Member The Dragon Posted March 22, 2010 Member Share Posted March 22, 2010 I just finished watching this film and that's my comment! What a well paced, acted, and directed film. The casting was terrific and it was one of those films that left me waiting anxiously to see what was going to happen next. I loved the role Leon Lai played here, and even Simon Yam. If this is a new dimension to the genre-I welcome it with open arms! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ukrevrend Posted March 23, 2010 Member Share Posted March 23, 2010 Now this is the first time I have posted in this section of the forum, (i'm strictly 'old school with Shapes'), don't really watch these 'new' productions. But being a Donnie Yen fan from way back and after viewing and really liking Yip Man, I gave this an airing last night. Really enjoyed it, from the story, to the sets and even the kung fu scenes, although few and far between! I agree with a lot of the reviewers here, that although this was billed as a actioneer, it is actually a drama with action, maybe I'm mellowing, but the lack of action until the last hour or so, didn't bother me in the least, the story kept me and some very convincing acting from a very good cast. All in all I would recommend this, even to my 'old school heads!', who like me, must move with the genre or get left behind!! 4/5 Bless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member BaronK Posted March 30, 2010 Member Share Posted March 30, 2010 So why has no one mentioned the supposed 10 minute Cung Le/Donnie fight from the HK version? I take it people have the HK version dvd. Can anyone confirm it's existence? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Asmo Posted March 30, 2010 Moderator Share Posted March 30, 2010 I got the Blu Ray of this today. Can't wait to watch it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member lillippa328 Posted March 30, 2010 Member Share Posted March 30, 2010 So why has no one mentioned the supposed 10 minute Cung Le/Donnie fight from the HK version? I take it people have the HK version dvd. Can anyone confirm it's existence? What really?>!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member David Rees Posted March 30, 2010 Member Share Posted March 30, 2010 So why has no one mentioned the supposed 10 minute Cung Le/Donnie fight from the HK version? I take it people have the HK version dvd. Can anyone confirm it's existence? Its more of a long chase scene, but very well done........... Shaw Brothers Official All Region DVDs Here FAR EAST BLU RAY GUIDE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DiP Posted March 30, 2010 Member Share Posted March 30, 2010 Probably a false claim by the media. They did the same thing to True Legend, stating the opening fight scene would be 10 min but only to be shorter than that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Asmo Posted March 31, 2010 Moderator Share Posted March 31, 2010 This is a great film, I enjoyed every second of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member BLfan Posted April 1, 2010 Member Share Posted April 1, 2010 The UK Blu Ray version is currently at a cheap pre-order price of £11.99 at Amazon.co.uk. I will order this soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member fiol Posted April 15, 2010 Member Share Posted April 15, 2010 two limited edition from HK: Bodyguards And Assassins (3 DVD Limited Edition) http://dddhouse.com/v3/product_details.php?ProductID=10750 Bodyguards And Assassins (2 Blu-ray) (Limited Edition) http://dddhouse.com/v3/product_details.php?ProductID=10749 i dunno what to do.. if u ,guys, have to give a mark from 0 to 10.. what's urs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DiP Posted April 15, 2010 Member Share Posted April 15, 2010 Wow... 50 min long docu and 70 min of other material including deleted scenes. Hopefully, the full Donnie/Cung Le fight is included. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member fiol Posted April 15, 2010 Member Share Posted April 15, 2010 yeah i know... but i have to know how it s the movie before purchasing it (14 blades was a blind purchase and the movie turned out to be quite good but it was cheap...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LoBo Posted April 15, 2010 Share Posted April 15, 2010 Buy it only if you like a 2 hr. drama film with 15 min of action. ________ Ipad Cases Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DiP Posted April 15, 2010 Member Share Posted April 15, 2010 yeah i know... but i have to know how it s the movie before purchasing it It's easy, just download a torrent (from free torrent sites) of the movie before deciding to purchase something. Always works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member fiol Posted April 15, 2010 Member Share Posted April 15, 2010 lol i thought about that but then once i watched it on dvx i won't buy the dvd (also because i dont watch special features really often ) @LoBo: