The Bodyguard

I confess I really enjoy a good Asian martial arts movie. And this ranks amongst the best.

It is a solid old school brutal fight with enough reason to glue beautiful set piece after set piece of glorious violence together. I was completely held by all of the fight scenes. The quality of the stunt work is awesome, do watch the bit at the end where you see the work and hurt the actors had to manage, it is very impressive.

The actors are all pretty good with the lead roles excellent. There is enough story available to allow the melodrama of the fairly bog standard love/family/friendship/angsty stuff story lines to thread some powerful emotional scenes (nothing to soppy you'll be glad to know)and holds the film together adequately. This adds enough cinematic quality to raise this film above the herd.

This also allows you to enjoy the film fully without that enjoyment being interrupted by having to concentrate on the plot too hard :D For any fan of martial arts its worth the watch.

Look, its not perfect, and no doubt like everyone else you probably hurt from laughing when you saw the trailer while searching for Sammo Hung's film of the same name..?

Fear not though! What The Bodyguard (or Super Bodyguard as some countries are calling it) offers is a very welcome return to the golden age of Hong Kong cinema with newcomer, director and star, Yue Song proving to be a martial arts action hero to keep an eye on.

Story line and the technical side of the film won't win any awards anytime soon, with a predictable tale and odd editing choices, but from the get go The Bodyguard makes you sit up and take notice with its impressive hard hitting, stunt filled fight sequences!

Mostly showcasing the real skills of the actors, we get the odd spat of wire work to enhance (what we soon find out) their kung fu powers but it doesn't take away from the excitement on screen at all.

The stunt work looks painful and amazing, and often reminded me of the Tiger Cage movies, with fight choreography much like that of Donnie Yen's work today.

The always impressive Xing Yu (Wrath of Vajra, Shaolin, Dragon Tiger Gate) gets to let lose more than a few time which is great also!

Yue Song may take a while before being accepted as a HK action star A-lister, but with The Bodyguard, I feel he has channeled the power of Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen and Tony Jaa in his role and completely delivers 100%. Hell, he does more of his own stuff in this film than Jet Li has done in all of his...

Again, not perfect as a film, but highly recommended if you are a martial arts or action movie fan!

Iron Protector (2016), a well executed martial arts film.

Homage to those classic 80's 90's Martial Arts films, totally in vein of 'young' Jet Li.

Filmed with the aesthetic charms of that 80's '22 frame' over cranked energy, mixed with modern, stylised photography. Very hard to execute, highly choreographed fights, impressive acrobats, a brilliantly done action movie.

Written, Directed and also starring Yue Song. Movie tells the story of two childhood brothers, raised on strict Martial arts background. One becomes a criminal and the other became a martial arts expert. Things went wrong when a business tycoon's daughter comes in between them.

The action sequences are the real highlight of this film. Yue Song brings intense physicality to his role, and the choreography is sharp, fast-paced, and at times, brutal. Fans of traditional kung fu movies will appreciate the rawness and authenticity of the fight scenes, which include some impressive hand-to-hand combat and stunt work. The film also has a grounded visual style that keeps the focus on the action rather than flashy special effects.

Negatives : Usual Asian movie gangster cliche.

Positives: Fight scenes, photography, Third act climax fight. Totally re-enacted Jet Li styled fights.

I gave this movie a deserving 8/10. Must watch for action film fans and Highly recommend.

This very specifically Chinese filmed martial arts action film is fun to watch. The story of a martial arts master protecting a Ruch man's daughter is filled with action and comedy. It has good action and a decent story. There are many fights, filmed in a frenetic style but still exciting. The characters are fun but very animated. Worth checking out. The fighting in the last 25 minutes of the movie is worth watching the rest. Albeit unrealistic, still very creative and fun to watch.

Iron Protector is a fast-paced and spectacular martial arts flick. It might not reinvent the genre but it's very well-executed. Despite some technical overexposure and illogical sequences, this movie isn't too overwhelming because it focuses on traditional martial arts fights and a few chase sequences. Those who need a change from franchises like Die Hard and The Fast and the Furious with countless exploding buildings and vehicles will get a vivid action movie that goes back to the basics of martial arts flicks with a modern twist in form of settings and directing.

The shallow plot and its final twist are very predictable for genre fans but still offer some welcome breaks from all the action. It also helps that the lead actor is a grounded hero with a strong moral compass while the lead actress portrays a sensitive character behind an arrogant facade. In a Chinese society controled by greed, individualism and money, it's almost refreshing to witness a character who cares for his convictions, duty and family.

Iron Protector isn't memorable or revolutionary but a bona-fide martial arts flick. It was obviously made by martial arts fans for martial arts fans. The film offers a dynamic ride and never gets boring which makes it good for what it is. The fight sequences are particularly intense. Genre fans can't get around this film, everyone else should just pass.