The Bodyguard and Bodyguard 2 are out on DVD on August 26 on Magnolia Pictures' Magnet label. It's the first U.S. release for the 2003 action comedy and the first English-friendly disc for the 2007 sequel, both starring Petchtai Wongkamlao as a cool, smooth Isaan gunman.In part one, he is the chief protector of the richest man in Thailand when the man is killed. The wealthy man's son goes missing, and takes up with a family in a slum. A hilarious, never-ending parade of bad guys tries to find the boy and kill the bodyguard. Instead of Muay Thai kicks, he dances to mor lam to dispatch the villains.
In Bodyguard 2, which is actually a prequel, Petchtai goes undercover as luk thung singing star for a record label that is a front for weapons dealers. He must stay a step ahead of the bad guys and his jealous wife.
Tony Jaa makes cameo appearances in both, both spoofing his movies Ong-Bak and Tom Yum Goong.
A review of both movies has turned up at Cinema Suicide. Here's an excerpt:
Ultimately, each movie is jammed with more fart jokes and seriously insensitive gags than you’ll know what to do with. Each one features some fluttering gay guy. How do you know he’s gay? Is he seen dating a man? Of course not! He’s the one wearing the eye shadow and lip stick. Each one features bare-ass male nudity and gallons of blood. In these movies, shootouts result in explosive bullet wounds, geysers of blood from mouths and so on. The violence is every bit a part of the gag, as well. Michael Bay only dreams of a gun fight that ends with four cars colliding and exploding in midair, simultaneously, The Bodyguard makes it a reality. You’re also going to be hard pressed to find a movie where a man without pants plummets from a building to his death when a woman flicks the head of his penis. Every second of each movie is operating on a higher level of crazy. Bodyguard 2 is a little more grounded, as I said, but you get a close up of a guy shitting his pants at a urinal. Ever seen that Jet Li Die Hard ripoff, High Risk? That scene where the dead guy’s rigor mortis grasp on Jackie Cheung’s balls results in him tearing his pants off through the closed door? Imagine two movies that feature nothing but that joke.
The Bodyguard and Bodyguard 2 will be available as a double-feature package or separately.
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(Via Love Asian Film)
Mum's the word! I'm actually looking forward to The Bodyguard since I only saw the second film. Speaking of which, with Tony Jaa's recent misadventures, his cameo seems to be closer to the truth than we may have realized. And what a week for Thai films on DVD, as Bangkok Love Story is also released on the 26th.
ReplyDeleteThe Bodyguard is better, I think. It has more heart, and not because of the sappy love story subplot. It was funnier, more coherent. I think Mum put all he had into making it. Bodyguard 2 was more about big explosions and being outrageous. The humor was more obligatory.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Peter, for that reminder about Bangkok Love Story. Time for another update.