A well-respected security company owner (Chen Kuan-tai) joins forces with an idealistic reformist (Yuen Hua) in an effort to bring change to an imperialist China.
Radical change in the politics of a country rarely happens without a struggle and such is the case with Iron Bodyguard, a martial arts film that unevenly depicts a period of great instability in China.
The film starts out slow and unfortunately never gets off the ground, despite several well-choreographed fights towards the end. Square-jawed martial arts actor Chen Kuan-tai is the title character, known in the film as “Big Blade” Wang Wu. He’s the owner of a security company whose constant efforts to thwart the unjust treatment of criminals by corrupt imperial Qing officials turns into outright rebellion when he joins a budding and idealistic official in helping reformists to evade capture. Near the end of the Qing Dynasty, the Empress Dowager is clamping down on efforts by reformists to bring an end to imperialism in China. Arrested for his subversions, Tan Si-gong (Yuen Hua) willingly gives himself up as a martyr for the cause while Wang Wu and his loyal employees plot to save him before its too late.
What really comes too late for Iron Bodyguard is the action. This collaboration between directors Chang Cheh and Baau Hok-li is definitely not one of Cheh’s better films, although it shares many familiar elements. The male bonding and heroic bloodshed are in place, but the film drags hideously slow through too much chatter amid a clumsily put together drama before hitting an anti-climatic finale.
The filmmakers seem to be attempting a more dramatic historical film with some of the common martial arts actions most people expect, but the effort is in vain. Chang Cheh is not known for his subtlety and this film is no exception. The camera seriously overplays the zooming in and out shots that are a staple of the old school films. Several shots are even out of focus. While some of the static shots are dynamic and well framed, its still a wonder what Baau Hok-li, an experienced cinematographer turned director was doing with his time.
The story is exceedingly simple in execution and the characters are typically shallow with Yuen Hua delivering a bland and starry-eyed performance. This is a major flaw since his role is meant to inspire, but it doesn’t work at all. Part of the problem lies with the story that fails to develop any of the characters or provide any surprises. While the lovely Lily Li is once again wasted in a small supporting role, she does offer the film’s only performance containing any emotional resonance. This is one area where Chang Cheh’s preference towards male characters comes back to bite him.
Had the film contained more action, the aforementioned complaints could have been excused. But there are several big flaws in this area as well. First is the main martial villain who is known as “Iron Fist” Yan Feng. This guy is supposedly Wang Wu’s main nemesis, but he’s played like an inferior buffoon. His hired men have no respect for him and he loses repeatedly to Wang Wu. This doesn’t stop him from coming back for more punishment or for appearing as the villain Chen Kuan-tai faces in the finale. What a disappointment! We already know he doesn’t stand a chance against Kuan-tai. The final fight is a waste of time, even if the choreography is decent. Tan Feng doesn’t get a single good hit in.
The best fight actually takes place earlier when Kuan-tai leads an ambush meant to free Yuen Hua. Kuan-tai displays great skill in dispatching countless spearmen with his “knife” (sabre). If only Lau Kar-leung and Tong Gaai could have had more opportunities to work their creative magic on choreography.
Chang Cheh’s gifts as a filmmaker are surely misspent on this production. The excesses that made so many of his other martial arts classics an exuberant joy are either missing or just become a test of patience.
by Mark Pollard- http://tskl.ki.com Even
