O Monge à Prova de Balas

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 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.

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.*

It was hard to watch this film and not compare some of the wild action/fight scenes with those in the Matrix or its over-hyped sequel. Whilst the scenes in BPM are not as polished or well done as those in the Matrix, they are entertaining enough and the choreography and use of props showed much more promise and imagination than those in the Wachowski Bros. productions (at least in regard to the Matrix Reloaded, anyhow).

But this film did not receive the hype that TMR did and, consequently, my expectations of it were lower. As a result, I was not disappointed in BPM as I was with TMR. Sure, its all silliness, but at least it has the humour to go along with that silliness. In short, it doesn't take itself too seriously, and neiither should the audience.

Chow-Yun Fat shows he can play non-serious roles and get away with it, and Sean William Scott shows he can do other parts away from American Pie and its teen comedy clones. But a particular joy to see in this film is the appearance of Mako, whom I haven't seen much of in recent years. He only has a small role in this film, but he steals the show whenever he's on screen.

The kung-fu isn't quite as wild as Crouching Tiger's flying escapades nor is the wire-work quite so obvious. All in all a fun movie that should be watched as it was intended, as sheer escapism.

There are a few bad points. Watch out for the villain at the end. He should get the "worst villain's hairstyle" award for his mullet. That, and the ludicrous torture machine are the lighter negative aspects in an otherwise entertaining movie, and even they somehow just add to the fun. The only really dire moment is "Mr Funktastic's" atrocious British accent/choice of language. There are some things Hollywood will NEVER get right!