Le Gardien du manuscrit sacré

Bulletproof Monk has a plot like it is the Indiana Jones of martial art flicks. You have a monk that is chosen every 60 years to protect a scroll that will give anyone who reads it invincible. The film revolves around The Monk with No Name (Chow) trying to find a new chosen one (Scott) while avoiding a nazi super-villain that he incountered 60 years ago.

The film is more of a comedy than an action film and Sean William Scott and Chow Yun Fat play off each other well in a world where they are chased by nazis and run into characters like a British guy named Mr. Funktastic. Sean plays a goofy pickpocket well and Chow is excellent as a calm, smug, nameless monk...then again Chow has always been good at acting smug. Of course there has to be a leading lady and Jamie King is as good looking as they come and plays her character well.

The action all involves wire-fu, like that as seen in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", but not as dynamic. Since most of the characters are new to martial arts the fights are a little slow but entertaining and lighthearted none the less.

Bulletproof Monk could have been a lot better than it is, with a little more time spent on it, but as it is it is a silly amusing film, which kept me entertained for an hour and a half. I recommend it to martial art flick junkies.

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.

I have just gotten back from seeing Bulletproof Monk (literally) which is essentially a very cheesy movie, but dammit if it isn't fun! I knew the movie was going to be silly, but I just wanted to see some wire-fu and be entertained.

The story is silly, it's about a monk who has to protect a scroll that when read will give the reader ultimate power (of course the protector of the scroll gets the magical power of wife-fu abilities). This monk (who has no name) has to find a new protector because it's been 60 years. So he chooses a pickpocket named Kar to become the nameless monk. And then they cavort around and run into a group of neo-nazis after the scroll (those wacky neo-nazis!) a Russian mafia princess named Jade (played by the smoking hot Jaime King) and a British guy with a mohawk named Mr. Funktastic, who lives in the underground of the New York subway, and keeps making verbal threats to cut men's genitalia off.

This movie takes itself lightheartedly, so the main duo of Seann William Scott and Chow Yun-Fat act like they are cast in a buddy cop film. Both Scott and Chow are funny (especially Chow), the wire-fu is entertaining, Jaime King is hot, and the whole movie works.

It's not the best film ever, and I couldn't tell you if it's the best Chow Yun-Fat film ever, since my local Hollywood video lacks his Hong Kong imports. But Bulletproof Monk may entertain those who like cheesy martial art flicks, or appese the action junkie while he has to wait to see the next summer blockbuster. I don't like rating systems, but if I did I would give it a 6 out of 10. It's not great but good. Have fun with it.

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')

Bulletproof Monk was based off a Japanese comic book(manga) and as such a American funded film vehicle for Chow Yun Fat. This movie, really is not the greatest and comes across as pretty silly overall. Chow Yun Fat is great however and is engaging and fun as the lead here as a monk from Tibet that contains the ultimate power and must protect it from Nazi's that want to utilize the scroll for their own means. Sean William Scott is'nt very good in this action driven role, but he tries and has some charisma and plays well off of Chow Yun Fat. Mako appears as well and is always good, with this being no exception. The fights choreography is not the greatest and in combination with how this story was executed, the poor f/x and otherwise lousy acting make this a pretty bad movie. Even with that said Chow Yun Fat is cool and pulls off playing this incredibly powerful and wise monk that drops many suckas as well as some knowledge and wisdom, Yoda style. The underlying positive Buddhist messages are cool and give an otherwise dumb and corny fantasy action picture a little substance. Criticisms aside, I do enjoy this film, even though overall this movie comes across as pretty idiotic for the most part.