Has there been a film where you remembered a lot from your childhood, but it seems that only you has ever heard of said film? Maybe it's a TV movie, direct-to-video film, or a theatrical release that just completely fell into obscurity? For me, that movie was "Bulletproof Monk". Based on the comic book of the same name, it follows a nameless monk who holds a scroll that allows its user to be immortal and powerful as the role for guarding said scroll from enemy forces. After many decades of being hunted down by an aging Nazi officer, the monk feels that it's time for him to pass his role to an apprentice, which he feels that the young street thief, Kar, might be the one to fill his place. While the story itself is pretty silly in concept, the film takes itself really seriously, albeit allowing some comedy being thrown in, mainly by the relationship between the monk and Kar. Honestly, a part of me really enjoys the story for its trope-filled nature of having Nazis as the bad guys, the chosen one being a guy who you'd least suspect, the cheesy romance, etc. My only issue with the plot is that it moves way too fast. Not that there isn't any slow or subtle moments, but the entire story of Kar becoming the next guardian happens in literally two days. So, apparently in those two days, the villains always know where to find our heroes and Kar not only finishes the three prophecies, but fully commits to this new role of his. It's a pretty big logical gap when one thinks of the time in the film, but you can debate it adds on to the charm of the film. Another small issue is that it does take itself a bit too seriously as there are plenty of opportunities to have a funny joke, but it keeps to the script for whatever reason. With that said, there's still a handful of funny moments throughout the film that work fine.
Chow Yun-Fat is excellent as the nameless monk. He has a charming charisma and doesn't act as the typical master role. He has a sense of humour and does like to poke fun at Kar and play on his sarcastic attitude. You can tell that this is a man who has adapted to modern society and culture, despite his ethnicity and longevity throughout the decades. He's practically the best character of the film. Seann William Scott is well-cast as Kar and fits the punk youth who attempts to look and act cool for his self-worth. However, his character development is hindered by the short time logic of the film. His bantering and bonding with the monk though does really work though as the characters are polar opposites and always attempt to top the other with their reasoning, which the monk always prevails at. Jamie King as Jade plays the typical kickass female fighter that Kar falls in love with. There is a twist in the end regarding her role, which is clever, but she's just not a very engaging character. Karel Roden is Strucker, a Nazi captain who is hellbent on capturing the monk and unlocking the power of the scroll. Roden plays the role as over-the-top as possible with his yelling and anger chewing up the scenery, which makes him enjoyable in his own right. Victoria Smurfit plays Nina, the granddaughter of Strucker and the second-in-command who leads her group of henchmen. While the character is played up as an evil femme fatale, there's no real reason for her to be in the story as the film never bothers to explain why she cares to aid her grandfather and what does she earn in return. Lastly, there's Mr. Kojima, played by the late Mako, who is an owner of a Chinese theatre and Kar's employer that really cares for the guy. Mako is always enjoyable to watch with his charisma and he does get a few laughs. His role also helps Kar's shallow development as it pushes Kar to fight for what's right. There are a few other side characters such as the monk allies or the underground gang Jade is with, but they barely play a role and only appear in one scene or so. Overall, the characters are decent all-around with the monk, Kar, Strucker, and Kojima being the highlights. However, Jade, Nina and aespects of Kar's character development do damper the cast as a whole.
Paul Hunter is known for his length role as a music video director, making some popular videos for various superstars. However, this film proved to be the first and only he has directed for Hollywood. Whether or not his lack of will to direct another film is due to the box office or his directing skills in general, his directorial debut wasn't as bad as one might expect. To Hunter's credit, he knows how to direct sequences well and shows potential on making a feature film. At times, his staging and pacing does feel like he's attempting to make another music video, but his directing is pretty decent. The real issue is the editing though as scenes are cut very quickly or inserted randomly. The editing really undermines Hunter's directing. The sets are very nicely put together such as the Tibetan temple, the Golden Palace theatre, Kar's crib, Strucker's lair, etc. The choice to make Toronto as the backdrop for New York actually works out for the most part, but like other careless directors, the CN Tower appears in one nighttime shot. The cinematography by Stefan Czapsky is pretty good with some nice crane and handheld shots. However, there's a bit too many close-ups of characters faces in an awkward angle for my liking. The music by Eric Serra is very good as it has a lot of range. From the martial art and scroll theme, the light comedic score with Kar and the monk, the frantic modern action theme, the dramatic music during the low points, the list goes on. While I don't think it's near my favourites, the original score and soundtrack of the film are underrated gems of their own right. The action sequences are a mixed bag. On the one hand, there's some nice stunts and wirework that pays tribute to the wuxia genre. On the other hand, the editing really bogs down these sequences and there are some awkward moments. These moments include some random force powers that Strucker uses in one scene during the climax and some really dated green-screen effects. Overall, Hunter didn't do a bad job for his only feature film and it's a shame he lost the motivation to return to the industry.
"Bulletproof Monk" is a film that proves to have plenty of charm even if no one cares to remember it. While there are issues to be found such as the illogical timeframe of the story and character arcs, Jade and Nina being very bland femme fatales, awkward fast-paced editing, and some dated green-screen effects makes the film pretty amateur at times despite the talent on and offscreen. However, there's some joy and fun to be had with the film. From the over-top story that takes itself with just the right amount of seriousness, Fat delivers a solid charismatic and physical performance as the monk, characters such as Kar, Strucker and Mr. Kojima are enjoyable in their own right, some nice cinematography by Czapsky, a very good low-key soundtrack by Serra, some nice wirework and action motifs, and Hunter's directing being pretty solid for the most part. It's both generic, but unique in its own way. I don't think it's meant to be seen as one of the great action or martial art flicks, but it's a harmless watch at the very least.
Verdict: 6.5/10. A decent watch that should at least be acknowledged in its own right. Go in with low expectations and you'll might be smiling when the film ends.
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