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Bulletproof Monk

Bulletproof Monk

A power beyond measure requires a protector without equal.

2003104 minPG-13Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
Director
Paul Hunter
Starring
Chow Yun-Fat, Seann William Scott, Jaime King, Karel Roden

A mysterious and immortal Tibetan kung fu master, who has spent the last 60 years traveling around the world protecting the ancient Scroll of the Ultimate, mentors a selfish street kid in the ancient intricacies of kung fu.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Bulletproof Monk?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Bulletproof Monk streaming on MGM+ via The Roku Channel, Pluto TV (free) and Tubi (free).

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Bulletproof Monk?

Bulletproof Monk earns 5 badges, led by Overhyped and Box Office Flop.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Bulletproof Monk worth watching?

Bulletproof Monk's Midcredits score is the 21st percentile of all films, from 76K ratings across 6 sources. 28% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

21st percentile

Better received than 21% of films

35th percentile among Action21st percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)26th
Approval (how many liked it)20th

54 /100

26th percentile of all films

40th percentile among Action26th percentile among 2000s

Critics 40 · Audience 55

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.6 — solid but not unanimous.

28% liked it

20th percentile of all films

32nd percentile among Action18th percentile among 2000s
28% rated it 7–1072% rated it 1–6

Critics 22% · Audience 38%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

93rd percentile

76K ratings across platforms

86th percentile among Action88th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 41% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$52M
Opening weekend$8.7M
Domestic gross$23M
Worldwide gross$38M

Returned 0.7× its budget — 75th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A silly, lightweight comic-book action-fantasy that does not take itself seriously.

Fans praised

  • Chow Yun-Fat's charismatic, relaxed performance brings genuine charm to the mentor role
  • Lighthearted, unpretentious tone makes for enjoyable escapist fun
  • Good buddy chemistry between Chow Yun-Fat and Seann William Scott

Detractors panned

  • Thin, cliché-ridden plot built on tired Nazi villain and chosen-one tropes
  • Poorly filmed fight scenes with obvious wirework and frantic MTV-style editing
  • Seann William Scott lacks the presence or martial-arts credibility for the action lead

What stands out

ActingDivisive60

Chow Yun-Fat charming and relaxed; Scott divisive as miscast Stifler-like sidekick

Pacing50

Fast-moving but some flat stretches and choppy scene transitions

Effects and spectacleDivisive45

Overdone wirework and dated CGI blue-screen; some entertaining set pieces

HumorDivisive45

Juvenile, tongue-in-cheek gags land for some, fall flat for others

Characters35

One-dimensional archetypes: wise mentor, smart-mouthed apprentice, cardboard villains

Dialogue35

Fortune-cookie wisdom and cheesy one-liners; hot-dog-and-buns gag

Plot and story30

Formulaic chosen-one quest with predictable Nazi pursuit of magical scroll

Originality20

Heavy derivative blend of Matrix wire-fu, Indiana Jones Nazis, and Crouching Tiger style

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 3 points apart
  • Critics vs users 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is Bulletproof Monk like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It has a few laughs and leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
ThrillingJoyfulAbsurd
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
PlayfulAdventurous · 11% of filmsWry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its fantastical premise with a light, self-aware touch, never fully earnest but also not mocking its characters; it leans into comic book silliness.
The rideAction set-pieces keep energy up; the story is light and fun throughout, with no prolonged heavy emotional beats.
StructureConventional beginning-middle-end structure, with prologue set in 1943 and the main story in contemporary 2003.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayYou leave entertained and smiling, lifted by the film's breezy energy and happy ending.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestRescue
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% (this title) · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Rescue: Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).

10% of films fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe Monk must find someone to pass his guardianship to, which drives the story forward. The secondary rebirth arc applies as Kar transforms from a selfish pickpocket into a responsible protector.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfPurposeSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Purpose · 9% of filmsFamily bondsRedemption · 6% of films: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Dual lead
How it treats its themeKar finds a calling beyond his aimless life, while the Monk fulfills his duty of passing on the scroll.
StanceThe film affirms the value of finding one's purpose and the joy of mentorship, treating its primary theme of purpose with a warm, optimistic stance.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalIn transitStylized realism
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score · Éric Serra
SettingNew York City subway and Chinatown
MusicA mix of orchestral and electronic elements that underscore the action and fantastical tone.

Content guide

Is Bulletproof Monk okay for kids?

PG-13

Bulletproof Monk is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for violence, language and some sexual content” (MPAA). As of October 4, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at mild (25/100), language at moderate (54/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (0/100) and frightening material at moderate (50/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 9 other countries
  • UK12A
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany16
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil14
  • Czechia12+
  • GreecePG
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 41%
Profanity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
too few votes to rank (2 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (34 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Bulletproof Monk have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Bulletproof Monk?

Cast

Chow Yun-Fat
as Monk With No Name
Seann William Scott
as Kar
Jaime King
as Jade
Karel Roden
as Struker
Victoria Smurfit
as Nina
Marcus Jean Pirae
as Mr. Funktastic
Mako
as Mr. Kojima
Roger Yuan
as Master Monk
K.C. Collins
as Sax
Sean Bell
as Diesel

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Bulletproof Monk?

Movies like Bulletproof Monk include The Rundown (2003), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) and Kick-Ass 2 (2013). Of the 12 closest matches, most are superhero films, and most are action comedies.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its story type: martial arts. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Bulletproof Monk?

559 other films share the rarest tag below, premise: chosen one. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.