Bulletproof Monk (2003)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Paul Hunter

Writers (WGA):

Ethan Reiff (written by) &
Cyrus Voris (written by)

Release Date:

16 April 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy

Tagline:

A power beyond measure requires a protector without equal.

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.

Plot Keywords:

Scroll | Monk | Tibetan Monk | Martial Arts | Secret Scroll

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

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
Albert Chung	...	Young Monk
Karis Han	...	Boy Monk
Paul Fauteux	...	Subway Cop
Raven Dauda	...	Young Mother
Isys McKoy	...	Little Girl
Peter Snider	...	Three Piece Suit
Suresh John	...	Cabbie
Geoff Williams	...	Breathless Cop
Michael Yanover	...	Hotdog Vendor
Chad Camilleri	...	Merc (as Chad Camileri)
Steve Lucescu	...	Merc
James Acheson	...	Merc
John MacDonald	...	Merc
Danny Lima	...	Merc
Robert Racki	...	Merc
Kevin Rushton	...	Merc
Hadley Sandiford	...	Merc
Brian Jagersky	...	Merc
Matt Birman	...	Merc
Blair Johannes	...	Merc
Regan Moore	...	Kommando
Joel Harris	...	Kommando
Patrick Mark	...	Kommando
Henry Korhonen	...	Kommando
Billy Oliver	...	Kommando
Neil Davison	...	Kommando
Bryan Thomas	...	Kommando
Christopher McGuire	...	Kommando
Lloyd Adams	...	Transit Cop
Christopher D. Amos	...	Transit Cop
Murray R. Croft	...	Transit Cop
Phil Chiu	...	Monastery Monk
Mike Gow	...	Monastery Monk
Allen Keng	...	Monastery Monk
Tommy Chang	...	Temple Monk
Mike Chow	...	Temple Monk
Fabian Choe	...	Temple Monk
James Kim	...	Temple Monk
Alan Tang	...	Wu Shu Monk
Nathan Lam	...	Wu Shu Monk
Peter Wong	...	Wu Shu Monk
Jun Wei Feng	...	Wu Shu Monk
Yisheng Lin	...	Wu Shu Monk (as Lin Yi-Sheng)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Cameron	...	Mercenary (uncredited)
Mike Dopud	...	Mercenary #1 (uncredited)
Patrick Hagarty	...	Tough Guy Leader (uncredited)
Angela Seto	...	Old Sho Girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Paul Hunter

Writing credits (WGA)
Ethan Reiff		(written by) &
Cyrus Voris		(written by)

Produced by
Terence Chang	....	producer
Gotham Chopra	....	executive producer
Alan Glazer	....	co-producer (as Alan G. Glazer)
Robert K. Lambert	....	associate producer
Caroline Macaulay	....	executive producer
Brent O'Connor	....	co-producer
Mark Paniccia	....	co-producer
Charles Roven	....	producer
Douglas Segal	....	producer
Kelley Smith-Wait	....	executive producer (as Kelly Smith-Waite)
John Woo	....	producer
Michael Yanover	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Eric Serra

Cinematography by
Stefan Czapsky		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Robert K. Lambert

Casting by
Mindy Marin

Production Design by
Deborah Evans

Art Direction by
Arvinder Grewal		(as T. Arv Grewal)
Eric Norlin

Set Decoration by
Penny A. Chalmers
Clive Thomasson

Costume Design by
Delphine White

Makeup Department
Alessondra Bastianoni	....	assistant makeup artist
David R. Beecroft	....	key hair stylist
Barney Burman	....	prosthetic makeup artist
Greg Cannom	....	prosthetic makeup artist
Greg Cannom	....	special makeup effects artist
John Kim	....	makeup effects technician: Captive Audience Productions
Mary Kim	....	makeup effects production supervisor: Captive Audience Productions Inc.
Emmy Leung	....	makeup artist: Mr. Chow Yun-Fat
Jo-Ann MacNeil	....	assistant makeup artist
Shuk Yee Mok	....	hair stylist: Mr. Chow Yun-Fat
Mark Nieman	....	silicone prosthetic department supervisor: Captive Audience Productions
Alexei O'Brien	....	makeup effects operations manager
Lydia Pensa	....	assistant hair stylist
Michael Peterson	....	lab makeup effects
Leslie Ann Sebert	....	key makeup artist (as Leslie A. Sebert)
Brian Sipe	....	special makeup supervisor
Keith VanderLaan	....	makeup effects creator: Captive Audience Productions
Wesley Wofford	....	key prosthetic makeup artist

