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Bulletproof Monk
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corporation


5.0

based on 29 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 19 votes
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MPAA RATING: PG-13 for violence, language and some sexual content

Starring Chow Yun-Fat, Seann William Scott, James King, Karel Roden, Victoria Smurfit, and Patrick Hagarty

The Monk (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 (Scott). (MGM)

GENRE(S):	Sci-fi
WRITTEN BY:	Ethan Reiff Cyrus Voris
DIRECTED BY:	Paul Hunter
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: September 9, 2003 Video: September 9, 2003 Theatrical: April 16, 2003
RUNNING TIME:	103 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle

It has a life and style that other buddy action movies lack

Salon.com Charles Taylor

Lightweight but delightful martial-arts romp.

Variety Robert Koehler

Not surprisingly based on a comic book series by Brett Lewis and R.A. Jones (whom pic fails to credit), pic hurtles along at a pace designed by vet music vid and ad helmer Paul Hunter to engage short attention spans.

The New York Times Dana Stevens

Too much seriousness can be fatal to a picture like this one, since it impedes the efficient delivery of dumb laughter and easy thrills.

Film Threat Clint Morris

It’s a film that walks a fine-line between serious superhero flick and slapstick, giving the audience a conglomerate of great martial arts moments intertwined with some very funny dialogue and impetus.

ReelViews James Berardinelli

The story's entire foundation is based upon a plot hole so gargantuan that anyone not suffering a brain cramp will identify it at once.

LA Weekly Hazel-Dawn Dumpert

It’s a testament to Chow's star power that, even with an accent more than casually reminiscent of Elmer Fudd's, he comes off charming, handsome and cool in a movie as ridiculous as Bulletproof Monk.

Washington Post Mark Jenkins

One of those motley movies that borrows from just about everywhere.

Dallas Observer Andy Klein

It's pretty good fun, once it gets going, but still makes some of the same mistakes that have plagued other Hollywood films that interpolate the concepts of Hong Kong action.

Village Voice Ed Park

Some reliably vertiginous fight sequences (rope bridge, rooftop signage) and modest flight experiments liven up the mix, but for all the leads' individual appeal, they seem to occupy slightly different films.

Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan

Began life as a comic book, and screenwriters Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris, ever respectful of that lineage, have not allowed the film's dialogue or plot points to rise above their cartoonish origins.

Chicago Tribune Robert K. Elder

First-time director Paul Hunter delivers a quick-cut, loud movie that betrays his MTV roots -- but then again, the script never demands that he do much more than exactly that.

USA Today Mike Clark

Action star Chow Yun-Fat's latest is as thin as the buzz cut he sports in Bulletproof Monk.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

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).

Philadelphia Inquirer David Hiltbrand

The worst sin is the way the film borrows and corrupts the gravity-defying action style of Yun-Fat's international hit, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

As ungainly in its jammed-together East-meets-West-ness as Steven Seagal in a yoga pose.

Chicago Reader Bill Stamets

A fair amount of visual panache, but the fight scenes are routine, the humor juvenile, and the Toronto locales rendered drab through muddy cinematography.

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

So formulaic it starts to fade from memory before the last punch is thrown.

Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach

No visual style, amateur effects.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Liam Lacey

A plot so preposterous it could only have emerged from the underground comic world.

New York Daily News Jami Bernard

The picture's a dud... Instead of Chow's gravitas rubbing off on the kid, Scott's dude-ness dilutes Chow's authority.

Boston Globe Ty Burr

Indeed a rip-off - a rehash of Hong Kong superstar Chow's greatest celluloid moments with an overlay of Hollywood action cliches, youth-flick silliness, and ah-so stereotypes.

Premiere Aaron Hillis

Flashy, forgettable fluff.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Paul Lewis

Most surprising (and disappointing) is the film's lack of humor. Scott, who has a huge following and has developed a lively comic persona, never seems in on the joke.

Washington Post Stephen Hunter

It never makes much sense.

Austin Chronicle Marrit Ingman

Monk would probably make a nice rental on a dull evening, with some kind of salty snack and a drinking-game accompaniment. (Drink whenever Scott cries, "Oh, shit!")

New York Post Jonathan Foreman

Relentlessly stupid.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Nathan Rabin

Sadly, it's yet another intercultural mishmash that hopes for its iconic star's charisma to overcome a dire script, cardboard characters, indifferently directed action scenes, and an atrocious villain buried under layers of unconvincing old-man makeup.

Slate David Edelstein

Yeah, they made a ton of junky movies in Hong Kong, but those were dazzlingly fluid and high-flying junky movies. This American retread has the same sort of hack plot but none of the bravura. It makes them look like monkeys, and not bulletproof ones.

The average user rating for this movie is 5.0 (out of 10) based on 19 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Movie Voter gave it a7:
Yes, the movie is light-hearted action fare -- it's supposed to be. Unfortunately, It goes wrong when it tries too hard to set up a big, dramatic finish. The supernaturally powerful Monk is far too easily captured at Jade's mansion and then all but devoid of power while in the clutches of Mr. Evil Nazi and his brain-sucking, water-powered, computerized torture racks! I was shaking my head at how stupid that part was. But the rest was fairly satisfying in both content and style. (The "obvious" plot hole of not simply destroying the scroll was not a problem for me. I understood the reasoning behind that.)

Sam gave it a 10:
Sweet.

The Elusive Possom gave it a 5:
I'm only writing because I could not help but point out how hypocritical Adam E. is: he commented that Metacritic was generous in its mark 39, while himself giving the film just over that with 4 (40).

Wesley D. gave it a 10:
Jaime is hot!!!! and it's a good movie.

Marc-o gave it a 7:
Dumb, Over the top, comic book, this film isn't going to win any art direction oscar or a best actor nomination. But with a title like Bulletproof Monk who expected the Pianist?? fUN

A Movie Critic gave it a 7:
I was entertained by the movie, although I thought it was too serious. It would have been better as a comedy. I also wish Chow Yun-Fat had more fight scenes. He did not end up being the hero. Kar did, who, in movies like this, the character is usually a tag-along and in this case, he became the big hero. I thought the plot was descent. The acting was also good, and the action scenes were good. Unfortunately, Chow Yun-Fat barely got to hurt anyone. Overall, simply good. Kind of realistic, but good.

Jim V. gave it a 2:
A 2 only because it is good to see Chow Yun Fat.

Bulletproof Monk Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corporation

Bulletproof Monk
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corporation