uhmm.. 2h drama and 15min action? lol better think it over Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member xianzai Posted April 18, 2010 Member Share Posted April 18, 2010 I enjoyed it overall, but it's definitely not beginning-to-end action. The action is plentiful in the last hour and well done. What's starting to bug me about these big-budget HK/Chinese releases is they are filling up running time with slow-moving scenes where the actors try to emote. Unfortunately, a lot of actors aren't good at it, so these scenes really hurt movies. Let's get back to 90 minutes of plot and action, with closeups of actors trying to emote cut to the minimum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member GwaiLoMoFo Posted April 19, 2010 Member Share Posted April 19, 2010 Just watched it, pretty good overall. But it did try too hard to be sentimental...over did it a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator One Armed Boxer Posted April 19, 2010 Moderator Share Posted April 19, 2010 I agree with GwaiLoMoFo...it was a good film overall. I watched it last week and stayed away from reading this thread until I did...but perhaps now I should have read it first, yes 15 minutes of action is a much more accurate description than the much hyped "over 60 minutes of intense action" that was used to market the movie...which is the expectation I went into it with. I think I will have to give it a second view when I will watch it with a clearer idea as to what type of move it actually is. The plus points where that the story was well told, and the drama for me at least was gripping and kept it interesting, with the majority of characters being well developed and thought out. The set is also amazing, and even if it is not an hour of action, the fact that the last hour does take place in what is basically real time is a technically excellent achievement. The downsides are, first up the obvious - those expecting the hour of awesome action won't get it. Also, I was watching it with my friend, and when Donnie Yen and Cung Le face off my friend actually said to me "Does this need to be in the film?". I have to say I'm inclined to agree with them, personally I couldn't wait for the fight to start, but when it comes around it feels like it's there because it's Donnie Yen so the movie needed a fight, and it doesn't really flow with the story. Plus, it was a dissapointment....when compared to the grounded and realistic story that's come before, when Cung Le does what looks like a 10 foot leap off the stall just to kick Donnie in the head, it's almost laughable. Leon Lai is also a downside, at least Donnie allowed the makeup department to make him look like he'd been beaten within an inch of his life (as well as give him a melon head). However after Lai takes on countless attackers and is slashed to death...his face remains in pristine condition with not a mark on it...once again when compared to what Donnie looked like after taking on just one guy, the illusion of reality is broken. His emotional ramblings about falling for his fathers woman were also not very convincing. Lastly I would have to say, after spending so much money on the set, why does the movie feature some completely unrealistic looking CGI blood!? I'm sure they could have streched the budget to invest in some squibs, otherwise why not make the set CGI as well!? Despite having said all this...it is still a good movie, and I think the amount of good just about outweighs the bad..Tony Leung Ka Fei and Nicolas Tse are as reliable as ever turning in great performances, and the story ultimately comes to a satiisfying end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member cultlabs Posted April 20, 2010 Member Share Posted April 20, 2010 I have the Press release info for the upcoming UK DVD release at the end of May... “A TENSE AND RIVETING PIECE OF ACTION CINEMA… IMPRESSIVE FIGHT SEQUENCES… BONE-CRUSHING VIOLENCE.” – TWITCH. Nominated for 18 Hong Kong Film Awards including Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Cinematography and Best Action Choreography (the results will be announced on 18th April 2010) and the winner of the Best Actor (Wang Xueqi) and Best Supporting Actor (Nicholas Tse) prizes at this year’s Asian Film Awards, the epic, period action movie Bodyguards And Assassins is a dramatic fictionalized retelling of the suspenseful events of 1906 that eventually led to the 1911 Xinhai Revolution and the founding of the Republic of China. Directed by Teddy Chan (The Accidental Spy) and featuring an impressive cast of Hong Kong and China’s biggest stars, including Donnie Yen (Ip Man; Kill Zone), Leon Lai (An Empress And The Warriors; Seven Swords), Xueqi Wang (Forever Enthralled; Warriors Of Heaven And Earth; The Red Suit), Tony Leung Ka Fai (Missing; The Myth), Nicholas Tse (Dragon Tiger Gate; New Police Story; The Medallion) and Simon Yam (Ip Man; Triangle), Bodyguards And Assassins is a sumptuously