Bodyguards and Assassins

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Bodyguards and Assassins
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese十月圍城
Simplified Chinese十月围城
Directed byTeddy Chan
Written byChun Tin-nam
James Yuen
Chan Wai
Guo Junli
Wu Bing
Joyce Chan
Produced byPeter Chan
Huang Jianxin
Jojo Hui
StarringDonnie Yen
Wang Xueqi
Tony Leung Ka-fai
Nicholas Tse
Hu Jun
Eric Tsang
Chris Lee
Fan Bingbing
Zhang Hanyu
Mengke Bateer
Wang Po-chieh
Leon Lai
CinematographyArthur Wong
Edited byDerek Hui
Wong Hoi
Music byChan Kwong-wing
Peter Kam
Production
companies
Distributed byWe Distributions
China Film Group
Release date
  • 18 December 2009 (2009-12-18)
Running time
138 minutes
CountryHong Kong
LanguagesCantonese
Mandarin
BudgetUS$23 million[1]
Box officeUS$5,837,674 (excluding China)[2]

Bodyguards and Assassins is a 2009 Hong Kong historical action film directed by Teddy Chan, featuring an all-star cast including Donnie Yen, Wang Xueqi, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Nicholas Tse, Hu Jun, Chris Lee, Eric Tsang, Fan Bingbing, Zhang Hanyu, Wang Po-chieh, Mengke Bateer and Leon Lai. The film is about Sun Yat-sen making a secret trip to British-ruled Hong Kong to discuss plans with fellow revolutionaries to start a revolution to overthrow the Qing Empire and establish a republic in China. When Sun faces an attempt on his life by assassins sent by the Qing government, a motley crew of people from various walks of life band together to protect him and ensure that the meeting goes as planned.

Plot[edit]

In 1905, Sun Wen intends to make a secret trip to British-ruled Hong Kong to discuss plans with fellow revolutionaries to overthrow the corrupt Qing Empire and establish a republic in China. When the Qing government learns of his trip, they send a group of assassins to infiltrate Hong Kong and assassinate him when he shows up. Ahead of Sun's arrival, newspaper editor Chen Shaobai meets businessman Li Yutang, who has been secretly financing the revolutionaries, to inform him about the upcoming meeting. Trouble also begins brewing in Hong Kong when Chen's acquaintances are murdered by the assassins, who also kidnap Chen during their raid. Li officially declares his support for the revolutionaries after the newspaper agency is closed by the British authorities, who do not interfere in the Chinese political situation. He also gathers a motley crew of people from all walks of life, including rickshaw pullers, hawkers and a beggar, to protect Sun and ensure that the meeting goes uninterrupted. Li's son, Chongguang, is selected to serve as Sun's decoy to distract the assassins while Sun attends the meeting and leaves Hong Kong safely.

Cast[edit]