Production Management
D.J. Carson	....	production manager
Marty Dejczak	....	production manager: second unit
Brent O'Connor	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Walter Gasparovic	....	first assistant director
Brian Giddens	....	assistant director: additional photography
Brian Giddens	....	first assistant director
Katrina Lee	....	third assistant director
Jym Morton	....	daily assistant director
Jenny Murray	....	third assistant director: second unit
Pazz Neglia	....	second assistant director: second unit
Guy Norris	....	second unit director
Elizabeth Parker	....	assistant director: second unit
Howard Rothschild	....	first assistant director: second unit
Graham Tallman	....	assistant director
Bob Warwick	....	second assistant director

Art Department
John Alvarez	....	assistant art director
Rob Ballantyne	....	set designer
David Best	....	graphic designer
Rob Bonney	....	head carpenter
Cameron S. Brooke	....	key scenic artist
Robert C. Brooke	....	lead scenic artist
Theresa Buckley	....	props buyer
William Cheng	....	set designer
David G. Fremlin	....	set designer
Vladislav Fyodorov	....	set designer
Jen Gillespie	....	clearance and placement coordinator
Jen Gillespie	....	third assistant art director
James Halpenny	....	construction coordinator (as Jim Halpenny)
Chris Hanson	....	scenic laborer
Ron Hewitt	....	property master
Michael Huschka	....	assistant property master
Wayne Jacques	....	assistant decorator
Elis Lam	....	set designer (as Elis Y. Lam)
Andrew Li	....	illustrator
Rob McCallum	....	storyboard artist
Mike Avon Oeming	....	comic art
H. Nancy Pak	....	art department coordinator
Vince Peets	....	storyboard artist
Victor 'Chikko' Quon	....	assistant head painter
Dave Rosa	....	head painter
Ken Samaroo	....	stand-by painter
Danny Scavuzzo	....	scenic carpenter
Jaclyn Shoub	....	assistant decorator
Douglas Slater	....	set designer
Robert S. Smith	....	stand-by carpenter
Chris Sneddon	....	construction coordinator
Paul To	....	concept illustrator
Paul Vernon	....	carpenter
Athena Wong	....	set dresser
Jay Martin	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Sean Paul Armstrong	....	cable puller
Paul Aulicino	....	first assistant sound editor
Bob Beher	....	foley supervisor
Patrick Cicero	....	first assistant sound editor
Marc Deschaine	....	adr assistant
Joe Dorn	....	adr supervisor
Ken Fischer	....	sound effects editor
Frank Fleming	....	sound recordist
Bruce Fortune	....	supervising sound editor (as Bruce D. Fortune)
Stuart French	....	production sound mixer: second unit
Peter Gleaves	....	adr mixer
Glenn Hoskinson	....	sound effects editor
Shawn Kennelly	....	foley mixer
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Laura Macias	....	foley artist
Steve Mann	....	sound effects editor
Steve Maslow	....	sound re-recording mixer
Matthew McKenzie	....	adr recordist: Toronto
Colin McLellan	....	adr recordist
Chris Navarro	....	adr recordist
Howard Neiman	....	sound editor (as Howard S. Neiman)
Steve Nelson	....	sound effects editor
Stephen P. Robinson	....	sound effects editor
Bruce Stambler	....	supervising sound editor
John J. Thomson	....	production sound mixer
Robert Troy	....	adr dialogue editor
Mario A. Vitale	....	apprentice sound editor
Tim Walston	....	sound designer
Donald L. Warner Jr.	....	dialogue editor
Wade Wilson	....	sound designer
Alan Zielonko	....	boom operator
Carl D. Ware	....	sound engineer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Dan Cervin	....	first assistant camera: special effects department, re-shoot
Colin Chilvers	....	special effects consultant
Frank Dunlop	....	special effects: electronics
Bob Hall	....	special effects technician
Tony Kenny	....	special effects coordinator
Gary Kleinsteuber	....	special effects technician
Kaz Kobielski	....	special effects supervisor
Arthur Langevin	....	special effects technician
Tim Lidstone	....	rigging key
Ian Locke	....	special effects: Millwright
Drew Longland	....	special effects technician
Allan Meuse	....	special effects shop key
Marcus Rait	....	special effects technician
Mark Rice	....	second unit key special effects
Troy Rundle	....	main unit key
Dean Stewart	....	special effects office administrator
Brian Van Dorn	....	special effects technician
Sophie Vertigan	....	special effects props builder
Robert Yeager	....	special effects assistant: reshoot

