BODYGUARD
China, 2016, 99 minutes, Colour.
Sammo Kam- Bo Hung, Jacqueline Chan, Qinqin Li.
Directed by Sammo Kam- Bo Hung.
This is a Chinese film that combines both action and sentiment.
The director is the veteran Sam Kam- Bo Hung. While he has directed many action films over the decades, he is also appeared in them. Now, he is an old man.
Old Ding lives in a town on the border of China, Russia and Korea. We learn that he used to be very well-trained bodyguard in Beijing. He is now in retirement and is beginning to suffer from dementia. He passes the time with other old men in the town and with the attentions of his neighbour, Mrs Park. The little girl, whose father is a criminal, often wanders into his house and she shares meals with him. He forms a great attachment to her, a substitute granddaughter.
As regards the action, the little girl’s father has stolen a bag of jewels from some local Chinese gangsters who have, in turn, stolen them from the Russians.
When the Chinese thugs come to Old Ding’s house, he defeats them with quite a display. That is nothing compared with what he does when he goes to the Chinese headquarters and demolishes a big group. And, there is repetition when he takes on the Russians!
The little girl is doing the voice-over and telling Old Ding’s story and of how she survived the death of her father, became part of Old Ding’s ageing, even as his memory lessened.
1. An action film with sentiment?
2. The work of the director, long career in action films, comic touches, performance and direction? As an older filmmaker and actor?
3. The settings, the border between Russia, China, Korea? Cosmopolitan? The Asian atmosphere? The Western developments, buildings, bridges? The contrast with the
Russians, Mafia? International hub? Railway connections? Police work? The musical score?
4. The title, the focus on Old Ding? Initially meeting him, the voice-over describing his life? Old, memory beginning to go? Living alone, Mrs Park and her hospitality and interventions? The recorder, his speaking into it to remind himself? His forgetting to record? The little girl and her coming into the house, hiding, the meals? The later revelation about his life, his training as a bodyguard, martial arts, work in Beijing? His marriage, the capitalist woman, the daughter? Her daughter and Ding losing her? The daughter not contacting him? Retiring, with the older men in the town, the passing of time?
5. The little girl, her father, criminal activity, her mother gone? His stealing from the Russians? The Chinese gang and their pursuit of him? Bashing him in the street? His fleeing? The return, care for his daughter, leaving the money? Set upon by the gang? His violent death?
6. The little girl, in the house with Old Ding, the attack of the gangsters, her fear, Ding and his defeat, her collapse? The hospital? With Mrs Park? Her leaving to stay with her friend? Are disappearing from the scene? Old Ding and his desire to find her?
7. Mrs Park, her son and the police, making contacts, helping old Ding? The demands on her son? The investigations? The Chinese gang? Information, confronting the Russians in the street?
8. Old Ding, searching for the little girl? Going to the Chinese gangsters? The tour-de-force of his defeating all the gangsters? The leader and his running with the jewels? The arrival of the Russians, Old Ding and his defeating of the Russians as well?
9. His telling his story to Mrs Park? Her continued concern?
10. The little girl returning, having stayed with her friend? Her voice-over, looking after Old Ding? His further loss of memory, going to the police station, with his tape recorder?
11. The strength of the action sequences? Combined with the gangster background? And the pathos of the father and daughter and Old Ding and his life, the little girl becoming his substitute granddaughter?