staged, action-packed blockbuster, full of political intrigue, tragedy and drama that will appeal as much to lovers of quality cinema as it will to martial arts aficionados. On October 15th 1906, the man destined to become the Father of Modern China, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, is due to arrive in the British Colony of Hong Kong to discuss plans to overthrow the corrupt Qing Dynasty with a group of leading anti-Qing revolutionaries. Aware of Sun’s intentions, the Qing Court dispatches an elite army of assassins to the port where Sun is due to arrive, with orders to see to it that he never makes it to his appointment and does not leave the colony alive. Receiving news of the proposed assassination, a newspaper editor and a local tycoon, both sympathetic supporters of the revolution, take it upon themselves to protect Dr. Sun at any cost. To help ensure his safety they recruit a motley band of fellow sympathisers, friends and acquaintances, all skilled in martial arts combat to act as Sun’s bodyguards. Additionally, they devise a risky plan to secretly replace the assassins’ target with a human decoy in an attempt to lead the killers away from their quarry. As Sun arrives on the fateful day, the stage is set for a bloody confrontation in which a small group of selflessly courageous men and women will risk their lives fighting against hundreds of adversaries in a conflict that will determine the fate of millions. Cleverly taking his time to establish his characters, their back-stories, motives and sub-plots in the deliberately paced first half of the film, director Chan expertly unleashes a barrage of non-stop, action set-pieces in a final hour that will leave viewers breathless. Among the many standout sequences in a film that manages to be as emotionally involving and moving as it is exciting are a brilliantly directed sequence that echoes Brian De Palma’s homage (from “The Untouchables”) to Eisenstein’s famous Odessa Steps sequence from “Battleship Potemkin”, an extended free-running duel involving Donnie Yen and Cung Le, and a ‘man versus horse’ confrontation that is nothing short of jaw-dropping. Bodyguards And Assassins will be released on DVD (£12.99) and Blu-ray (£19.99) by E1 Entertainment on 31st May 2010. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator One Armed Boxer Posted April 20, 2010 Moderator Share Posted April 20, 2010 a ‘man versus horse’ confrontation that is nothing short of jaw-dropping. This statement is as over exaggerated as it is bizarre... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DeathFuMaster Posted April 20, 2010 Member Share Posted April 20, 2010 Well it probably would sound weird for people who have not seen the movie lol. It sounds like he is fighting the horse. But technically they are pitted against each other literally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member GwaiLoMoFo Posted April 21, 2010 Member Share Posted April 21, 2010 Yeah my 9 year old son happened to walk in the room and saw the scene with Donnie Vs The Horse. He actually laughed out loud, which made me do the same. It was a pretty silly sequence, especially the sentimental build-up right before hand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member LeRolls Posted April 22, 2010 Member Share Posted April 22, 2010 Still trying to decide if I want to import the Blu-Ray for this title. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member The Dragon Posted April 24, 2010 Member Share Posted April 24, 2010 Still trying to decide if I want to import the Blu-Ray for this title. Buy this film, LeRolls. We are certain you'll enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member The Amazing Psycho Per Posted April 24, 2010 Member Share Posted April 24, 2010 A bit dispointed with this one, although I didn't go in with high expectations. I think Teddy Chen bit more then he could chew... There was a nice build up to the action scenes but to much was a letdown. -The fights are badly shot and edited. -The fight between Donnie Yen and Cung Le really disapoints and there is too much wire for the type of movie they were aiming for. -Too much characters are hardly fleshed out, especially the beggar and Eric Tsang's police officer. -The Shaolin master is a waste... Still on the plus side, the parkour scene was nice. And the whole ensemble was a step ahead of usual genre fair. Once you get past the historial inacuracy and accept it's purely a fiction with a historical character in it, it's somewhat enjoyable. It still managed to make you care for the characters and their mission. I also like the way they treated the character of the General, which was more nuanced then usual for a bad guy in HK action cinema. But all in all, the action broke the movie in my case. If it delivered on a higher level, it would've been a success for me. Worth a viewing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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