PG-13 | 1h 44m | Action, Comedy, Fantasy | 2003
In the 1980s, Chow Yun-Fat starred in a veritable plethora of Hong Kong bullet ballet (also known as “gun fu”) flicks that were unlike anything the world had witnessed before. This genre combines the graceful, and often brutal, movements of ‘70s kung fu movies with stylized gunplay.
Fast forward a decade or so and Chow transitioned from the gun fu hero archetype that he helped to popularize, to taking on more diverse roles as an international star.
Chow made a major impact when he starred as Li Mu Bai in 2000’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” which incidentally helped to introduce wire fu to the world, just as gun fu had previously. Wire fu is a filmmaking technique in which actors (or their stunt doubles) wearing hidden harnesses are suspended from cords to give the illusion that they are performing superhuman feats.
Hot on the heels of that massive cinematic success, Chow starred in 2003’s “Bulletproof Monk,” which combined two of the hottest trends at that time, wire fu and ethnic buddy action flicks, in which two men of differing ethnicities team up to form a dynamic partnership.
A Long Journey
The action-comedy kicks off in 1943, high up on a rickety bridge suspended by an enormous gorge. From the film’s outset, we are thrust into some fast and furious wire-fu action, as two Tibetan monks fight each other using staves. One of them is a nameless monk (Chow) who is trying to pass a final test with his master (Roger Yuan).
After besting his master, our nameless monk protagonist is congratulated by his master since he has become sufficiently enlightened to succeed him. Back at their monastery, the monk becomes the inheritor of a sacred scroll that grants unparalleled power to those who read it. If it falls into the wrong hands, catastrophic consequences could ensue.
Suddenly, an evil Nazi named Struker (Karel Roden) orders his squad of soldiers to assault the monastery in order to seize the scroll. Fortunately, the monk manages to vanish the prize before Struker gets his greedy little mitts on it.
Sixty years later, the monk is on the run from a group of suit-wearing goons for unknown reasons. Thanks to the scroll, he hasn’t aged, but he has updated his attire to blend into his big-city surroundings.
While fleeing into a subway, the monk encounters Kar (Seann William Scott), a pickpocket on the run from the cops. When a girl falls onto the subway tracks, both the monk and Kar dash to her rescue.
After saving her and eluding their respective pursuers, the monk starts to entertain the idea that Kar could be his successor as the keeper of the scroll. Kar runs into a street gang and manages to fight them off due to his impressive martial arts skills. During the scuffle, Kar meets Jade (Jaime King), a member of the gang. Despite their initial clash, they are drawn to each other.
The monk persistently pursues Kar, recognizing that beneath his tough thief façade, there lies a good-hearted man.
Meanwhile, we learn that Struker, now elderly and wheelchair-bound, continues his relentless search for the scroll and the monk. Heading up teams of goons in his stead is his granddaughter, Nina (Victoria Smurfit), who doggedly pursues the monk.
Responsible Action
For action fans, excessive bloodshed is not needed to create a thrilling action movie. While people do get shot, small clothes puffs indicate when they’ve been hit, rather than blood splatters.Similarly, There is very little cursing, something I didn’t even notice until writing this review. The absence of profanity didn’t detract from the film. In fact, it was quite refreshing.
Violence is only employed defensively and as a last resort, and never in aggression or anger; the lives of wrongdoers are only taken in extreme circumstances. Thanks to brilliant writing, the narrative never preaches, avoiding the trap of portraying the protagonists as squeaky clean do-gooders.
For instance, Kar, a somewhat troubled young man, begins to see the good within himself, with the guidance of a powerful force of benevolence, represented by Chow’s monk character.
“Bulletproof Monk” delivers on many levels, from excellent acting performances to pulse-pounding action sequences. However, its most significant asset lies in its positive philosophical messages, which are likely to resonate deeply with many viewers.
