Bodyguards and Assassins (2009) Shi yue wei cheng (original title)

Director:

Teddy Chan

Writers:

Tin Nam Chun (writer)
Junli Guo (writer)
Bing Wu (writer)

Release Date:

18 December 2009 (China)

Genre:

Action | Drama | History

Plot Keywords:

Stabbed In The Back | Martial Arts | Assassination | Stabbed In The Stomach | Shot In The Leg

Awards:

4 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

  (Credited cast)

Donnie Yen	...	Sum Chung-yang
Leon Lai	...	Lau Yuk-bak
Xueqi Wang	...	Li Yue-tang
Tony Leung Ka Fai	...	Chen Xiao-bai
Nicholas Tse	...	Ah Si
Jun Hu	...	Yan Xiao-guo
Yuchun Li	...	Fang Hong
Eric Tsang	...	Detective Smith
Simon Yam	...	Fang Tian
Bingbing Fan	...	Yuet-yu
Cung Le	...	Sa Zhen-shan
Bo-Chieh Wang	...	Li Chung-guang
Yun Zhou	...	Ah Suen
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mengke Bateer	...	Wang Fu-ming
Jacky Cheung	...	Yang Quyun
Philip Ng	...	Assassin
Michelle Reis	...	Lau's lover
John Sham	...	Suen's father
Wenjie Wang
Yu Xing
Hanyu Zhang	...	Sun Yat-Sen

Also Known As:

"Shi yue wei cheng" - China (original title)

Runtime:

139 min

Country:

China | Hong Kong

Language:

Mandarin | Cantonese | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS-ES | Dolby Digital EX

Certification:

Hong Kong:IIB | Singapore:NC-16 | Singapore:PG (edited version) | Australia:MA | South Korea:15 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Shanghai, China

Company:

China Film Group

Movie Connections:

Version of Shanghai 13 (1981)

Powerful, logical and heartbreaking.

First of all, I'm not familiar with Chinese history, so I wouldn't say anything about its historical bases. Still, this movie worth the time with no doubt. No matter where you live.

Powerful, logical and heartbreaking. I say powerful because we got a well painted picture about the main characters in the first half. Yes, the movie does not only focus on the high profile action scenes and blood. That's one of its strengths. The audience - this time it's me - had enough time to acquaint the persons and like them. For this reason losing some of them is a heartbreaking effect in the second half. I think it's not a spoiler. Anyone can guess it who has seen the trailer. The acting is OK (some actors were great, especially Xueqi Wang) but my opinion is that the script and the director have done this movie for that it is. I really enjoyed that the movie has avoid to use mindless clichés, like ultimate fight of good vs. evil. The main bad character had also deep conviction that he has been doing the right thing for his country/highness. As it is so, for me, he was authentic in his role.

Now there's only one word has to be explained - logical. Unfortunately I can't do it without revealing some moments from the story, so I leave it to you. Find it out yourself. If you like heroic tales, you should love it.

I hope this movie will be released on DVD in my country, too.