Every VIP needs some kind of buffer to shield them from the perils fame inevitably brings. This relationship between hotshot, or sometimes even target, and their guardian has long been a cinematic fascination, from Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston’s romance in The Bodyguard (1992) to Clint Eastwood’s Secret Service stint from In the Line of Fire (1993). To celebrate the home entertainment release of Angel Has Fallen (available for digital download from December 14th and on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD and franchise triple boxset from December 16th), join us for a recap of the role these oft-unsung heroes play in their employers’ lives. Here are four of our favourite fictional bodyguards to have graced the big screen:
Oddjob from Goldfinger (1964)
Widely regarded as the best Bond film of the Sean Connery era, if not the whole series, Goldfinger introduces multiple iconic characters. Brilliant Bond girl Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman) and charming villain Auric Goldfinger (Gert Fröbe) have their fans, but the latter’s burly butler Oddjob is a well-established favourite. Much like the infamous 7ft 2in supervillain Jaws (Richard Kiel) from Roger Moore’s Bond films, Oddjob (played by weightlifter and wrestler Harold Sakata) is a silent assassin who packs a trademark killer punch: whilst Jaws bites with steel teeth, Oddjob decapitates with a flying, razor-edged Sandringham hat. Always dressed impeccably and capable of giving even MI6’s finest a run for his money as the smoothest driver in the franchise, Oddjob’s legacy as arguably Bond’s greatest adversary remains untouched.
The Terminator from Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Arnold Schwarzenegger swaps evil for good in this sequel that somehow improves on its already near-perfect predecessor, The Terminator (1984). The formidable T-101 appears to have met its match in the newer, even more advanced T-1000 (Robert Patrick), a liquid-metal, shapeshifting terminator sent back in time to kill John Connor (Edward Furlong), future leader of the Human Resistance against the machines. Arnie acts as John’s guardian, however, and, in exchange for his protection, John teaches his new cyborg friend some useful American slang: ‘no problemo’, ‘chill out’, and who can forget the timeless ‘hasta la vista, baby’? As thrilling as it is humorous and touching, T2’s ground-breaking special effects ensure it is revered as one of the greatest action and sci-fi films of all time. He did say he’d be back.
Gogo Yubari from Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)
The fourth film from auteur Quentin Tarantino is a revenge flick that follows the mysterious ‘Bride’ (Uma Thurman) on a mission to track down her former leader and team of assassins after they quite literally stab her in the back, leaving her and her unborn child for dead. One of her major obstacles comes in the form of Gogo Yubari (Chiaki Kuriyama), assassin O-Ren Ishii’s (Lucy Liu) personal bodyguard. A sadistic Japanese schoolgirl with a meteor hammer as her weapon of choice, Gogo may only be seventeen, but in the Bride’s words, ‘what she lacks in age, she makes up for in madness’. The highly stylised fight scene between the two at a Tokyo yakuza restaurant is nothing short of epic, paying tribute to martial arts classics of years gone by with aestheticized violence and typical Tarantino panache. Homage cinema at its best.
Bryan Mills from Taken (2008)
In this taut thriller from Pierre Morel, Liam Neeson stars as ex-CIA-agent-turned-security-guard Bryan Mills: a role that represented a career renaissance and catapulted him to action hero stardom. The film’s plot is simple enough: protective father’s daughter gets abducted, leading him to chase her kidnappers, but it’s the profound monologues and brilliantly choreographed action sequences that really stand out here. Who can forget Mills’ menacing threat to the Albanian traffickers over the phone? Or the speed at which he moves through a yacht to reach the crime ring’s boss, leaving a host of henchmen in his wake? Taken’s break-neck pacing is impeccable, and it’s no wonder it was followed up with two sequels and a TV series to satisfy fans left desperate for more. An undeniable cult classic.
Angel Has Fallen (2019)
The latest instalment of the explosive Has Fallen franchise Angel Has Fallen arrives on Home Entertainment just in time for Christmas. When there is an assassination attempt on U.S. President Allan Trumbull (Morgan Freeman), his trusted confidant, Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler), is wrongfully accused and taken into custody. After escaping from capture, he becomes a man on the run and must evade his own agency and outsmart the FBI in order to find the real threat to the President. Desperate to uncover the truth, Banning turns to unlikely allies to help clear his name, keep his family from harm and save the country from imminent danger.
Angel Has Fallen is available to Download & Keep, on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD now. The box set is also available.
