El monje

In 1943, in Tibet, a monk (Yun-Fat Chow) renounces his name and becomes the new guardian of a powerful scroll. Meanwhile, a troop of Nazis leaded by a sick commander invades the monastery and kills the other monks, trying to steal the scroll. The monk without name spends the next sixty years protecting the scroll and looking for his successor, who shall be a person who fulfills three prophecies. In USA, he meets the lonely pickpocket Kar (Seann William Scott), and he believes that Kar may be the next protector of the scroll. Kar stays with the monk and falls in love with the beautiful Jade (Jaime King), while the monk is chased by a gang leaded by the former nazi commander and his daughter Nina. I found this film a good entertainment. There are lots of action, funny moments and in the end, it is a good action movie. The beauty of the unknown Jaime King is very impressive. I really did not understand why the scroll is not simply destroyed, since neither the guardians nor the monks use its power except for keeping the youth of the protector for sixty years. Further, the motives for the parallel life of Jade are simply ridiculous. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): 'O Monge à Prova de Balas' ('The Bulletproof Monk')

There's absolutely nothing special about the (not so subtly-titled) 'Bulletproof Monk.' In fact, the title should tell you everything you need to know about the film. However, just because it's nothing out of the ordinary, doesn't make it a bad film. In fact... it's rather good fun (if you're not expecting too much).

Sean William Scott - better known as 'Who?' unless you're watching an 'American Pie' movie, where he is - of course - 'Stiffler.' He is playing, er, 'Stiffler' basically, only he's really good at martial arts and pickpocketing people. He ends up getting caught up in a plot by Nazis seeking immortality and has to help the titular 'Bulletproof Monk' (Chow Yun Fat) save the world from these out of time creeps.

This film was made back in 2003 and I'd love to say that, because of the time it was made, there was less CGI and more 'practical' effects. Yes, there are some practical effects (or should I say well-choreographed fight scenes), however a lot of the more 'fantastical' martial arts moves are all - very blatantly - filmed up against a blue screen. You may just have to forgive them for that.

So, you have plucky, wise-cracking hero, wise mentor, evil baddies and obligatory love interest (Jamie King). So, like I say, nothing you haven't seen a hundred times before. It's so run-of-the-mill that there's not an awful lot else I can say about it. However, just because it doesn't set the film-world alight in terms of originality, doesn't mean that it isn't enormous fun. But, if you like your modern martial arts films, or just need a relaxing little action flick to rest your brain to after a hard day's work, then this should fit the bill.

Being a comics collector, I had to see this movie, since it is based on a comic book. When I left the cinema I was both disappointed and gratified, but looking back on it I found my disappointment waning and my gratification growing. This was - or rather, could have been, if it had been successful enough to spawn a franchise - a new Highlander (which is just about my favorite movie). It had all the elements. Unfortunately, it also had some bad things. That Nazis were the villains is really something I could have done without. It made the movie unintentionally comical (by which I mean laughable, not comic book-like) before it had even gotten well underway. And the Funktastic character has GOT to rate as one of the WORST things in ANY movie EVER (EVER, I say!!). But I think there was enough good stuff in the rest of the movie to make up for these howlers.

The cast indeed was very charismatic and did not feel like just another set of interchangeable Hollywood cronies. I expected not to like Seann William Scott, but I ended up feeling he did a great job (and no, I didn't see the ridiculous American Pie movies, what're you, nuts!?). Despite what others may say, I thought his kung fu was convincing, and his character actually endearing. I've never been that big a fan of Chow Yun Fat, because he's more a gangster movie actor than a kung fu movie actor, and I have no fondness for Hong Kong (or, for that matter, Hollywood) gangster movies. But as in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (which I loved and have seen many, many times), he filled his role very nicely here. Note that his superhuman kung fu was explained by his possessing the power of the scrolls; it wasn't just gratuitous. As for Jamie King, she just wowed me totally. She radiated both toughness and beauty (and ultimately, tenderness), and seemed like a believable character. Her being the daughter of a Russian mafia boss made her fighting skills credible.

One of the things I appreciated most about this movie was its ending. I'm usually always disappointed with really badly written Hollywood endings, but I absolutely LOVED this one. For both of the young leads to share the power was a great idea (also serving to bond them in their relationship), and it could make for a superb superhero-like sequel, since their fighting skills were radically increased by the power of the scroll. Unfortunately, we'll probably never see it. *Sigh.*

I thought it was charming. I thought it was fun. I enjoyed it a great deal. I liked the characters a lot too (especially the Monk). Now I'm looking for other movies starring Yun-Fat Chow.

I must admit that I did find the underground cavern and the mysterious mind-reading device to be rather over-the-top, but that was the only part of the movie I didn't like.

Please keep in mind that this movie _is_ based on a comic book. It's not meant to be Important, World-changing theatre. It's meant to be a fast-paced (it is), interesting (I thought so), fun-to-watch (yes) story.

I'll be brief.

The movie starts with a bang, and ends with a boom, with plenty of pops and kabangs along the way.

You want a movie that's fun, with likable actors, good action, a light plot that moves right along, and more than a few genuine chuckles? This is one of those.

Watching Chow Yun Fat work is fun, whether he's giving life to a substantial, full orbed character such as in Crouching Tiger, or to a more stereotypical one as the Monk with No Name.

Don't confuse the movies, and you'll have fun. As for all the vitriolic, acidic critics... maybe some folks just need to take themselves just a tad less seriously.

Or a few tads.