Rating: 
Summary: Monk deserves NO STARS in my book
Review: Why am I so harsh on this film? This 1993 effort is virtually a rip-off of the kind of highly stylized epics that characterized Akira Kurosawa's films of the 1980's. Specifically it is too similar to the 1985 Ran in terms of script, style, and even the costumes and sets. Other than being a totally inferior and embarrassing attempt to emulate the master, it is also guilty of historical inaccuracy (if it's a fantasy that why not go all the way - why the pretentious tone of a historical epic which it is not?!), exoticism (*all* the women in the film and even the men in the brothel), glorification of violence (whose sensual beauty tries to gloss over the very poor script) and terrible acting by all the performers. The dialogue, to my native Chinese-speaking ears, are nothing short of uncreative and hurriedly thrown-together hodge podge of ancient maxims and trite cliches any film trying to be original and substantial should avoid. Sure, Joan Chen is a beautiful actress but even her star power or any artistic integrity she isn't going to help the script or the general execution of this pathetic rip-off at all. Obviously a Chinese-Australian production aimed at the international market, in the guise of a historical Asian epic....ARRRRRRGH! Do yourself a favor and AVOID!
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