Bodyguards and Assassins (2009)

Hear me out, this was overall a VERY good movie. I'm only giving it a 5 out of 10 for ONE reason, and it's more of a personal gripe. This movie kills off just about every single main character. Perhaps it is JUST me, but I watch movies with the hope that the main character has a fighting chance, that he survives. Now, I'm not totally against main or supporting characters dying, but not if EVERY SINGLE ONE dies. This movie's biggest flaw is its unnecessary slaughtering of all the good guys. What is the point of a movie that leaves you with NOBODY to root for at the end? This film thoroughly intrigued, touched, and entertained me until the last scene, when one after another, the fan favorite characters started dying off. Had it had a more enthusiastic, optimistic ending, it would've been on my top rewatch list easily, along with the likes of the Ip Man series and a plethora of Jet Li films. If Ip Man could be emotional yet end happily, this could've too.

Hong Kong, the early 20th century: as Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat-Sen makes his way to a meeting destined to change the history of China, he is targeted by a team of highly trained assassins; sworn to protect him are a small band of loyal bodyguards, each willing to lay down their life for their ideology — the eventual freedom of their beloved country from the oppressive rule of the tyrannous Qing dynasty.I was wary of Bodyguards and Assassins since it was promoted as being from the producers of The Warlords, which wasn't all that great, but the quote on the cover of my DVD made the film sound like a veritable action-fest, and the inclusion of Donnie Yen in the cast convinced me that a couple of hours of awesome martial arts mayhem was in the offing. Imagine my disappointment to find that the action only makes up a small percentage of the running time, the movie focusing primarily on the tumultuous political climate of the era, and the personal dramas that unfold as a result. I have no idea how accurate all of this is (although I suspect that it is more than a tad biased), but I can tell you that it is incredibly boring.Mind you, when the fighting does eventually happen, it's far from impressive, with rapid editing making it hard to see what is happening and way too much wire-work for my liking. Next time I see a film advertised as being from the producers of The Warlords, I think I'll follow my gut instinct and give it a miss.

I will not and do not like to put spoilers in my reviews. If any are seen/read, they are accidental mistakes not intentional. That being said, I have seen many martial arts films, such as "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon", "14 Blades", etc.. I really think this one has them all beat. Each and every character seemed very true to life. When you have Martial Arts fights in films, reality does have to be set aside. By doing so, it really does then add to, rather than take away from the film you are watching. That is what really makes this film fantastic, in every way. I did not know what to expect from this film going in, but it really blew me away. Donnie Yen, Cung Le, Bing Bing Fan, are just three Oriental Actors that I love to see act, and they played their part fantastically. I just can't seem to praise this film enough. Enjoy yourself while watching this great film.

The irony here is that I'm commenting on a Chinese movie with disturbing parallels to 21st century America. That's right: the Occupy Movement- the struggle of American citizens to recapture some of the liberties that have been lost (or are BEING stolen even as I write). As the persecution of Julian Assange makes all too clear, one would do well to beware the dungeons of Democracy. BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS is about the Evolution of Revolution. Despite the foreclosure in THIS country on The Fourth Estate (the Press), it's effectiveness in turn-of-the-last-century China is clearly shown and we see the awakening of a sleeping giant. "Keep one eye open," a British diplomat advises at one point: "And close the other." (Translation: Watch for political troublemakers, but don't stop them from being murdered.) Another lesson we've learned here in the West: Democracy can ATROPHY. This is a disparate band of Evolutionaries, including a son of privilege who forfeits Privilege for Principle and an opium-addicted martial artist ("I'm like a ghost...") whose sacrifice reminds us that Courage isn't the absence of Fear, it's the ACCEPTANCE of it. Outstanding filmmaking.