Visual Effects by
Joseph Bailey	....	digital compositor
Miguel Bautista	....	digital compositor
R. Christopher Biggs	....	digital artist
Richard Bluff	....	visual effects supervisor
Melissa Carter	....	visual effects editor
Irfan Celik	....	digital artist
Debbie Cooke	....	visual effects producer
James Coulter	....	digital artist: Digital Dimension
Fish Essenfeld	....	senior compositor
Steven Fagerquist	....	visual effects
Tarn Fox	....	digital compositor
Benoit Girard	....	visual effects supervisor: Digital Dimension
Paul Graff	....	digital compositor
Willi Hammes	....	CG artist
William Hazen	....	facilities manager: Boy Wonder Visual Effects
Kyle J. Healey	....	CG monk sequence supervisor
Dennis Hoffman	....	visual effects producer
Holly Gregory Horter	....	visual effects
Norris Houk	....	digital artist
Norris Houk	....	visual effects production assistant
John Huikku	....	digital compositor: Boy Wonder Visual Effects
Richard Kidd	....	digital effects supervisor
Raymond C. King	....	digital effects artist
John G. Kirby	....	digital artist
Dan Knight	....	visual effects artist
Peter Koczera	....	senior digital artist
Tim Landry	....	visual effects supervisor
Derek Ledbetter	....	visual effects
Steven Lloyd	....	digital artist
Jonah Loop	....	digital compositor
Brian Lutge	....	effects animation: Boy Wonder Visual Effects
Ray McMillan	....	motion control supervisor
Jerome Morin	....	visual effects producer: Digital Dimension
David B. Moulder	....	visual effects coordinator
Dan Naulin	....	digital effects artist
Marlo Pabon	....	digital supervisor: Boy Wonder VFX
Navin Pinto	....	character technical supervisor: Boy Wonder VFX
Robert Rossello	....	digital compositor
Kennedy Shah	....	motion control programmer
Al Shier	....	visual effects producer
Payam Shohadai	....	visual effects supervisor: BWVFX
Pedram Shohadai	....	visual effects
Brian Smallwood	....	digital effects artist
Sharmishtha Sohoni	....	digital compositor
Richie Solomon	....	roto artist: Boy Wonder Visual Effects
Marion Spates	....	digital effects artist: Digital Dimension
John E. Sullivan	....	visual effects supervisor
Tammy Sutton	....	digital compositor
Tammy Sutton	....	rotoscope artist
Dennis Temprile	....	playback screen: Keyframe Digital Productions Inc.
Robin Trickett	....	visual effects coordinator
Bruno Vilela	....	senior digital lighter: Boy Wonder VFX
Leandro Visconti	....	compositor: Digital Dimension
Dan Walker	....	visual effects roto artist
Burt Ward	....	visual effects producer: Boy Wonder VFX
Wendy Whaley	....	compositor
Toby Wilkins	....	Inferno artist: main title sequence, New Wave Entertainment
Johnny Wilson	....	visual effects
Deborah Wiltman	....	digital compositor
Paul Wood	....	effects animator
Daryl Klein	....	digital artist (uncredited)
Tony Willis	....	visual effects post producer (uncredited)

