A slippery one to pin down, Mick Jackson’s romantic thriller was a runaway success, and yet also something of a disaster for all concerned. A cinematic, home video and soundtrack smash, The Bodyguard featured iconic leads, a slick production and Dolly Parton’s I Will Always Love You, and the ingredients suggest an instant classic. But this was the peak of Costner as a star draw, Whitney Houston’s career collapse after this early promise is widely recorded elsewhere, and Jackson followed up with a Dana Carvey vehicle. So what is wrong (and right) with The Bodyguard?
Firstly, this is a thriller well short on thrills. The opening bombing is only shown obliquely, and there’s few attempts to create tension or even an action scene that extends beyond a few seconds. Costner sports a rough haircut, and plays up his brand of glowering charisma as ex presidential bodyguard Frank Farmer who takes on a tricky job protecting pop star Rachel Maddox (Houston) from an unknown threat. Of course, Rachel falls for Frank’s gruff charm, and the couple unwisely embark on a tempestuous affair as Farmer attempts to flush the killer out.
The Bodyguard doesn’t do well with plot, but the atmosphere is good, with Houston and Costner undeniably having the super-glam looks for this, and a reasonably authentic feel for the music business and its excesses, plus some samurai references for cineastes. The details, however, are utter cobblers; Farmer rebuilds Rachel’s’ house to make it secure, but when she visits a local night-club, she sits alone opening hand-written letters from strangers? Frank convinces Rachel to cancel all of the tour-dates she has sold out, but she still wants to go to the Oscars? The entire Oscar ceremony is a hoot, hosted by Robert Wuhl with some real old-school sexist remarks, and there’s a Debbie Reynolds cameo to boot as The Bodyguard jumps the shark with some high-end melodrama for the climax, untypically silly from the usually grounded pen of Lawrence Kasdan.
Intended for Diana Ross and Steve McQueen, The Bodyguard was one of these not-great films that were widely seen, and that ubiquitous quality ended up damaging everyone’s reputations. But served up as streaming on Amazon Prime circa 2021, it’s pretty entertaining, and better than memory serves. A remake with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga as the protector and singer exists only in my imagination, but might just be a go-er if the roles were reversed for the woke era…
Every time I click on Spiral Son of Saw, it takes me into The Bodyguard. So that’s why the Spiral review is in the wrong place. But then there’s no rules here, right?
Hmmm…I’ll look into it…
Thanks
I’m not a fan of torture porn any more than I’m a fan of Chris Rock, his screen persona too brash and loud for my liking, so I was surprised how much I enjoyed this one – as part of a cinema double-bill today with the jolly Jolie smoke jumper number. This older Rock came across very well and although the police corruption was a bit old hat and although I guessed what it was all about and who the bad guy might be, I still found it engaging enough and Rock way more than tolerable. Samuel L. Jackson was a plus.
That is what I thought; the police procedural functions if you skip the ghost train bit, and Rock was a good hero. That’s more than I expected from a Saw movie.
It was being set up as though there would be a sequel and Rock was an exec producer so I wonder if it will fly with saw fans as much as the originals.
…And I will always love Yooooooooou! In all seriousness, The Bodyguard was very enjoyable for me. The music helps of course, but the plot held my attention too.
I certainly found it much earlier to enjoy on a re-watch. Either the film has matured or I have. Probably the film.
Your judgement is a bit harsh, I would venture. I didn’t notice the various plotholes so much and thought it was highly enjoyable then, the high point of Costner’s career in box office terms. Might not have worked so well without the music but this was a one-off and I thought it a peach.
Harsh would be a good word to describe what it thought of this first time around. Looking at it now, I can see it as good old fashioned Hollywood moonshine, and nostalgia helps in this case.
Old-fashioned is apt. It’s the kind of Hollywood picture that really has no precedent may not even have worked so well in the original Steve McQueen-Diana Ross star teaming. It works well because Costner pulls off cynical as much as Houston brings wide-eyed innocence to the party. Both actors might not have required much acting to deliver such ideas. But it just gels.
I have to admit the star pairing does work here. And I’m warming to your view; it just strikes me as odd for a film to be so iconic, and yet bungle so much, including the climax. Yet it does gel, as you say, and the interracial aspect stands up well today.
watched it a month or so back and thought it stood up well with great set-pieces.
When are you going to do Ocean’s Undead?
Ditto that.
He just keeps poking around the ’80s and ’90s, like he can’t let go of his childhood.
So, so sad. Dix was a child in the 80s and 90s? I struggle to believe that.
Sounds like you struggle with any kind of cognitive thought.
Cognitive? What?
And yet he understood my comment about the watchlist while you remain baffled.
As do any unfortunates who happen to read your pitiful blog.
Any normal person could.
I mean, he still hasn’t answered the Ocean’s Undead question yet. And look how far down the thread we are!
It just went straight from you asking a perfectly sensible question to him threatening you with a cattle prod. Sigh.
Things always escalate quickly around here.
