Bodyguards & Assassins

Action, History, Martial Arts
USA  /  English

In 1905, Sun Yat-sen (called “Sun Wen” in the film) intends to come to Hong Kong (then a colony of the British Empire) to discuss his plans for revolution with fellow Tong meng hui members to overthrow the corrupt and crumbling Qing Dynasty. Empress Dowager Cixi sends a group of assassins led by Yan Xiao guo to kill Sun. Revolutionary Chen Shao bai arrives in Hong Kong a few days before Sun’s arrival, to meet Li Yu tang, a businessman who provides financial aid for the revolutionaries. As Sun Wen’s arrival day draws near, trouble begins brewing in Hong Kong as Chen Shao bai’s acquaintances are murdered and Chen himself is kidnapped by the assassins during a raid. Li Yu tang decides to officially declare his support for the revolutionaries after the newspaper agency is closed by the British authorities, who maintain a policy of laissez-faire towards China’s political situation. Li rallies a group of men, including rickshaw pullers, hawkers and a beggar, to serve as bodyguards for Sun Wen when he arrives. Li’s son Li Chong guang is chosen to act as a decoy for Sun Wen to divert the assassins away while Sun attends the meeting and leaves Hong Kong safely.