Stunts
Roy T. Anderson	....	stunts
Brittney Banks	....	stunt performer
Matt Birman	....	stunt performer
Hubert Boorder	....	stunt wire team
Simon Burnett	....	stunt double: Sean william Scott
Dean Copkov	....	stunt rigger
Christopher Cordell	....	stunt double: Seann William Scott, utility stunts and stunt rigger
Mike Desabrais	....	stunt double: Karel Roden
Tig Fong	....	stunt rigger
Tig Fong	....	stunts
Plato Fountidakis	....	stunt wire team
Mike Gow	....	stunts
Curtis Hibbert	....	stunts
Susan Horton	....	stunt double
Blair Johannes	....	stunts
Allen Keng	....	stunt performer
Henry Korhonen	....	stunts
Mike Lambert	....	stunts
Angelica Lisk	....	stunts
Steve Lucescu	....	stunt rigger
Steve Lucescu	....	utility stunts
John MacDonald	....	stunt double: Marcus Pirae
Audrey Mak	....	stunt coordinator
Darren Marsman	....	stunts
Christopher McGuire	....	stunts
Darren McGuire	....	stunt double: Seann William Scott
Duncan McLeod	....	stunt performer
Steven McMichael	....	stunt double
Phillip Mitchell	....	stunts
Layton Morrison	....	stunts
Guy Norris	....	stunt coordinator (as Guy Leslie Norris)
Edward A. Queffelec	....	utility stunts
Darryl Quon	....	wire technician
Branko Racki	....	stunt coordinator
Branko Racki	....	stunts
Joseph Racki	....	stunts
Robert Racki	....	stunt actor
Paul Rapovski	....	fight coordinator
Jeffrey C. Robinson	....	stunt double
Jeanette Roxborough	....	stunts
Justin Sain	....	stunt double
John Stead	....	stunt performer
Lori Stewart	....	stunt double: Victoria Smurfit
David Stinson	....	stunts
John Stoneham Jr.	....	stunt coordinator
Dave Tommasini	....	aerial stunts
Jennifer Vey	....	stunt double: Jamie King
Max White	....	stunt wire team
Paul Wu	....	stunts
Peng Zhang	....	stunt double: Chow Yun Fat
Peng Zhang	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
David Breeze	....	gaffer
Philippe Champion	....	assistant camera
Ciaran Copelin	....	first assistant camera
William Engel	....	grip
Roger Finlay	....	camera operator: "c" camera
Carson T. Foster	....	daily rigging grip
Michael L. Hall	....	best boy
John Harper	....	first assistant camera
David Herrington	....	director of photography: second unit
Perry Hoffman	....	camera operator
Chris Howard	....	gaffer
Patrick King	....	dolly grip
Marek Krawczyk	....	electrician
Mark Lewandowski	....	video supervisor
Ari Magder	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Michael McLellan	....	key grip: re-shoot
Clyde Miller	....	assistant camera: aerials and Wescam camera
Monty Montgomerie	....	first assistant key grip
Anthony Nocera	....	digital video assist operator: action unit
David Norris	....	camera operator: Wescam camera
Rob Parisien	....	digital video assist operator: additional photography
Greg Patterson	....	gaffer: re-shoots
Danny Piva	....	electrician: second unit
Keith Pokorski	....	crane operator: Technocrane
Ronald Schlueter	....	video assist
Tracy Shaw	....	rigging grip
Benjamin Smith	....	assistant camera
Robert F. Smith	....	additional photographer
Stephen Spurrell	....	rigging gaffer
Paul Thompson	....	digital video assist operator: StormVision
Jasper Vrakking	....	24 frame video operator
Serhat H. Yalcinkaya	....	assistant camera trainee: second unit
Paul Zoskey	....	video assist operator
Daniel Volonino	....	second assistant camera: "c" camera, Vancouver (uncredited)

Animation Department
Karen Eppstadt	....	breakdown artist
Wendy Whaley	....	animator

