Bulletproof Monk (2003)

Based on the very underground comic book, a Tibetan monk becomes a mentor to a young street kid whom he can teach to protect a scroll.

Director:

Paul Hunter

Writers:

Ethan Reiff, Cyrus Voris

Stars:

Yun-Fat Chow, Seann William Scott, Jaime King

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Yun-Fat Chow	...	Monk With No Name (as Chow Yun-Fat)
Seann William Scott	...	Kar
Jaime King	...	Jade
Karel Roden	...	Strucker
Victoria Smurfit	...	Nina
Marcus Jean Pirae	...	Mr. Funktastic
Mako	...	Mr. Kojima
Roger Yuan	...	Master Monk
K.C. Collins	...	Sax (as Chris Collins)
Sean Bell	...	Diesel
Kishaya Dudley	...	DV
Rob Archer	...	Buzz
Mauricio Rodas	...	Wicho
Bayo Akinfemi	...	Shade
Russell Yuen	...	Brother Tenzin

Storyline

For 60 years a mysterious monk with no name has zigzagged the globe to protect an ancient scroll - a scroll that holds the key to unlimited power. Now the Monk must look for a new scrollkeeper. Kar is an unlikely candidate, a streetwise young man whose only interest is himself. But when he inadvertently saves the Bulletproof Monk from capture, the two become partners in a scheme to save the world from the scroll's most avid pursuer. Packed with spectacular special effects and martial arts action, the Monk, Kar, and a sexy Russian mob princess called Bad Girl must struggle to find, face, and fight the ultimate enemy.

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Plot Keywords:

scroll | monk | tibetan | nazi | monastery | 

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Taglines:

Don't mess with the monk

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Fantasy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for violence, language and some sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Filmax [es] MGM [us]

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English Tibetan Panjabi German

Release Date:

16 April 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Alexisfairos kalogeros

Filming Locations:

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$52,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$131,427 (Brazil) (6 February 2004)

Gross:

$131,427 (Brazil) (6 February 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Lakeshore Entertainment, Mosaic Media Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The actors who portray the monks in the movie are real martial artists from the Sunny Tang Martial Arts Center located in Toronto, Canada.

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Goofs

When Jade and Nina fight in the tunnel in some shots it is shown that Nina has on high-heeled boots yet in the actual fighting she is obviously wearing flats.

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Quotes

Monk With No Name: Air is as real as you and me. You have to step on it as if it were a stone, swim through it as if it were the sea. All you have to do is truly believe.
Kar: Believe what, that the laws of gravity don't exist?

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Connections

References Kwaidan (1964)

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Soundtracks

"Ranjahx"
Written by Bittu Dhakiwala
Performed by X-Crew/Bittu Dhakiwala
Courtesy of Decknology Records
Under license from Decknology Records

User Reviews

Good Action Movie

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')