  • Donnie Yen as Shen Chongyang, a policeman addicted to gambling and eager to do anything for money. He helps the bodyguards after Yueru persuades him to do so for their daughter's sake.
  • Tony Leung Ka-fai as Chen Shaobai, the chief editor of China Daily in Hong Kong. He is kidnapped by the assassins during a raid but manages to escape and rejoin his comrades.
  • Wang Xueqi as Li Yutang, a businessman and friend of Chen Shaobai. He initially provides only financial support to the revolutionaries, but openly declares his support for them later and gathers the bodyguards to protect Sun Wen.
  • Fan Bingbing as Yueru, Li Yutang's fourth wife and Shen Chongyang's ex-wife. She and Shen have a daughter, who is raised as Li's child.
  • Wang Po-chieh as Li Chongguang, Li Yutang's 17-year-old only son who is passionate about the revolutionaries' cause. He serves as Sun Wen's decoy to distract the assassins.
  • Leon Lai as Liu Yubai, a beggar who used to be from a rich family. He fights with an iron fan and holds off the assassins alone at the residence of Sun Wen's mother.
  • Nicholas Tse as "Si" (Deng Sidi), a rickshaw puller who serves the Li family faithfully and gathers his fellow rickshaw pullers to join the cause.
  • Li Yuchun as Fang Hong, Fang Tian's daughter who joins the bodyguards after the assassins killed her father.
  • Mengke Bateer as Wang Fuming, a stinky tofu vendor and former Shaolin monk who joins the bodyguards.
  • Eric Tsang as Smith, the police chief who is initially reluctant to help the bodyguards due to orders from his British superiors. Later, he leads the police to protect the bodyguards' convoy from assassin marksmen.
  • Hu Jun as Yan Xiaoguo, the assassin leader who is fiercely loyal to the Qing Empire.
  • Zhang Hanyu as Sun Wen, the revolutionary leader who comes to Hong Kong for a secret meeting with fellow revolutionaries.
  • Simon Yam as Fang Tian, a former general living in disguise with his men as an opera troupe in Hong Kong.
  • Jacky Cheung as Yang Quyun, a pro-democracy English teacher and president of the Furen Literary Society. His death in the prologue marks the first political assassination in Hong Kong.
  • Michelle Reis as Liu Yubai's lover
  • Zhou Yun as Chun, Si's fiancée.
  • Lü Zhong as Madame Yang, Sun Wen's mother.
  • John Shum as Zhang Dayou, a photographer and Chun's father.
  • Cung Le as Sa Zhenshan, an assassin.
  • Philip Ng as Bai Que, an assassin.
  • Xing Yu as Hei Man, an assassin.
  • Dennis To as Nie Zhongqing, an assassin.

[3][4]

Accolades[edit]

List of accolades
Ceremony Category Recipient Outcome
4th Asian Film Awards Best Film Bodyguards and Assassins Nominated
Best Actor Wang Xueqi Won
Best Supporting Actor Nicholas Tse Won
Best Newcomer Li Yuchun Nominated
Best Production Designer Kenneth Mak Nominated
Best Costume Designer Dora Ng Nominated
29th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Film Bodyguards and Assassins Won
Best Director Teddy Chan Won
Best Screenplay Guo Junli, Qin Tiannan,
Joyce Chan, Chan Tung-man
Nominated
Best Actor Wang Xueqi Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Tony Leung Ka-fai Nominated
Nicholas Tse Won
Best Supporting Actress Li Yuchun Nominated
Fan Bingbing Nominated
Best New Performer Li Yuchun Nominated
Best Cinematography Arthur Wong Won
Best Film Editing Derek Hui, Wong Hoi Nominated
Best Art Direction Kenneth Mak Won
Best Costume Make-Up Design Dora Ng Won
Best Action Choreography Stephen Tung, Lee Tat-chiu Won
Best Sound Design Kinson Tsang, George Lee Nominated
Best Visual Effects Ng Yuen-fai, Chas Chau,
Joe Tam, Yung Kwok-yin
Nominated
Best Original Film Score Chan Kwong-wing, Peter Kam Won
Best Original Film Song Song: Powder (粉末)

Composer: Chan Kwong-wing
Lyricist: Chris Shum
Singer: Li Yuchun

Nominated
16th Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards Film of Merit Bodyguard and Assassins Won
Best Actor Wang Xueqi Won
47th Golden Horse Awards Best Feature Film Bodyguards and Assassins Nominated
Best Director Teddy Chan Nominated
Best Actor Wang Xueqi Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Nicholas Tse Nominated
Best Cinematography Arthur Wong Nominated
Best Visual Effects Ng Yuen-fai, Chas Chau,
Joe Tam, Yung Kwok-yin
Nominated
Best Costume Make-Up Design Dora Ng Won
Best Action Choreography Stephen Tung, Lee Tat-chiu Nominated
Best Film Editing Hui Wan-yu, Wong Hoi Nominated
5th Huading Awards Best Supporting Actor Nicholas Tse Won

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "'Bodyguards and Assassins' sells at AFM". Archived from the original on 3 September 2014.
  2. ^ SHI YUE WEI CHENG (BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS)
  3. ^ Bodyguards and Assassins at HKMDB
  4. ^ Bodyguards and Assassins at chinesemov.com

External links[edit]

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Hong Kong Film Award for Best Film
2010
Succeeded by