Romance and action, that’s a particular genre of film that’s quite popular in Bollywood. You’ll see an action hero and his lady love fighting through hordes of bad guys and then doing dance numbers. Maybe that is why The Bodyguard was one of the films that were remade for Indian audiences. However, if you go back and take a look at the original Kevin Costner film, not only was it entertaining, but it was actually quite well-paced and well-written as well!
How to Download The Bodyguard
You can download the film from a digital store. You can also stream it. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice.
The Movie Review
Previously serving as President Ronald Reagan’s personal guard while working in the secret service, Frank Farmer is a top-tier bodyguard. Now, some important individuals contact Frank and ask him to protect Rachel Marron, the newest pop star on the verge of dominating Hollywood with her musical talents and on-stage charisma. Frank accepts the assignment quite reluctantly at first but soon begins to guard Rachel against the probable psychopath stalker who has been writing some threatening letters to her. Frank and Rachel get closer as the initial hostility in their relationship subsides, however, so does the person who wants Rachel killed.
The one thing that I did not like about director Mick Jackson’s The Bodyguard is that it takes a little too long to accomplish what it needs to. This problem exists due to the first and second half of the film. These are crucial development parts, of course, when everything is starting to come together. However, once they’re done developing the story and getting the slow pace out, everything begins moving and the film becomes more entertaining to watch.
The Bodyguard is essentially a love story between two distinctly dissimilar people, each with their own quirks and personality traits. The movie’s plot is compelling enough to keep audiences watching, and the romance between Costner and Houston develops slowly but steadily. However, rather than concentrating on one thing, the movie does numerous things. It isn’t thrilling enough to qualify as a thriller, it doesn’t have enough action to satisfy your thirst for some violent beatings, and it isn’t particularly strong as a pure romance movie either. Although I must confess, it strikes a good balance between these three genres without particularly excelling in any of them.
Whitney Houston is as skilled as she is gorgeous, and this movie does a great job of showcasing that aspect of her. We get to hear her incredible voice in addition to seeing her. Her rendition of I Will Always Love You is one of the most beautifully haunting ballads I’ve ever heard, and I even consider it considerably more heartwarming than the original Dolly Parton version. Kevin Costner is naturally just as good as he always is, but he’s a bit flat in this film due to how he’s directed, I presume. The rest of the cast includes some big names such as Gary Kemp, Bill Cobbs, and Ralph Waite, and they do their job amicably.
The one aspect where I think this film fails considerably hard is the presentation. This film does not look good and it’s not that it hasn’t aged well. It might not have looked good even back in 1992. There isn’t anything particularly bad about the cinematography in this film, of course. It’s just that it’s so flat and bland that you can’t distinguish between this film and so many other blandly shot films that you’ve seen over a lifetime. On the other hand, though, the music is phenomenal from start to finish. I love every single song that this film has, and I listen to them on a regular basis. Some of them are even part of my favorite playlists!
Verdict
The pairing of Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston in the early 1990s makes The Bodyguard an interesting viewing, to say the least. The movie drags its feet in the first two acts as it tries to advance, so the running length is too long, and yet everything that happens after the second act is fascinating. The premise of Houston is undoubtedly intriguing, and the soundtrack is undoubtedly top-notch. Even though it doesn’t achieve everything else flawlessly, this is still a very enjoyable film to watch.
