The Bodyguard from Beijing (1994)

The Bodyguard from Beijing, released in the United States as The Defender and United Kingdom as Jet Li’s The Defender) is a 1994 Hong Kong action film directed by Corey Yuen, and starring Jet Li, who also produced. The film co-stars Christy Chung, Kent Cheng and Sing Ngai. The film was released theatrically in Hong Kong on 28 July 1994.

Plot.

The film protagonizes Allan, a professional bodyguard based in Beijing whose tactical and martial skills and quick thinking are well shown as having protected several statesmen from assassination. He is hired by James, a wealthy Hong Kong businessman, to protect his beautiful girlfriend Michelle Leung, who is the only surviving witness to a murder, after all the others had been eliminated in various ways. Allan arrives at the girl’s home in Hong Kong to meet with two somewhat incompetent plainclothes police officers – Fat Po and Ken – in charge of her safety. Soon after meeting Miss Leung, he proves the entire contingent of current bodyguards incapable in his fight with them during what he thought was an assassination attempt, and they are all fired. He also disarms both policemen.

The bodyguard inspects the entire home and vehicles for bugs, bombs and layout, and installs security cameras covering various areas, including Michelle’s bedroom, which he can monitor through a personal device. She is unhappy about this and, after attempting unsuccessfully to order him out, manages to knock down the camera with a frying pan. He also gives her a panic button. During a road trip, hitmen attempt to assassinate her but fail due to Allan’s strategy of having a decoy VIP car driven by Fat Po and the girl riding with him in the trailing van. Michelle tries getting away from her bodyguard by complaining to her boyfriend and by sneaking away during the night with the younger officer, Ken, in a car. Allan reassures James and nonchalantly makes himself visible in the car’s headlights as the escapees start it; Michelle has a fit as she goes back into the house.

How Jet Li’s The One Used Martial Arts To Create A Perfect Multiverse Fight

Michelle eventually goes to the shopping mall accompanied only by the two cops. The mall, however, is staked out by operatives. One is about to murder her by firing his suppressed weapon through a stall partition, but is shot first by Allan, who had followed them and was in the stall beyond hers. This initiates a gunfight through the mall; Allan takes out multiple hitmen while shielding the girl. Eventually he realizes all the hitmen have two pens in their front pocket as identification, and poses as one to take more out. During their escape Fat Po is wounded. One of the assassins who posed as a police officer and killed by Allan during the shoot-out is the younger brother of Killer Wong, a former Chinese soldier who fought together with his brother. Wong swears vengeance on Allan.

Production, Release, Home Media.

Shooting took place in Hong Kong. The film was banned in China after production was finished. However, Jet Li spoke against the censorship of his films. DVD was released in Region 1 in the United States on August 15, 2000, and Region 2 in the United Kingdom on 29 April 2002, it was distributed by Dimension Home Video.

Television.

In the United Kingdom, the film (released as Jet Li’s The Defender) was watched by 1.3 million viewers on television in 2004, making it the year’s fourth most-watched foreign-language film on television (below Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, First Strike, and Fong Sai-yuk II). It was later watched by 600,000 UK viewers in 2006, making it the year’s most-watched foreign-language film on BBC1. Combined, the film drew a 1.9 million UK viewership in 2004 and 2006.

Jet Li and Tony Jaa In The Film Three X 3.

Reception.

At the Hong Kong box office, the film grossed HK$11,193,177. Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, reports that 71% of seven surveyed critics gave the film a positive review; the average rating is 5.5/10. Joey O’Byan of The Austin Chronicle rated it 2.5/5 stars and called it “lively, unpretentious fun”. Aaron Beierle of DVD Talk rated it 2/5 stars and wrote, “An ok movie; sort of entertaining at times, but not great.”

Cast:

Jet Li as Allan Hui Ching-yeung
Christy Chung as Michelle Yeung
Kent Cheng as Charlie Leung
Sing Ngai as Killer Wong
Joey Leung as Keung
Ng Wai-kwok as James Song Sai-cheung
William Chu as Billy
Wong Kam-kong as Chiu Kwok
Wong Wah-woh as Coroner
Corey Yuen as Shopper in Mall
Sam Wong
Gary Mak as Assassin in Shopping Center
Kevan Cummins as bodyguard to US President