started in the Hong Kong film industry just a year before – making her debut in Wong Jing's Perfect Exchange/The Sting 2 alongside Andy Lau and Tony Leung. A role in The Bride With White Hair 2 would follow, before Stephen Chow Sing Chi would cast her in the hilarious Love On Delivery and Hail The Judge in 1994. In fact, as well as those latter two and Bodyguard From Beijing, Christy Chung would star in a total of 7 productions that year, with Jet starring in half that. Over the next few years, Christy would keep busy, starring in films such as Mack The Knife, Man Wanted, Red Wolf, Tai Chi 2, All's Well Ends Well '97, and '97 Aces Go Places before semi-retiring due to marriage. One quick divorce later, Chung would return to the business with roles in Cold War, Conman In Tokyo, Gen-Y Cops, The Medallion, and many more. Both her and Jet are joined by the ever reliable and highly entertaining Kent Cheng; the burly star of films such as Oh My Cops, Lucky Stars Go Places, Walk On Fire, Vampire Buster, To Be Number One, Fun & Fury, Run & Kill, Crime Story, and of course, Once Upon A Time In China where he played Butcher Wing alongside Jet Li's highly regarded portrayal of Wong Fei Hung. Here, Cheng plays one of the Hong Kong cops assigned to the same case. While not as efficient as Jet's bodyguard, Kent still gets in on the action although proves to be more of a hindrance than anything when it comes to the nitty gritty. His more sensible partner is played by Joey Leung who, prior to this, had starred in a number of Chow Sing Chi comedies including Flirting Scholar, Love On Delivery, and Hail The Judge, and would later appear in '97 Aces Go Places with Christy Chung soon after.

​

While there's a great range of Hong Kong stuntmen and bit-players strewn throughout as assassins, including the brilliant Wong Kam Kong who can be seen in films such as Blade Of Fury, Burning Paradise, From Beijing With Love, and the White Lotus Cult/Sam The Iron Bridge Trilogy, fans will be happy to note the memorable performance by the awesome Colin Chou as the big baddie of the piece. Having first hit the scene in 1987 with a great role in Promising Young Boy, Chou – then known as Ngai Sing – was quickly took under the wing of the legendary Sammo Hung, going onto take the lead in the Hung produced action flick Into The Fire, before joining him on screen in Encounters Of The Spooky Kind 2, License To Steal, Slickers Vs Killers, Blade Of Fury, Lover's Tear, Don't Give A Damn, and the fantastic Kung Fu Cult Master where he would first star with Jet Li. While this would be their second film together, Chou and Li would return again in My Father Is A Hero, Dr. Wai & The Scripture With No Words, Fearless, Forbidden Kingdom, and the underrated Badges Of Fury. Here, as Killer Wong, Chou does yet another incredible job in the action department, giving Jet a run for his money and impressing with his powerful moves once again.

​

The film is directed by the late, great Cory Yuen Kwai – one of the original 7 Little Fortunes who grew up with Hong Kong movie legends such as Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, and Yuen Wah among others. Starting life in the industry with the Shaw Brothers studios in the late 1960s, Kwai went onto appear in almost 130 movies, but quickly made a name for himself as one of Hong Kong cinema's top action-directors and overall directors after making his debut in 1982 with the awesome Ninja In The Dragon's Den, soon followed by the incredible Yes Madam starring Michelle Yeoh and Cynthia Rothrock. Over the years Yuen Kwai would rock the Hong Kong film world with films such as No Retreat No Surrender 1 and its fast-paced sequel Raging Thunder, Righting Wrongs, She Shoots Straight, Saviour Of The Soul, Women On The Run, and Jet Li titles such as the aforementioned Fong Sai Yuk 1 & 2, My Father Is A Hero, and this – as well as choreographing the action on his films such as New Legend Of Shaolin, High Risk, Badges Of Fury, and most of Jet's Hollywood projects. For The Bodyguard From Beijing, Kwai is joined in the action-department by his opera school brother Yuen Tak – an equally talented star and choreographer who has worked with him on the majority of his Hong Kong titles as well as films such as The Iceman Cometh, Robotrix, Fist Of Fury 1991, 2000 AD, The Myth, and many more.

​

Together, they produce a host of stylised fight scenes and shoot-outs that make Jet Li, Colin Chou and others look fantastic – with their grand finale proving to be one of Jet's finest moments as both stars fight to the death in a gas filled room. It's creative, exciting and ridiculous all at once, but a very memorable ending to an otherwise straight-forward Hong Kong action film. Part of this is down to the script which was written by Gordon Chan, popular director of films such as Fight Back To School, King Of Beggars, Thunderbolt, Fist Of Legend, 2000 AD, The Medallion, Painted Skin, The Four Trilogy, and many more, who admitted that he was strongly influenced by Costner's The Bodyguard. Chan's script neatly blends typical canto-humour with dramatic pieces, yet fails to present The Bodyguard From Beijing as anything bigger – just holding it back from becoming a genuine classic of Hong Kong cinema, although proving to be an important transitional film of Jet Li's career. Regardless, many still enjoy the film for what it is 30 years later with its recent 4K restoration from 88 films breathing new life into it, offering fans the chance to see The Bodyguard From Beijing and Tom Lau's slick cinematography as the best it has ever looked!

​

Overall: While it might be missing a little something, The Bodyguard From Beijing is still one of Jet Li's most exciting modern action-flicks with top fight scenes and more!

​

88 Films 4K UHD Blu-ray Extras: 4K Restoration, Audio Commentary with Frank Djeng, Interview with Gordon Chan, Trailer

​

Dimension DVD Extras: N/A

​​

Get your copy of this 88 Films 4K UHD release HERE

​

Watch my unboxing of this 88 Films 4K release HERE

 

Watch my Bodyguard From Beijing video retrospective HERE