| | | A power beyond measure requires a protector without equal.
Features: DVD, Pan and Scan (TV Format), Widescreen, Dolby Digital (5.1), English, French, Spanish, Subtitled
The Monk (Chow Yun-Fat) is a Zen-calm martial arts master whose duty has been to protect a powerful ancient scroll. Faced with finding the scroll's next guardian, the Monk's quest brings him to New York City where, to his disbelief, it appears his successor is a smart-mouthed pickpocket named Kar (Seann William Scott). Kar's a charming, street-tough wild card who enjoys his life of no responsibility. As the Monk instructs Kar the unlikely duo become partners in protecting the scroll from a power-monger who's been chasing it for 60 years. Amidst high-flying acrobatics and martial arts action, this comical odd couple has to work together to keep the scroll--and mankind--safe.
"...exciting and awe-inspiring martial arts!" Wireless Magazines
"Sean William Scott is a knockout!" Gazette Newspaper Group
"Awesome fight scenes, a great tongue-in-cheek sense of humor." Clint Morris, Filmthreat.com
Editor's Note
BULLETPROOF MONK begins in the 1940s, as a Tibetan Buddhist monk, charged with protecting an ancient scroll, passes on his legacy to his pupil. As the student receives the power to safeguard the scroll, his aging process is halted and he gives up his name, only to be known as the Monk (Chow Yun-Fat). Suddenly, the monastery is raided by Nazis, led by the ruthless Strucker (Karl Roden). As they attempt to seize the relic, the Monk is shot and falls off a cliff, taking the scroll with him. However, six decades later, the Monk appears in America and crosses paths with Kar (Seann William Scott), a tough city kid with a talent for picking pockets. Together the unlikely duo must contend with the forces of the now-elderly Strucker, still determined to possess the mystical scroll. As Strucker's granddaughter, Nina (Victoria Smurfit), leads his thugs to track down Kar and the Monk, the two heroes receive help from the mysterious Jade (Jamie King).Based on the comic book of the same name, BULLETPROOF MONK is a lively action film that features elements of Buddhist philosophy and Hong Kong cinema. The movie allows the typically goofy Scott (star of the AMERICAN PIE films and DUDE, WHERE'S MY CAR?) to try out a more straightforward hero role. Meanwhile, Yun-Fat (CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON) shines as the nameless monk, exuding the same effortless charisma that made him a superstar in Asia. A fun buddy romp filled with martial arts, BULLETPROOF MONK joins the ranks of RUSH HOUR as an entertaining East-meets-West adventure.
| Features | Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese | | Widescreen Version Enhanced For 16x9 TVs | | Interactive Menus | | Scene Selection | | Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1; French, Spanish Stereo Surround | | "The Tao Of Monk" - 5 Behind-The-Scenes Featurettes | | "The Monk Unrobed" Featurette | | Photo Gallery | | Deleted Scenes | | Alternate Ending | | 2 Audio Commentaries |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: MGM |
| Release Date: 5/18/2004 |
| Running Time: 104 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 2003 | | Catalog ID: 113910 | | UPC: 00027616888396 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English [CC], English, French Dubbed, Spanish Dubbed | | Available Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | 2.35:1/4:3 |
| Cast & Crew
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| | Professional Reviews | New York Times
"...[Mr. Chow's] charisma is infinite, and he finds a perfect foil in the slack-jawed, manic Mr. Scott. They seem to be having a very good time, and why should they be the only ones?..." 04/16/2003 p.E4Hollywood Reporter
"...Well-calibrated entertainment....The screenplay deftly mixes Chinese philosophy with superhero action..." 04/15/2003 p.70-2 Sight and Sound
"...Chow and Scott generate a playful rapport..." 06/01/2003 p.39-40 San Francisco Chronicle 8 of 10
... Bulletproof Monk has more going for it than a promising title. It has a life and style that other buddy action movies lack--plus moldy subterranean locations straight out of a video or cartoon fantasy. It also has a first-time director, Paul Hunter, who didn't approach the material cynically but actually tried to make a good picture--and succeeded. - Mick LaSalle
James Berardinelli's ReelViews 6 of 10
... Then again, logic and intelligence don't have much of a place in this picture. Bulletproof Monk is meant to be enjoyed for its exuberance, campiness, and all-around goofiness. Chow, Seann William Scott (Stifler from American Pie), and Jamie King are likable and look good in front of the camera. And, although Hunter's approach to the action scenes is tedious, the movie as a whole is rarely boring. A guilty pleasure? Not really. But the film is tolerable if you're a fan of the genre and don't have anything better to do. - James Berardinelli
Chicago Sun-Times 6 of 10
... The fight scenes in Bulletproof Monk are not as inventive as some I've seen (although the opening fight on a rope bridge is so well done that it raises expectations it cannot fulfill). The film demonstrates, Matrix-style, that a well-trained fighter can leap into the air and levitate while spinning dozens of times, although why anyone would want to do this is never explained. Yun-Fat and Scott do as much with the material as they can, although it's always a little awkward trying to shoehorn a romance into a movie like this, especially when you have to clear time for Bad Girl and Nina (Victoria Smurfit), who is a third-generation Nazi and the real bad girl, to have their obligatory hand-to-hand combat. - Roger Ebert
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