Bulletproof Monk
Hollywood’s mining of the comic-book industry has produced some gems (Brandon Lee’s The Crow), some boxoffice gold (X2: X-Men United) and some cinematic sludge (The Phantom). Bulletproof Monk lies somewhere in that range, though closer to The Phantom than to X2.

Chow Yun-Fat (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) plays the title character, who must find a successor to his role as protector of a mystical scroll. And whom does the nameless monk find worthy of carrying the artifact that grants immortality and unlimited power? None other than American Pie’s Stifler (Seann William Scott), who plays a thief named Kar.

The script, based on the Flypaper Press comic-book miniseries, is not spectacular, but it’s not horrible, either. It has an interesting premise with a nice mix of philosophy, humor and fights.

However, the movie marks Paul Hunter’s directorial debut, and it shows. While the music-video veteran creates some visually brilliant scenes, he fails to draw the audience in emotionally. But perhaps the biggest knock against the film is its action sequences. Just  because the movie is based on a comic book doesn’t mean its fight scenes should look cartoonish. The choreography is practically lifted from clashes between Wyle E. Coyote and the Roadrunner. At the climax, the main villain slaps Kar around like a rag doll, tossing him 40 feet into the air. And the monk executes several midair somersaults during his attack.

Almost all the battle sequences are loaded with Hong Kong wire stunts—not that that’s a bad thing. It’s just that in Bulletproof Monk— despite the heavy use of computer-generated effects—it’s clear that the actors are hung in harnesses. Unlike The Matrix or even Crouching Tiger, there’s no grace in the wire work and no smooth transitions between the realistic kung fu moves and the Superman-like leaps. That’s a shame, since this action/ fantasy flick is the right genre to use the Asian style of gravity-defying filmmaking. Still, die-hard martial arts fans might want to check out the DVD from MGM because of its bonus material. There are several mini-documentaries, including one called The Tao of Monk, which contains clips of the actors rehearsing their brawls. It’s clear from these vignettes that Chow is more than proficient with a staff, and Scott is dedicated to learning authentic wushu. Both have the acting chops and physical skills to become martial arts stars in the near future. Bulletproof Monk retails for $19.98.

City Hunter
Speaking of crafting comics into movies, Jackie Chan’s City Hunter is an example of a fun film that can be made by reworking a franchise. Based on a popular Japanese comic book, it features Chan as a womanizing private detective hired to search for the runaway daughter of a publishing tycoon. He tracks her down on a cruise ship, only to find it’s been hijacked by terrorists, played by martial artists Richard Norton and Gary Daniels. Filmed in the pre-Speed 2: Cruise Control era, 1992’s City Hunter is an absolutely silly movie with absurd fight scenes, but it’s all done for laughs.

In one hilarious sequence, Chan fights two giant African-Americans in the ship’s theater while Bruce Lee and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar battle on-screen in Game of Death. As an ode to his predecessor, Chan tries to fight his attackers, but one opponent just palms his head and the other kicks him in the chest, leaving a footprint on his shirt.

There’s also a parody of the then-popular Street Fighter 2 video game and a stunt-filled but still funny showdown between Chan and Norton. Released by 20th Century Fox, the DVD is skimpy on the bonuses, but it does feature additional outtakes and revealing interviews with the director and the star. City Hunter might not be the greatest comic-book translation, but it’s certainly worth watching. It sells for $29.95.