Um Agente Fora de Série

How i decided my rating Sammo Hung - 0.8 Andy Lau - 0.5 Jacqueline Chan - 0.7 Qinqin Li - 0.5 Other cast - 0.5 Story - 0.4 Screensplay - 0.6 Action/Martial Arts - 0.7 Comedy - 0.3 Drama - 0.7 Ending - 0.7 Total - 6.4

If Po from Kung Fu Panda grew old with dementia and lived a lonely life then this is what it would be like. Sammo Hung is a master of kung fu trained in an elite security force living the golden years of his life regretting his biggest mistake.

Befriended by a neighbor whose father is a degenrate gambler unable to pay off his debts and a land lady who wishes to take care of him, Sammo Hungs' character lives his life in mediocrity until he is thrust back into a world of violence.

Heart felt scenes and bone cracking violence(Seriously!! a lot of broken bones!!) make this movie a wholesome entertainer. Sammo Hung does a good job; whereas the plot could have been a little more structured. The shaky camera action gets a bit old towards the end but I enjoyed watching Sammo kick some ass.

The movie was slow at times but is definitely worth watching when you relax and have some tea reminiscing the good old days of martial arts.

Let me start this review with a translated quote used in the film: The old man is like Kung Fu Panda I have no clue if they truly said that originally. Despite, this quote does sum up the abilities of Sammo Hung's character Ding. Ding is a retired Central Security Bureau officer from Beijing who is in the early stages of dementia. He is a man full of regret and remorse but chooses to seclude himself rather than confront the issues that are plaguing him. One big strain on him is the fact that his granddaughter got missing while he was watching over her. But then at one point in time Cherry Li , a little girl from next door sneaks into his apartment to hide there after fighting with her father. Which is the start of an unique friendship.

One thing you will have to understand that this Sammo Hung vehicle isn't the typical martial arts film he used to make. Sammo has gotten old and apparently he wanted to address this. So most of the focus is on Ding being an old man. He receives some backup from old friends to make this statement. People like Yuen Baio, Dean Shek, Yuen Wah, and Tsui Hark to name but a few. These are nothing but glorified cameo's. But since I had not read anything about the film in advance I was pleasantly surprised to see them. For me it wasn't a disappointment like some reviewers have stated. More so because they had been given the impression to come into action as well. Now that would have been something I must admit so I do understand the criticism. Although it did not hurt what they were going for in the film. At it's core this film is about Ding coming to terms with old age, dementia and guilt. The action is just in service of this.

This explains the fact that there is not that much action. And while I also was expecting more I understand that somehow this would not be fitting regarding the theme. Or even would destroy the message that Sammo Hung wants to make clear to the audience. But don't despair the little action that is present is more than satisfying. Especially in the finale where Sammo goes Steven Seagal on the bad guys. Mainly using his arms and where he is using his opponents power against them. It makes sense to me that on old man would be limited in his move set so that was a nice touch.

Andy Lau also is involved in this film as an actor and producer. He plays the low life father of Cherry and basically is the reason why trouble starts in the first place. His role while significant is small and just right as he manages to evoke enough emotions. Another thing you have to understand is that this film doesn't go that deep into issues like dementia or bad parenting. Instead it tries to appeal to your emotions about these issues. And this is something that Sammo Hung does real well.

So for me this film was well worth the watch and while I was expecting a more action packed adventure I got something just as good in return. We all become old one day and then we can't do the things we used to do. You have to be prepared for that.

Vastly underrated, this is a gem. Sammo Hung in great form both as an actor (playing dementia so well) and in the brutal fight scenes. Great supporting actors, especially Andy Lau and the child. Loved the scenes of Chinese life (slightly idealised of course) and the gangsters. Nothing I didn't like really and kept my attention. The understated romance sub plot was sweet and T Hark ina bit part was just funny. Well worth watching .

My Beloved Bodyguard is the first film Sammo Hung has directed in almost 20 years. Although not one of Hung's classics, this is still streets ahead of what the critical reviews have said.

Originally My Beloved Bodyguard was to star both Hung and Jackie Chan, in the Andy Lau role. The film has obviously went through some rewrites since then, as I can't see Chan playing the type of role that Lau plays here.

The plot of the film steals somewhat from movies like " Man on Fire" and the "Man from Nowhere", with Hung as a retired Civil Servant protecting a young girl. In this case it is local triads, who Lau, the child's father, owes money too.

Some reviews have complained about the lack of action in the movie. Must having been watching something else, as there are a number of good action/fight scenes in the movie. There's an excellent chase sequence with Lau and a number of gangsters, that is only let down by being a bit short, then a fight between Sammo and some thugs who come to his house. Then there is the extended finale, with Hung taking on a group of gangsters. Unlike the comedic fights Hung used to take part in, this is just brutal, with multiple limbs being broken.

The film has been harmed somewhat by its advertising campaign which shows the actors, some of which are legends like Yuen Biao & Yuen Wah, that appear in the movie in action poses. Unfortunately most of the actors on the posters only appear in the film in limited cameos, which is a shame. This isn't a fault of the film, as i'm sure Sammo had nothing to do with the advertising.

On the performance side, Sammo is his usual self. His fans won't be disappointed. Lau is also good, in the only other lead role of the film. Only Lau could turn a somewhat waste of space, into a likable character. Lau also acts as the films producer.

On the directing side, Sammo shows his skill behind the camera, and although his action scenes are more edited that in the past, his choreography still shines through. Only drawback is his overuse of a blurry slow-mo effect which can be somewhat distracting.

If you are a fan of Hong Kong cinema and/or Sammo Hung, I would definitely recommend "My Beloved Bodyguard".

Actually quite the forgettable character here. But it's an illness he has - which does not make him a good witness. To anything - much less a crime he saw. Having said all that, since it is Sammo Hung you can bet there is a lot of fighting going on - emphasized with some CGI (the impact of the things Hungs character is doing).

And while there are some fights throughout, the ending felt or reminded me a little bit of the movie Unforgiven ... the old man who has to deal with a lot of bad guys. Hung having dementia ... he does not use the tools we've seen in something like Memento - just in case you though that. Add to that a side story with Andy Lau ... also quite action packed when he has the chance and certainly one of the best stunt set pieces set in a staircase ... and you have quite the entertaining movie, that also is giving you a story to have fun with (though fun may be the wrong choice of word ... since it's more a drama)