“That went up a notch”?
Agreed. So I’d previously replied that I’d watch Army of the Dead tonight if my Garfield 2 disc didn’t work, and that led to a trading of insults with DJ Otzi. Maybe someone will read it out to you later, grandpa.
You have to act fast with Moonface!
As his barber knows! Hahahaha!
hahahhahahhahahahhahahahahahhahahahha! You tell him, Dj Otzi!
You may have replied to something down page. But I’m up here.
Well worth reading, DJ Otzi has a slam on your personal appearance that’s a stand-out!
Are you replying to me? This comment section is about as confusing as your watchlist…
So what’s all the chat about lasagne for? Keep up, Baldy!
I’ll poke you with a cattle prod if you can’t behave your bald self.
Why do you own a cattle prod? You don’t have any cattle.
To prod baldies like you, hahahahaha
You have baldies?
Up to here. A plague of them.
Might look at it tonight if I can’t get my Garfield 2 disc to work.
Why did Bill Murray do those films?
Beacuse they’re awesome
I guess you can relate to a selfish lasagne eating fat cat. Reminds you of the good times with Shedley.
You’re the selfish lasagne.
You’re selfish haggis.
Nope. You can probably guess why.
You are Kevin Costner?
If I was Kevin Costner, why would I be so against my own films?
Maybe just this one? So you don’t deny that you are Kevin Costner? You stand condemned out of your own mealy mouth.
So technically, you’re calling Kevin Costner’s mouth mealy? You do know who his lawyer is, right?
I am his lawyer.
Wrong. It’s Shedley, of course!
Shedley’s work is pro bono.
Shedley is too callous for that sort of work…
having seen this film when it came out, I can tell you I recall absolutely nothing about it. Even the photo up there of youthful stars is totally a blank. I do recall one sequence of Costner sort of “using the force” and shooting with eyes closed. Dumb at any speed. While i loved Costner and DAncing with Wolves / the Postman / Waterworld all had certain draw for me a romance (maybe that’s the problem) sank like a stone.
I felt the same. After seeing Costner in Untouchables, No Way Out and others, I could not understand how he could make a film with so little action. Now I get the goal was a cheesy/soppy romance, and the action was barely there, and it services that audience, but I cannot emphasis how cold this left me in 1992; I hated it!
I streamed it a couple of years ago – not my choice. I’m not sure what was worse: the film itself, or my friend singing along to all the songs.
Depends how musical your friend is…not surprised this relaunched as a threatening musical, probably a better idea…
That musical sounded like my idea of hell. And my friend’s singing talents: enthusiastic.
Yikes. I hear your pain.
This isn’t on the watchlist. Now or ten seconds from now.
People say I have glowering charisma. Have you noticed?
What watchlist? People certainly describe you as glowering…it’s not a positive.
My charisma is neither good nor bad. It’s just an irresistible force.
What watchlist? You brought it up…
The list of movies I plan to watch . . . this is confusing how?
Why should the movies I watch be on your list?
*sigh* You might want to re-read your own mission statement.
Wut?
That’s OK, I’ll take your mission statement to the bins.
Sigh. Don’t know what you are on about. You don’t like The Bodyguard?
You’re going to have to get Fraggle or Booky or any sentient creature with basic reading skills to explain. I have to head off and do some recycling.
What a slam on Fraggle and Booky, can’t imagine they’ll be happy with that description of them.
wut?
‘…Fraggle or Booky or any sentient creature with basic reading skills to explain.’ Quelle insult!
Well I think Booky and I are definitely sentient, and we do have reading skills, so not sure where the insult bit is?
You and Booky are so much more than just sentient beings with reading skills.
True.
Don’t you guys forget it. Did you see Booky swoop in to save me from the rabble on Wednesday night? This website would be nothing without the brilliance of the commenters. No one has the right to do you down!
I missed Wednesday night’s festivities sadly, but happy to hear Cap’n Booky saved you from whatever it was he saved you from, though I think you could probably manage all by yourself really. I think you hold your own in the squabble-fests.
So mucx confusion. Not sure you can be helped at this point.
No confusion. I ace your quiz and win every week. You are a snivelling bad loser. Discuss.
You don’t understand simple words. You got 36% on the quiz. And you think “sniveling” has two l’s. Discussion over.
It only has one l when applied to cretinous baldies. I won the quiz. Get over it. Away and massage your bin-bags….
How long had this been on ice, if it was originally intended for McQueen? Any ideas why they brought it out so much later?
Was written mid 70’s as a spec script, and Kasdan gave the script to Costner mid 80’s. And I guess Houston’s popularity made it a goer.
So it was just waiting until some specifics came together then.
Makes me wonder how many other scripts are just moldering away….
Predator 3: Riverdance has been in development for years.
I thought that was what AVP:II was all about?
Riverdance vs Predators ; Requiem.
It was a nice looking movie but I agree with your take on it, not sure I’d bother watching it again.
Hated it at the time, but it’s cheesy fun to watch now…