It is pretty hard to take a film seriously when it starts with two monks sparing on a bridge and flying around. That whole karate/flying/Chinese wire trick...really...why? But "Bulletproof monk" pulls it off well. For starters, it is the first movie with an explanation of how to walk on air. But mainly the two lead roles are likable and drive the story forward all the time.The old guy from Tibet is neither Jackie Chan, nor some martial arts guru. More like a regular guy you might want as a neighbour. The young guy is a New York pick pocket, smart kid but not falling into any easy pidgeon holes either. None of those overdone slow motion stylistic shows action movies on a budget often fall for. If our hero needs to take out ten bad guys, OK, he does some fancy stuff, but he gets on with it.Plot is the normal thing. We all have to protect some ancient scroll with the secret to ultimate power. Twist is that some Nazi has been chasing it since the second World War. Yeah, we have heard that before too. But it really doesn't matter, the take is fresh. My kids watched it straight after the Spiderwick Chronicles, same story, protecting a book from evil, but they didn't mind at all.The girl in the film is interesting too. While Star Wars fans pine and groan about Rey not getting her own doll, the female lead in this film is cool, sexy, sweet, tough, able and with a nice twist at the end does real equality sort of stuff. In all, a great cast guided by an obviously good team, makes a great job of a mediocre idea.

There is a market for escapist nonsense, and this movie fits right into it. The story doesn't really matter, other than to note that it serves as a satisfactory vehicle around which to drape a series of fantasy based action sequences.More importantly this is a "buddy" movie where Chow Yun Fat's venerable monk mentors the rough-edged Seann William Scott.Chow is a class actor - one of those reliable performers who always brings an element of dignity to roles which don't always deserve it. Scott, on the other hand, seems to have only ever played one character and, yes, it's Stifler again, only with the obnoxiousness and crudeness dialled right down.But there is good chemistry between the two of them, and the development of the relationship between them is a happy thing to watch.And that's it, really. A martial arts buddy movie, laced with humour and, as such, a couple of hours of undemanding fun.

This movie has it all! Wire-Fu! Nazis! Monkey-attacks to the face! Stifler!!! (?!) Magical Subway Unscrew-the-Screw Kung-Fu! Ball-Hungry Subway Bodybuilder Gangs! Racial Cleansing! Genocide! Too Cheap to Crash a Helicopter! Crazy Monk BSDM! Russian Mafia Princesses! With Semtex, No Less! Nazis-- With Jedi Mind Tricks-- That Bite! Statue Homicide! Oh YEAH! If you believe hard enough, you can fly, or alternatively, turn this pile of crap into a diamond. Personally I loved it: I haven't seen a movie this humorously bad since Dante's Peak. If it was re-shot with paper cutouts I probably would have mistaken it for South Park.Downside: you'll have to watch The Replacement Killers three times in a row before you'll take Chow Yun-Fat seriously again.

1 – One of the best movies which was based on a comic book.2 – One of the best movies which stars (Yun-Fat Chow) (and what a very short list it would be !).3 – One of the most attractive cinematic introductions ever (the sequence of the German attack on the temple).4 – One of the most beautiful plots (regardless a few holes and some slight silliness).5 – One of the greatest roles in (Seann William Scott)'s career (and honestly what a detestable career he had !).6 – One of the most eloquent dialogue not ever written but ever written in an action flick like this.7 – One of the most ambition action scenes (the helicopter one .. Oh My God that was just super and as far as I know .. I didn't see anything like it before). 8 – One of the most forgettable movies to be ! (simply because no one will concern with a Hollywood average budget picture starring "Yun-Fat Chow" and "Seann William Scott" together about such a bulletproof monk !).9 – One of my favorites.10 - One of My father's favorites (although he just hates anything related to superheroes, science fiction, fantasy !).