Marketic It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Sharkflei Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.

Teddie Blake The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Ucare I thought this would have been just a martial arts movie. I was wrong. It is more than that. I actually would not classify it as Martial Arts movie, but as Historic Movie (about a moment in time of a Country where Martial Arts where important). The events narrated and the way they are narrated take a more important place than the (anyway very good) martial arts scenes. I cannot understand its underrating! It is absolutely wonderfully acted, moving, epic. The characters are so human, you can "fall in love" with them, almost all actors give to their character such a humanity. This is FAR WAY BEYOND any martial art movie I have ever seen in long time. A fight for ideals, of students, of people with values, honor, integrity, dignity. People who wanted to change things. And this story is told with sensibility and humanity.

russlawrence Well now I've heard (and seen) it all. I saw the great reviews of this movie, and after watching the amazing "The Man From Nowhere" last night, thought I'd go 2 for 2.Not so!Other reviewers are saying this made you care for the characters. I can't believe that! I was laughing more than anything. How many times can you be reminded over and over and over of the same things... the man trying to protect his son, the man trying to overcome the death of the woman he loved, the man trying to fight for the daughter he almost had... blah blah blah.If it were done with great acting, then maybe, but this is far from it. This is by far the cheesiest movie I've seen in many years. Overacted, over-dramatized, over-directed, over-edited, and even the score was overdone."Over The Top." If Stallone hadn't made a movie with that title, this one should be called that for sure.At least I was hoping for some great action and fighting... but alas no... If it wasn't for the fight scenes starting at about 38 minutes left in the film, I would have given this movie one star.I can't believe I sat through the whole movie until that last part. But at least them I got to see some cool action, even if every time someone "important" to the plot died, they would flash their obituary on the screen... like I was going to cry or something?Honestly, don't believe the hype you're reading about this movie. I'm a HUGE fan of action, drama, and martial arts films. Finding one that has great action, drama, plot, fights, and acting is about impossible (unless it's "The Man From Nowhere"). This movie succeeds in having NONE of those great elements.It's boring. It's supremely cheesy. It's unsatisfying. And now I can't get my Saturday night back. Oh, well... I'll call it an experiment in movie watching and try something else tomorrow. The least I could do is to warn others to NOT waste their valuable time on this cheese-fest.Don't make me say I told you so... Watch something else.

poe426 The irony here is that I'm commenting on a Chinese movie with disturbing parallels to 21st century America. That's right: the Occupy Movement- the struggle of American citizens to recapture some of the liberties that have been lost (or are BEING stolen even as I write). As the persecution of Julian Assange makes all too clear, one would do well to beware the dungeons of Democracy. BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS is about the Evolution of Revolution. Despite the foreclosure in THIS country on The Fourth Estate (the Press), it's effectiveness in turn-of-the-last-century China is clearly shown and we see the awakening of a sleeping giant. "Keep one eye open," a British diplomat advises at one point: "And close the other." (Translation: Watch for political troublemakers, but don't stop them from being murdered.) Another lesson we've learned here in the West: Democracy can ATROPHY. This is a disparate band of Evolutionaries, including a son of privilege who forfeits Privilege for Principle and an opium-addicted martial artist ("I'm like a ghost...") whose sacrifice reminds us that Courage isn't the absence of Fear, it's the ACCEPTANCE of it. Outstanding filmmaking.

Mortin First of all, I'm not familiar with Chinese history, so I wouldn't say anything about its historical bases. Still, this movie worth the time with no doubt. No matter where you live. Powerful, logical and heartbreaking. I say powerful because we got a well painted picture about the main characters in the first half. Yes, the movie does not only focus on the high profile action scenes and blood. That's one of its strengths. The audience - this time it's me - had enough time to acquaint the persons and like them. For this reason losing some of them is a heartbreaking effect in the second half. I think it's not a spoiler. Anyone can guess it who has seen the trailer. The acting is OK (some actors were great, especially Xueqi Wang) but my opinion is that the script and the director have done this movie for that it is. I really enjoyed that the movie has avoid to use mindless clichés, like ultimate fight of good vs. evil. The main bad character had also deep conviction that he has been doing the right thing for his country/highness. As it is so, for me, he was authentic in his role.Now there's only one word has to be explained - logical. Unfortunately I can't do it without revealing some moments from the story, so I leave it to you. Find it out yourself. If you like heroic tales, you should love it. I hope this movie will be released on DVD in my country, too.