Casting Department
Amanda Harding	....	casting associate
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Diane Kerbel	....	casting: Canada
Crystal Kramer	....	casting assistant (as Crystal Olsen)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sylvie Bonniere	....	extras costume coordinator
Tarah Burke	....	extras wardrobe: second unit
Christina Cattle	....	set costume supervisor: second unit
Gayle Franklin	....	costume buyer
Tatjana Hutinec	....	costume breakdown artist
Richard Krough	....	personal dresser: Mr. Chow Yun-Fat (as Richard Krogh)
Susan MacLeod	....	seamstress
Silvana Sacco	....	costume effects artist
Zsolt Sandor	....	wardrobe assistant
Sara Schilt	....	assistant costume designer
Luis Sequeira	....	assistant costume designer (as Luis M. Sequeira)
Carol Wong	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Mark Bourgeois	....	additional editor
Robert Doyle	....	assistant editor
Darwin Green	....	post-production assistant
Pamela March	....	additional editor
Mike Milliken	....	color timer
D. Gillian Truster	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Michael Atwell	....	score recordist
Brent Brooks	....	music editor
Anita Camarata	....	music supervisor
Hal Oppenheim	....	composer: stock music
Dan Savant	....	orchestra contractor
Scott McRae	....	music preparation (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Ron Coles	....	transportation captain
Bill Hong	....	driver: camera car/insert car
Robert Smith	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Kevin Alakas	....	third assistant accountant
Drazen Baric	....	assistant location manager: second unit
John 'Frenchie' Berger	....	armorer
Stephanie Lee Berger	....	weapons handler
Mel Braxton	....	assistant: Paul Hunder
Kathryn Buck	....	script supervisor
Brandon Buyaki	....	assistant: Douglas Segal
Eric Chen	....	fight trainer
Christopher Comrie	....	payroll accountant
Sean Coyne	....	on-set craft
Mike Doiron	....	key production assistant
Kishaya Dudley	....	choreographer
Kelly Gilbert	....	third assistant accountant
Jonathan Goldman	....	assistant: Kelley Smith-Wait
Pamela Hackwell	....	contact lens technician
Glen Hanz	....	key sculptor: Captive Audience Productions
Sara Holmes	....	first assistant accountant
Ryan Hupponen	....	production assistant
Sharre Jacoby	....	producer: main titles, New Wave Entertainment
Siri Khalsa-Colly	....	assistant: Mr. Hunter
Aaron Kogan	....	assistant: Charles Roven
Siegfried Kopp	....	production assistant
Miriam Laurence	....	dialect coach: pre-production
Troy Liddell	....	choreographer (as Troy P. Liddell)
Troy T. Liddell	....	choreographer
Jonathan Matthews	....	location manager: second unit
Catherine McGovern	....	production secretary
Tom Metz III	....	assistant: Caroline Macaulay
Lesley Myers	....	production coordinator
Terri Ann Myers	....	production assistant
Brent O'Connor	....	assistant: Brent O'Connor (as Brent C.S. O'Connor)
Shannon O'Connor	....	assistant to producer
Brittany Philion	....	assistant: John Woo
Karen Pidgurski	....	unit publicist
Diane Pitblado	....	dialect coach: pre-production
Elysia Bliss Pyne	....	production assistant
Michael Rosser	....	production coordinator: re-shoots
Howard Samuelsohn	....	dialect coach
Ian Shen	....	adr voice
Hunter Shepherd	....	assistant: Mr. Roven
Alan Shoub	....	second unit co-captain
Misha Skoric	....	assistant: Chow Yun-Fat
Evan Spiegel	....	assistant: Charles Roven
Rachel Suhanic	....	assistant: Seann William Scott
Alan Sutton	....	fire safety
Dave Tommasini	....	pilot: Wescam helicopter
Hanna Tower	....	production coordinator: second unit
Wei Tung	....	martial arts choreographer
Gene Turner	....	coach
Derek Ursacki	....	third assistant accountant
Nick Veziris	....	gun wrangler
Todd Weinger	....	assistant: Terence Chang
Mike Wielinski	....	intern: Mosaic Media Group
Andrew Wolinsky	....	production assistant
Jack Wong Wai Leung	....	martial arts choreographer
Corey Yuen	....	additional fight choreographer
Corey Yuen	....	additional fight director
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond company representative (uncredited)
Warner Loughlin	....	acting coach (uncredited)
Christopher Xavier Lozano	....	stills photography (uncredited)
George Ploszczansky	....	personal security: Chow Yun-Fat (uncredited)
Daniel Veluzat	....	location liaison (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Cub Five Productions
• Flypaper Press
• Lakeshore Entertainment
• Lion Rock Productions
• Mosaic Media Group
• Signpost Films

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (2003) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corporation (MGM) (2003) (North America) (theatrical)
• Central Partnership (2003) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Distribution Company (2003) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Hoyts Distribution (2004) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Nu Metro Productions (2003) (South Africa) (theatrical)
• Pathé (2003) (UK) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2003) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2003) (Luxembourg) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2003) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Medyavizyon (2003) (Turkey) (all media)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS) (rental)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS) (retail)
• RTL Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing) (RTL5)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Germany) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Boy Wonder Visual Effects (visual effects)
• Effects Group
• Keith Vanderlaan's Captive Audience Productions (prosthetic makeup effects)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• Eyetronics  3-D scanning
• Four Seasons Aviation  aerial camera platform
• Four Seasons Aviation  helicopter gun ship
• Hand Prop  props
• Howard Anderson Company, The  titles and opticals
• Lakeshore Records  soundtrack
• SoundStorm  sound post-production
• Studio @ NWE  title design: main titles
• Toronto Film Studios  movie studio
• Video Split Productions  video assist equipment

MPAA:

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

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Tibetan | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

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

Company:

Cub Five Productions

Trivia:

The visual effects for this film was handled by "Boy Wonder Visual Effects", a company headed by Burt Ward.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: At the inside shot of Kar climbing through Jade's window when he lets go with his hands he appears to be quite well supported, even though the previous outside shot showed there was nothing for him stand on outside.

Quotes:

Monk With No Name: Water which is too pure has no fish.

Movie Connections:

References Wo hu cang long (2000)

Soundtrack:

Ranjahx

I want a sequel! (I mean that!!)

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.*