Bodies at Rest

Bodies at Rest is a fast-paced action thriller set in a modern Hong Kong mortuary with some well-done fistfights. Though it brings nothing new to the table, it is reminiscent of the good old days of McTiernan/Harlin’s action flicks. But I could do without the super-cheap soundtrack. [Sitges FF] (10/05/2019)

At the beginning, we need to clarify one thing. The era of Renny Harlin’s best films in Hollywood is definitely over; we probably won’t see another Cliffhanger from him (on the other hand, such a film would flop today, as cinema is heading in a different direction). So now he directs lesser-known films and this time, he’s signed on to a Chinese project. The story itself, with its naivety, is reminiscent of classic 90s flicks, but I don’t mind these kinds of themes. The plot doesn’t offer anything original, and you’ll just think you’ve seen it elsewhere. The action falls into the weaker category, with the only notable aspect being the gritty, energetic hand-to-hand combat scenes. Otherwise, the clichéd loud music was something the creators could have avoided. In summary, nothing groundbreaking, but acceptable for an afternoon boredom buster. 56% (07/17/2020)

This is the story of the employees of an ultra-modern, large morgue who are facing an armed assault on Christmas Eve. It makes no sense even in the most basic terms and consists of mediocre action sequences consisting of characters running around and wrestling in corridors, offices and freezer halls. It is filmed pleasantly briskly and energetically, but there really is no logic and credibility in the behaviour of the heroes and the implementation of specific situations. The stupid villains and naively positive heroes, who are constantly trying to outwit the armed attackers at all costs, and the overall feeling of the film is reminiscent of many action thrillers from the 90s. If you turn off your brain, you can enjoy the film’s amusing developments if you only watch it once, but you really can't expect more from it. (10/08/2019)

Renny Harlin is kind of back in action. Bodies at Rest  is quite evocative of his sequel to Die Hard - if it took place in a morgue, which really was the thing that was attracting me to the screening of this movie. It really is such an old-school action thriller in Chinese style. The screenplay is fairly average and it may not be advisable to think too deeply about some aspects of the plot, but the fresh and dynamic direction constantly throws some action in the way to distract the audience from such things. It neither inspires nor offends. [Sitges 2019] (10/05/2019)

After a long time, a passable Hong Kong flick with the awesome Nick Cheung. Three masked assailants attack a morgue on Christmas Day and demand a bullet from a corpse, but of course things don’t go as planned. Cheung is a reasonably intelligent pathologist so he gives them all a good run for their money, and I also enjoyed the decently dosed action which, while not surprising today, doesn't offend. 65%. (10/11/2019)