Bulletproof Monk

In his first film since ”Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” Hong Kong action legend Chow Yun-Fat plays a monk who protects a scroll capable of unleashing Armageddon. But he’s, like, old — and needs to train a successor lest the scripture fall into foul hands. The top candidate: a proverbially improbable golden child played by Seann William Scott, who trained for two months with ”Matrix” fight guru Yuen Wo-Ping and needed every minute of prep. ”Since we didn’t have the kind of money that movies like ‘The Matrix’ have, we had to get it right, right away,” says Scott, who snared the role after Heath Ledger dropped out. Adapted from a cult comic, the movie features a lighter-spirited Chow than the grim avenger of ”Hard-Boiled” and ”The Killer.” ”I wanted to see Fat smile,” says Paul Hunter, a music-video director making his feature debut. After the film wrapped last June, test audiences felt ”Monk” needed more kick in its kung fu climax, which reshoots have apparently supplied. Now, if only MGM can get rid of all those bootlegs in circulation. ”It makes for a cool little buzz,” says Hunter. ”I just hope it doesn’t hurt the box office.” (April 16)