“A TENSE AND RIVETING PIECE OF ACTION CINEMA… IMPRESSIVE FIGHT SEQUENCES… BONE-CRUSHING VIOLENCE.” – TWITCH.
Winner of eight honours at the prestigious Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Action Choreography, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Costume and Make-up Design and Best Original Film Score, and the winner of the Best Actor (Wang Xueqi) and Best Supporting Actor (Nicholas Tse) prizes at this year’s Asian Film Awards, the epic, period action movie Bodyguards And Assassins is a dramatic fictionalized retelling of the suspenseful events of 1906 that eventually led to the 1911 Xinhai Revolution and the founding of the Republic of China.
Directed by Teddy Chan (The Accidental Spy) and featuring an impressive cast of Hong Kong and China’s biggest stars, including Donnie Yen (Ip Man; Kill Zone), Leon Lai (An Empress And The Warriors; Seven Swords), Xueqi Wang (Forever Enthralled; Warriors Of Heaven And Earth; The Red Suit), Tony Leung Ka Fai (Missing; The Myth), Nicholas Tse (Dragon Tiger Gate; New Police Story; The Medallion) and Simon Yam (Ip Man; Triangle), Bodyguards And Assassins is a sumptuously staged, action-packed blockbuster, full of political intrigue, tragedy and drama that will appeal as much to lovers of quality cinema as it will to martial arts aficionados.
On October 15th 1906, the man destined to become the Father of Modern China, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, is due to arrive in the British Colony of Hong Kong to discuss plans to overthrow the corrupt Qing Dynasty with a group of leading anti-Qing revolutionaries. Aware of Sun’s intentions, the Qing Court dispatches an elite army of assassins to the port where Sun is due to arrive, with orders to see to it that he never makes it to his appointment and does not leave the colony alive.
Receiving news of the proposed assassination, a newspaper editor and a local tycoon, both sympathetic supporters of the revolution, take it upon themselves to protect Dr. Sun at any cost. To help ensure his safety they recruit a motley band of fellow sympathisers, friends and acquaintances, all skilled in martial arts combat to act as Sun’s bodyguards. Additionally, they devise a risky plan to secretly replace the assassins’ target with a human decoy in an attempt to lead the killers away from their quarry.
As Sun arrives on the fateful day, the stage is set for a bloody confrontation in which a small group of selflessly courageous men and women will risk their lives fighting against hundreds of adversaries in a conflict that will determine the fate of millions.
Cleverly taking his time to establish his characters, their back-stories, motives and sub-plots in the deliberately paced first half of the film, director Chan expertly unleashes a barrage of non-stop, action set-pieces in a final hour that will leave viewers breathless.
Among the many standout sequences in a film that manages to be as emotionally involving and moving as it is exciting are a brilliantly directed sequence that echoes Brian De Palma’s homage (from “The Untouchables”) to Eisenstein’s famous Odessa Steps sequence from “Battleship Potemkin”, an extended free-running duel involving Donnie Yen and Cung Le, and a ‘man versus horse’ confrontation that is nothing short of jaw-dropping.
Bodyguards And Assassins will be released on DVD (£12.99) and Blu-ray (£19.99) by E1 Entertainment on 31st May 2010.
Enter a team into the Regents Park O2 Rugby Reunion and you could win Mike Catt as your water boy. That's right England legend Mike Catt will be serving your drinks. Each event has food, drink, competitions, prizes and England players present. Go to http://bit.ly/o2RugbyReunion for details.
Sign up for one of the seven O2 Rugby Reunion touch rugby tournaments this summer and you could win some England gear for your team. Each event has food, drink, competitions, prizes and England players present. Go to http://bit.ly/o2RugbyReunion for details.
... yes I sampled Skype :) http://bit.ly/takeadeepbreathitunes Thanks for your support! Please download here: iTunes: http://bit.ly/takeadeepbreathitunes Beatport: http://bit.ly/takeadeepbreathbeatport Amazon: http://amzn.to/takeadeepbreathamazon If you like this, you might want my new remix for FREE! Click here: http://paulloeb.net
Colum Egan, Master Distiller at the Old Bushmills Distillery, is set to launch a global competition - 'Make it 2 Bushmills' - that will see him take the world-famous distillery on tour.
Colum is offering two friends the chance to work alongside him for two weeks, to learn the skills of whiskey-making that have existed in the Bushmills area for over 400 years, GBP5,000 spending money to share and the chance to stay in luxury accommodation on Ireland's north coast. Then he will pack up the best bits of the Old Bushmills Distillery to go on tour. Destination? The winners' home country.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/prne/bushmills/48882/
While crying myself to sleep at night wearing my Care Bear pyjamas and clutching my games console like a comfort blanket, I often wonder why I'm so unpopular. Maybe I need someone to give me a facial...a facial analysis that is.
An inaugural national research report released today from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and State Farm Insurance Companies® shows that the impact of teen driver crashes extends far beyond teen drivers’ families and friends. In 2008, more than half a million (681,000) people were involved in crashes where a teen driver was behind the wheel. More than 40,000 were injured, and nearly 30 percent of those who died in these crashes were not in cars driven by teens.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/47737-Miles-to-Go-Teen-Driver-Safety/
Paige and Erin Forrester take their fashion focused TV show to Paris, visiting renowned salons, designers, and international models. They meet up with designer Dylan Marceau, as well as with their new friends Taylor Mitchell and Eliza Wilton. When they take time to visit Eliza’s family estate in Provence, romance, jealousy, and some surprises threaten the stability of On the Runway. Learn more about this book: http://bit.ly/9tFFtC Learn more about this author: http://www.melodycarlson.com YA
The O2 Pathfinders work with the RFUs Play On campaign to help people find new clubs and keep playing rugby. Find out more about the O2 Pathfinders and Play On campaign have and hear how Toby Flood, Danny Care and Martin Johnson got started. http://bit.ly/o2RugbyReunion
Doctors at Children’s Hospital Boston are just another step closer to securing a cure for sickle cell disease thanks to a little help from some superstar friends. More than $1 million was raised in support of their research efforts on Sunday, January 15 during the “Play Without Pain: Children’s Sickle Cell Benefit,” a partnership with international megastar Celine Dion, Caesars Entertainment, AEG Live and Children’s Hospital Boston. Held at Caesars Palace, the evening included a performance of Celine Dion’s glamorous show directed by Grammy Awards producer Ken Ehrlich, including a touching tribute to sickle cell victims during her rendition of Billy Joel’s “Lullabye.”
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/54153-celine-dion-play-without-pain-children-s-sickle-cell-benefit
