Bodyguard: A New Beginning (2008)

British-based director Chee Keong Cheung follows up his martial arts tournament thriller UNDERGROUND with an action thriller that makes good use of its veteran cast and a well-plotted storyline combining two cliched themes, in this case the “gang war” theme and the “protectee falls for her protector” theme.

Leung (Vincent Sze, DRAGON TIGER GATE) is the top bodyguard of Triad boss Wong (Richard Ng, MY LUCKY STARS). During a recent visit from the courtroom, Wong is nearly attacked and Leung is able to succcessfuly protect Wong. The thugs were hired by Kai (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, MORTAL KOMBAT), a vicious yakuza boss who plans to combine forces with the Triads to progress his drug dealing business. When Wong refuses, Kai plans to somehow ruin Wong’s reputation. Wong, however, has plans to retire but feels his son Yuen (Carl Ng, NEW POLICE STORY) is not ready to take over the “family business”.

Leung, who has worked for Wong for twelve years, plans to retire himself to Hawaii. When Leung requests to leave when he retires, Wong gives Leung one final “mission” before agreeing on getting out. Leung is to go to the United Kingdom and find a woman named Chloe (Stephanie Langton), who may have a connection to Wong. Leung agrees to go and find Chloe. Meanwhile, a gang war is imminent especially when Yuen, upset at his father’s refusal to let him lead, joins forces with Kai.

After the success of his debut film, UNDERGROUND (2006) in international markets, director Chee Keong Cheung returns with a literal bang with his second feature as director. This time, with a high budget, Chee meshes the best of his native England with that of the jade screens of Hong Kong. With the help of co-screen writer and producer Oliver Morran, and producers Mike Leeder, Mark Strange, and Ean Tang, Chee has brought a very well contrived storyline mixed in with some brutal action scenes.

Playing the titular of the “Bodyguard” is Vincent Sze, a karate expert who is perhaps best known as one of top supporting actors in Hong Kong with roles in films such as SPL (2005), DRAGON TIGER GATE (2006), and INVISIBLE TARGET (2007). In his first lead role, Sze plays the quiet hero type. While he tends to be more of a song to Traid boss Wong than Wong’s own son, Sze brings not only a sense of charisma to the role, but add the fact that he is a martial artist, he is able to perform the frenetic action sequences in the film as well.

In the role of Triad boss Wong is Richard Ng, a veteran Hong Kong actor more known for his comedic performances in Sammo Hung’s LUCKY STARS (1985-1987) films among others. This is perhaps his most serious role as an aging boss who wishes to retire. However, his plans to retire are marred by an on-going war with his gang and an international gang led by Kai, played by Hollywood veteran Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa of MORTAL KOMBAT (1995) and SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (1991) fame.

Carl Ng, who is Richard Ng’s real-life son and appeared as one of Jackie Chan’s doomed team members in NEW POLICE STORY, plays Wong’s hot-headed son Yuen, who allies himself with Kai in order to gain respect in the gangster world. The chemistry between father and son is well done on the part of both actors as they believeably play a father and son on-screen as much as their relationship off-screen as a real father and son.

British actress Stephanie Langton plays Chloe, a down-and-out waitress who may have a connection to Wong. When her purse is stolen by a group of thugs, Leung rescues her and at first, he is totally quiet with her. When she learns the truth about why he is there, she freaks out and Leung finally speaks. As Leung, Sze speaks mainly Cantonese in the film, but his command of English is really good. Of course, with the bodyguard and damsel-in-distress, the two eventually pursue a romantic relationship.

The fight sequences for the film were choreographed by Anthony Carpio, a member of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team who has worked on productions in both Hong Kong and Hollywood. For the fight scenes in the United Kingdom, Carpio was assisted by producer Mark Strange, a martial arts champion who played one of the fighters in UNDERGROUND and has a role in this film as one of Kai’s hitmen along with UNDERGROUND co-star and kickboxing champion Nathan Lewis. In Hong Kong, fellow JC Stunt Team member Chan Man-Ching assisted Carpio with the fight sequences. Usually a brutal kickboxing style to endure the fight scenes, Carpio makes the film stars look really good with the cinematography of Henry Chung and Steven Priovolos and editing of Mark Towns.

In conclusion, Chee Keong Cheung definitely kicked it up a notch with BODYGUARD: A NEW BEGINNING. Combining a veteran cast with pretty good action and a combination of two cliched themes, action fans will not be disappointed at the result.