A 1990 Jet Li Martial Arts Movie Remade A Kevin Costner Film (& Made It Better)

1994’s Jet Li martial arts movie, The Bodyguard From Beijing, remade a classic Kevin Costner film, and it actually made it better. Released in 1994, The Bodyguard from Beijing is a Hong Kong martial arts movie that features Jet Li as a bodyguard called Allan, who is hired to protect a wealthy businessman’s girlfriend, Michelle Leung (Christy Chung), after she witnesses a murder. In the US, the movie was also called The Defender, with Allan’s name being changed to John Chang. The Bodyguard From Beijing grossed HK$11.2 million at the box office – approximately $1.4 million in US dollars.

The Bodyguard From Beijing is regarded as one of the best Jet Li movies, despite being somewhat underrated, with many praising the film for its spectacular fight scenes and choreography. However, although The Bodyguard From Beijing was predominantly focused on Jet Li’s fighting abilities, the martial arts movie does have a romance storyline too, as Michelle begins to fall for her protector. That said, it is hard to ignore the fact that The Bodyguard From Beijing essentially copies a similar movie, which was released in the US two years earlier: The Bodyguard, featuring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston.

The Bodyguard From Beijing Is An Unofficial Remake Of The Bodyguard

Both Movies Follow The Same Story With Their Own Added Flairs

1994’s The Bodyguard From Beijing is an unofficial remake of 1992’s The Bodyguard as both films follow a similar premise. The Bodyguard is a 1992 American romantic thriller drama movie directed by Mick Jackson (Threads, Temple Grandin) starring Kevin Costner and the famous musical artist Whitney Houston, in her film acting debut. The movie follows Kevin Costner’s former US Secret Service agent turned bodyguard character, Frank Farmer, who is hired to protect the famous actress and singer, Rachel Marron, from a dangerous unknown stalker. Despite initial tensions, ultimately, Frank and Rachel end up falling in love during the ᴀssignment.

The Bodyguard’s soundtrack album is the best-selling soundtrack album of all time. With over 50 million copies sold, it won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

The Bodyguard grossed $411 million at the box office on a budget of $25 million, making it a mᴀssive commercial success. With a mᴀssive star like Whitney Houston providing The Bodyguard’s soundtrack in her acting debut, the film was nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Original Song with “I Have Nothing” and “Run to You,” as well as nominations at the People’s Choice Awards, MTV Movie & TV Awards, and the NAACP Image Awards. Surprisingly, despite its success, The Bodyguard received unfavorable reviews from critics and was nominated seven times at the 13th Golden Raspberry Awards (aka the Razzies).

While The Bodyguard From Beijing did not feature a singer in its lead female role, the premise surrounding the two movies is very much the same. A bodyguard finds himself falling for the stubborn and wealthy girl he is supposed to be protecting, he ends up getting sH๏τ by the antagonist in her place, and the pair say a tearful goodbye. Therefore, some have regarded The Bodyguard From Beijing to be an unofficial remake of the 1992 classic movie, as the Hong Kong film copies the original concept, while introducing its own flair, by making it a martial arts movie.

The Bodyguard From Beijing Is Superior To The Bodyguard

Despite Being A Classic, The Bodyguard Was Slow And Less Action-Packed

The Bodyguard From Beijing poster edit — Custom Image by Sophie Evans

While The Bodyguard will always be regarded as a classic movie for making pop culture history, elevating Whitney Houston’s status as an iconic figure, and for its fantastic box office and further related earnings, the movie does fail in some areas that The Bodyguard From Beijing excels in. As a result, you could say that Jet Li’s Hong Kong remake is superior to Kevin Costner’s movie. While Costner delivers an emotionally restrained performance as a conflicted protector, Jet Li is considerably more charismatic in The Bodyguard From Beijing, and that is mostly due to the star’s martial arts skills.

The Bodyguard From Beijing is considerably more engaging, as its well-paced structure, humor, and energetic use of martial arts keep audiences interested for much longer

The Bodyguard From Beijing is considerably more engaging, as its well-paced structure, humor, and energetic use of martial arts keep audiences interested for much longer than The Bodyguard, which has a slower pace and focuses on the romantic and emotional storytelling aspects. Therefore, The Bodyguard From Beijing is easier to watch, making it the more compelling choice. This is a shame as The Bodyguard was a very promising movie, especially with Whitney Houston’s presence providing a lot of hype for the film. However, it does make you wonder if The Bodyguard could have been improved with more action.