filmerp

Saw it today. There was only one instance of a slow-mo 'bullet' shot in the film, and it wasn't even a bullet time shot. The fight scenes used some wire-fu but seemed to be playing more off of Chow's 'Crouching Tiger' character than from 'Matrix.' There is a plot point about Stiffler fulfilling 'prophecies' that would make him the new Mr. Badass but overall I wouldn't say I was distracted by 'Matrix' similarities. I was more sidetracked with just how gawdawful the movie was! Fight scenes were few and mediocre and poor Chow Fat acts like he's in a parody of CTHD...

mmconhea

I saw it last night. Didn't think the story was a Matrix rip off, but the directing techniques, like many other action movies to date, were blatant rip offs of those used in the Matrix.

DRG

To me, using the techniques popularized in The Matrix does not make a movie a Matrix-ripoff. (Otherwise Shrek, Final Fantasy, etc. could all be called Toy Story ripoffs) But if the filmmakers utilize the techniques to specifically evoke The Matrix, I consider that a ripoff. And regardless of whether or not the films themselves are ripoffs, the marketing departments aren't shy about trying to make certain movies seem "Matrix-like" by showcasing the bullet-time scenes (The Art of War comes to mind).

I saw Monk last night. It wasn't great, but it wasn't awful. I didn't get a Matrix-y feeling from it at all. As filmerp notes, the action seems to echo Crouching Tiger more than anything. And the film itself gives off more of a "Big Trouble in Little China" vibe than anything. Not as good, but a similar feel.

serene

just to support the original poster , When i saw the trailer , the first thing that came to mind was , matrix + rushhour ripoff .
Ebert seems to think so too
" The film demonstrates, "Matrix"-style, that a well-trained fighter can leap into the air and levitate while spinning dozens of times, although why anyone would want to do this is never explained "

http://www.suntimes.com/output/ebert...r-monk16f.html

Tarantino

I like movies that rip off other movies, as long as I liked the original movie.

Doesn't bother me one bit.

badger1997

I liked the movie. I didn't really feel it was intended to be a kung-fu or martial arts film, but actually more of a comedy. Definitely had more comedic elements than it did action. I went in, turned my brain off, laughed and had some fun. I think you can make yourself not enjoy any film if you overanalyze it like some are in here.

zero

Word, this is exactly what Charlie's Angels was and good god that movie sucked.

Arandas40

ALL MOVIES IN HOLLYWOOD ARE RIP-OFFS OF OTHER MOVIES!!

Patman

The premise was okay, but the direction in this film (or the screenplay) had a hard time creating a feeling of urgency in it. The parts are better than the sum of the film. There's just something missing, a spark, in the film that could have made interesting or special. The pacing of the film is very average.

The onscreen chemistry between Chow Yun-Fat and Sean William Scoot is good, but the dialog is sort of middling to poor. The martial arts action is okay, some of it is fun (but given away in the trailer).

I liked the 3rd/final act more than the previous acts, but it doesn't quite salvage the film as whole. I am grateful the trailer doesn't give much of it away.

I give it 2.5 stars, or a grade of C+.

badger1997

I thought it worked very well...as a comedy. I know that just about anybody who went into it looking for a martial arts action flick probably walked away very disappointed. But I laughed quite a bit and enjoyed myself.

On another note, I just don't get how some people have trouble disengaging an actor or actress from characters they played before. My wife does this with John Cusack in every movie (always called him Lloyd, his character's name in Say Anything). The actor in this movie is Sean William Scott, not Steve Stiffler. Some of you have trouble separating reality from fiction. How do you ever enjoy any film if you do this?

iggystar

I agree with you Badger. I was surprised at how much I laughed as well. I thought as a comedy with some action it did pretty well.

I think it's crazy that people can't get away from an actor's previous roles. C'mon people.

dvd_talker

I rented Bulletproof Monk last night (good flick, btw). All last week I saw commercials advertising the DVD. In the commercials, there is a heavy metal song playing in the backgound. What is it? Who is it by? Also, I expected the song to be in the movie, but it wasn't. WTF?

PinwiZ

If I remember correctly, it's "When World's Collide" by Powerman 5000.

Rypro 525

yep thats it.

Apocrypha

What song is played during the first fight scene in the Subway?

lesterlong

Yep, and I said "that's so 4 years ago".

Static Cling

Since you're asking a question about the movie (and its promotions), not about the DVD of the movie, I'm moving this to Movie Talk.