IMDb > Bulletproof Monk (2003)
Bulletproof Monk
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Bulletproof Monk (2003) More at IMDbPro »

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Bulletproof Monk (2003) -- Trailer for this action comedy
Bulletproof Monk (2003) -- Sinematurk - Trailer (Flash)
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Overview

User Rating:
5.2/10   15,730 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 7% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Paul Hunter
Writers (WGA):
Ethan Reiff (written by) &
Cyrus Voris (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Bulletproof Monk on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
16 April 2003 (USA) more
Genre:
Action | Adventure | Comedy more
Tagline:
A power beyond measure requires a protector without equal. more
Plot:
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. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(25 articles)
Pete Wentz's 'Fall Out Toy Works' debuts
 (From digitalspy. 4 September 2009, 7:08 AM, PDT)
Exclusive: Pete Wentz And Image Comics Team Up For ‘Fall Out Toyworks’
 (From MTV Splash Page. 4 June 2009, 12:25 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
Mildly entertaining hodge-podge of martial arts and commercialized Buddhism more (175 total)
US TV Schedule:
Mon. Nov. 3011:00 PMFX   
Tue. Dec. 110:00 AMFX   

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
more

Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for violence, language and some sexual content.
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
104 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English | Tibetan | German
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
DTS | Dolby Digital
Certification:
Iceland:14 | Malaysia:18SG | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:15 | India:UA | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Canada:PG | Denmark:11 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 (cut) | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:15 | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Philippines:R-13 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 (certificate #38899)
Filming Locations:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada more
Company:
Cub Five Productions more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Heath Ledger considered the role of Kar but turned it down to star in Ned Kelly (2003). more
Goofs:
Errors in geography: While Monk and Kar are on the boat at night you can see Toronto's CN Tower. more
Quotes:
[Nina shows Jade a picture of a refugee kneeling in front of a man with a rifle]
Nina: Tell me, deep inside, at the bottom of your soul, who would you rather be? The man about to be shot? Or the man about to do the shooting?
more
Movie Connections:
References Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) more
Soundtrack:
The Way You Dream more

FAQ

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
13 out of 15 people found the following comment useful.
Mildly entertaining hodge-podge of martial arts and commercialized Buddhism, 7 July 2005
4/10
Author: mstomaso from Vulcan

I really wanted to like this movie. I generally enjoy Chow Yun Fat in virtually any role, I tend to enjoy martial arts films, and I am a Taoist so I at least sympathize with various forms of Buddhism. Furthermore, I believe that comic book based films are finally coming into their own as commercial cinema. However, Bulletproof Monk, though entertaining at times, never really grabbed me. I was left with the same sort of feeling I got from Tomb Raider, Aliens vs Predator, etc. Though I found Chow Yun Fat's character likable, I frequently found myself asking 'who are these people and why am I supposed to care about them?". There is a certain one-dimensionality to the characters, the script and the portrayals which can not be escaped in this film.

Chow Yun Fat has been charged with the protection of a scroll which is endowed with the secret of eternal life for over 60 years. The scroll is sought by a maniacal nazi who inexplicably turns up in Tibet during World War Two and equally improbably leads a small contingent of followers in New York city in contemporary times. Chow Yun Fat, who is in NYC for an unknown reason (probably not the best place to protect an ancient scroll of incredible power and importance), playing an unnamed Tibetan monk is pursued by this militia just as he begins to befriend a protégé who he believes might be a prophesied successor in his task of protecting the scroll (Seann William Scott). An uneasy apprenticeship begins...

The script is packed with martial art / Hollywood-Buddhist philosophical clichés, though I have to admit that this film does Buddhism better than many of its competitors. Most of these paradoxes and objects of meditations are unfortunately delivered in matter-of-fact disaffected tones. Similarly, the fight scenes are technically interesting, and convincingly violent, but generally devoid of any emotional content or ferocity. Compare any of these scenes to any performance by Bruce Lee, for example, and you'll see what I mean. Of course, Bruce was not really a traditional Buddhist, not a very ttraditional martial artist.

The cinematography is good. I especially enjoyed seeing so many familiar sights in the world's greatest city, and some of the artistically fantastic if not entirely believable sets. It was also nice to see old friends like Mako. Unfortunately, Seann William Scott's uneven performance only reinforced the frigidity of the film.

Bulletproof makes for a decent light night's entertainment, but little more. Worth seeing for martial arts and action fans.

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Message Boards

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Buddha's plagarism from Hindu texts akshaychopra85
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