Review of Bodyguard, The

Introduction

No, it`s not the one with Whitney Houston`s quivering lips and wavering vocals, as well as Kevin Costner`s odd haircut. This particular Bodyguard serves as my introduction to the world of Thai cinema. In recent years, there has been a revolution in Far East cinema, with Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Mainland China all releasing films of artistic and commercial merit. Where once Hollywood plundered the archives of European cinema, they now have new territories to remake and plagiarise. On the strength of this action comedy, I wouldn`t be surprised if studio bosses will be looking for inspiration in Thailand`s direction as well.

Wong Kom is the bodyguard of the title, long time employee of Chot Petchpantakam. However, he is unable to save his employer when a business meeting turns into an ambush. Chot`s son Chai inherits his father`s business empire, but isn`t impressed with Wong Kom as a bodyguard and chooses his own protection. It isn`t enough though, and Chai barely escapes with his life when gangsters attack him. He wakes up in a slum, in the home of Pok and her unconventional family. Charmed by the beautiful young charity worker, Chai hides out in the slum. Meanwhile the gangsters who hope to wrest control of Chai`s companies, turn their attention to the bodyguard. They would choose when Wong Kom was taking a shower to attack though, and soon the hapless bodyguard is running naked through the city streets, armed only with a 9mm and a strategically placed bowl.

Video

The Bodyguard gets a 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer. It`s a pretty good transfer for a recent film, with the image clear and sharp for the most part. Print damage is minimal, but there is a touch of grain and colours are a little dull, although that may be a stylistic choice. It does mean that dark scenes are a little indistinct at times. These are minor nit-picks really, as the film doesn`t give cause for complaint, and the action comes through clearly.

Audio

You have a choice of DD 5.1 or DTS Thai. I listened to the Dolby track and found that the surrounds come to life for the copious action scenes as well as the music. It`s a nice healthy track that represents the film well, and the dialogue remains clear throughout. The subtitles are burnt into the film itself, rather than player generated. Were this film a mainstream title, the subtitles alone would justify an 18 rating. The BBFC have rated The Bodyguard a 15, but be warned that the subtitles contain the full and fruity range of profanity that the English language provides for. I think the subtitlers may have gone a little overboard in their eagerness. I may not understand a word of Thai, but I can still recognise an inarticulate frustrated groan when I hear one. It still gets translated as a profane utterance in this film.

Features

I wouldn`t steal a car, I wouldn`t steal a handbag, or a mobile phone or even a movie. But I would pay good money for a box of matches just so that I could incinerate every copy of that ill-made, horribly directed, absolutely annoying and inescapable anti-piracy warning at the beginning of this and a dozen other discs. Remember kids, arson is a crime too.

On the disc, you`ll find a Making Of featurette that lasts 13 minutes. It is your standard EPK stuff, with interviews, behind the scenes footage and film clips. It isn`t so much of a sales pitch though, and is pretty interesting to watch. You will also find trailers for The Bodyguard, Ong-Bak and the impressive looking Born To Fight.

Also on the disc are three PDF files for those with PCs and Macs. 4 pages are devoted to biographies for the cast and production team, six pages are devoted to an essay on the history of the Thai film industry, and finally there is a page on The Bodyguard itself. These aren`t particularly text heavy files, and there is no reason that they couldn`t have been viewable via your DVD player instead of limiting them to computer access only.

Conclusion

I certainly didn`t know what to expect from a Thai action comedy, and in the end The Bodyguard, while providing 90-odd minutes of uproarious entertainment, still defies easy description. While in conventional Western cinema, films are easily compartmentalised, and if an action film has comedy in it, then the violence has to be tempered and made humorous, there is none of that in The Bodyguard. The action is brutal and bullets fly, and blood flows by the bucket. It takes its inspiration from John Woo in that respect, and when it comes to hand-to-hand combat, there is the wire-fu styling of modern Hong Kong action cinema. The Bodyguard doesn`t pull any punches in the violence stakes, and for much of the early part of the film, the music helps keeps the tension up like the best thrillers.

This is despite the comedy, of which there is plenty. The Bodyguard is filled with a cast of odd and absurd characters, who contribute to no end of silliness. This is the kind of spoof that the Naked Gun would have been if they had gone for an 18 rating. Whether it`s the news reporter who delivers a report from underneath a table in the middle of a gunfight, or the homeless man who decides to have a conversation with Wong Kom`s naked backside during a street battle, this film`s bizarre characters and scenes are absolutely hilarious. The bad guy is having problems with his employees that defy analysis, there is a climactic battle between a king fu master and our hero who employs traditional Thai dance techniques. There`s even a Blazing Saddles type breakdown between the film and the real world. Not having seen any Thai movies before, it`s also a good thing I saw the featurette first, and got the meaning of the Ong-Bak cameo.

The story is thin, but that doesn`t matter when there is so much entertainment value. This film`s blend of violence and silliness is something that Hollywood is unlikely to emulate, but I found it refreshing to watch something so bizarre. The Bodyguard is fast paced and riotously funny. It`s ridiculously entertaining, and well worth watching. Best of all, there`s no sign of Whitney Houston.