The Bodyguard from Beijing – 88 Films (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1994
Director: Corey Yuen
Writers: Chan Kin-chung, Gordon Chan
Cast: Jet Li, Christy Chung, Kent Cheng, Sing Ngai, Joey Leung

Release Date: August 26th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 93 Minutes 3 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region B (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: £29.99 (UK)

"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." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (4K UHD), 4.5/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Brand new 4K Remaster from the original negatives".

The Bodyguard from Beijing comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 84.5 GB

Feature: 65.5 GB

The source looks excellent; it's a massive upgrade over this film's previous home media releases. Flesh tones look healthy, color saturation is perfect, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

The Bodyguard from Beijing comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 37.4 GB

Feature: 25.7 GB

The Blu-ray uses the same source as the 4K UHD does for its transfer.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds excellent; dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include a theatrical trailer (4 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese removable English subtitles), an interview with screenwriter Gordon Chan (38 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English and Cantonese with burnt-in English subtitles for Cantonese), and an audio commentary with Hong Kong film expert Frank Djeng.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer (4 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese removable English subtitles), an interview with screenwriter Gordon Chan (38 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English and Cantonese with burnt-in English subtitles for Cantonese), and an audio commentary with Frank Djeng.

Other extras include reversible cover art, A3 fold-out poster (limited to the first pressing), a silver-board O-ring slipcase (limited to the first pressing), and a 20-page booklet (limited to the first pressing) with an essay titled The Hero from China Jet Li in Contemporary Hong Kong written by Tom Cunliffe, an essay titled The Case for Corey Yuen Gun For Hire or Genre Pioneer? written by David West, and archival images.

Summary:

Cory Yuen directed The Bodyguard from Beijing. He is also known for making the films Yes, Madam, Righting Wrongs, My Father is a Hero, So Close, and The Transporter.

An elite bodyguard sent from Beijing protects a woman who has witnessed a murder in Hong Kong.

Despite Hong Kong cinema having a history of taking elements from Hollywood films, it’s clear this is not the case with The Bodyguard from Beijing. Any similarities that The Bodyguard from Beijing shares with Whitney Houston’s The Bodyguard are superficial. That said, these two films' only real link is the male protagonist’s similar background working for the government as a ‘bodyguard’.

When it comes to the films of Corey Yuen, something you can always count on are exceptional action sequences. And The Bodyguard from Beijing opens with a phenomenal sequence where Jet Li’s character Allan Hui Ching-Yeung is forced to quickly improvise a safe escape for the man he’s protecting. This sequence does a superb job laying the groundwork for what follows by showcasing Allan Hui Ching-Yeung’s skills as a bodyguard.

Though the action is front and center in The Bodyguard from Beijing, it is more Gun Fu than hand-to-hand martial arts. Also, there are many action sequences where a hellfire of bullets contribute to a ridiculously large body count. For a film where each new action set piece somehow tops the last, it saves its best for a 17-minute finale that is arguably one of Cory Yuen’s finest moments as a director.

Despite all of the characters being caricatures, performance-wise, all of the cast are great, especially Christy Chung (Love on Delivery), who portrays Michelle Yeung, the woman who needs protection. Though there are many tense moments in The Bodyguard from Beijing, the main tension comes from Allan and Michelle’s combative interactions. Another performance of note is Kent Cheng’s (Dr. Lamb) portrayal of a Hong Kong police officer nicknamed ‘Fat Po’. This character provides most of the comic relief.

Despite being action-heavy, The Bodyguard from Beijing devotes a sufficient amount of time to backstory. Momentum is never an issue as things move along at a brisk pace. The most surprising aspect of The Bodyguard from Beijing is the visuals; especially the scene where Michelle finally reveals her feelings for Allan. This is a beautifully photographed moment of seduction. Ultimately, The Bodyguard from Beijing is an exemplary action film whose bittersweet finale lingers on in your mind.

The Bodyguard from Beijing gets an excellent release from 88 Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras, highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer