The Bodyguard (2016) (DVD) (Taiwan Version) DVD Region 3

Sammo plays Ding, an elderly retired central security bureau officer who lives by himself, suffering from dementia and haunted by the loss of his granddaughter on a hiking trip years back. Pestered by his amorous landlady (Qinqin Li, Moment in Peking), Ding's best friend is Cherry (Jacqueline Chan), a young girl who lives next door and who likes to come and play in his flat. His quiet life is thrown into chaos when Cherry's father Li (Andy Lau), a gambling-addicted low level hoodlum, runs into trouble after taking on a mission to rob a Russian crime boss, making the decision to keep the spoils for himself. Cherry is kidnapped as a result, forcing Ding to take on both the Chinese and Russian gangs to try and get her back.

The biggest problem faced by The Bodyguard is the expectation of it being a high octane, old school martial arts film, an impression very much played up by the marketing and promotional materials – understandably so, given Sammo Hung's status as a genre icon. As a result, fans will likely be disappointed to learn that the film is instead for the most part a sentimental character drama, focusing mainly on Ding's relationship with Cherry, and on his own struggle with dementia and declining health. On this score, it works well enough, with a few moving moments and effective character developments, Hung managing to hold the interest if never offering anything particularly innovative or gripping. As with some of his earlier works, there's a slightly odd mix of comedy and weightier drama, and the film doesn’t always quite gel, with some jarring scenes that don't really fit. Some good performances help add a little weight to the material, Hung and Lau both doing reasonably well in their roles, though things do get bogged down with melodrama, and it's all a bit sappy and saccharine, something which will likely further turn off anyone looking for fisticuffs.

There are a few fight scenes and brawls scattered throughout, and these are as well-handled and choreographed as would be expected from Sammo, not to mention surprisingly violent, with lots of bone-breaking and blood. Given his age, the martial arts content is measured rather than explosive or acrobatic, and even when taking on a room full of Russian villains, Sammo keeps things grounded and doesn’t hide the limitations of his age. This is true of the film as a whole, which very much seems to be about him coming to terms with his advancing years himself, something that's arguably preferable to seeing him trying to pretend otherwise. With Sammo effectively playing against the persona many would associate him with, though it doesn't deliver exactly what his aficionados might want, the film does at least have somewhat of a personal feel.

There's no getting around the fact that The Bodyguard is relatively disappointing, neither providing much action nor fully convincing as a character drama. Still, there's enough here to entertain, with adjusted expectations, and it’s always great to see Sammo Hung on screen and behind the camera, and it'll be interesting to see where his career goes from here.

by James Mudge - EasternKicks.com