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

Jaime King broke her finger during filming, but not in any of the stunts - just while walking up the stairs talking on the phone.

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Goofs

Until Kar grabs the window ledge, the window is only open a little. In the next shot, the window is halfway open before Kar gets a handhold and swings through the window into the room.

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Quotes

Cabbie: [playing ethnic music with no words] Do you guys like this music?
Kar, Monk With No Name: ...Yea!
Cabbie: It's the bomb diggity.
[phone rings]
Cabbie: Excuse me I have to talk to my baby-mamma-to-be.

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #21.78 (2013)

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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

Dreadful

This is one of the most appalling films I have ever seen. I wanted to switch this film off in the first 10 minutes. Don't get me wrong. I love my fantasy/action movie but this one was terrible. The effects were ridiculous. The storyline was weak. The whole emphasis on "the chosen one" was laughable. I love Chow Yun-Fat and I'm a major martial art nut but this film just made martial arts look bad. Compare this to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon or House of Flying Daggers and it doesn't even come close to the brilliance of these two films. John Woo...this was not one of your best pieces of work. The enemies were typical and idiotic. I was yawning all the way through. You need a film to keep you interested and wanting to find out what happens next. Films are supposed to follow a simple pattern of the following: 1) What is happening in the ordinary World 2) The Call to adventure 3) refusal of the call to adventure 4) meeting the mentor 5) getting over the first threshold and so on.... This film followed this in such a cliché way that it looked as though no effort was made into directing let alone the idea of the film. Every moment in the film was predictable and this was frustrating.