4/5 stars In 2006 the isolated, landlocked Kingdom of Bhutan took its first tentative steps towards democracy, just a few years after finally allowing access to television and the internet. King Jigme Singye Wangchuck announced that he was abdicating the throne and transferred all his powers to a democratically elected government, in a critical step towards his country’s modernisation. The Monk and the Gun , from writer-director Pawo Choyning Dorji, unspools in the aftermath of the king’s announcement, as a mock election is organised to educate the kingdom’s scattered population of around 750,000 about how to vote.
What emerges is a delightful comedy set in the lush foothills of the Himalayas that contemplates the importance of universal suffrage when weighed against everyday concerns such as religion, family, and communal contentment. After hearing about the mock elections, the lama of a small mountain village orders his attendant Tashi (Tandin Wangchuk) to acquire some firearms. Uncertain of his master’s intentions, Tashi sets out in search of weapons, knowing only that he must return in time for the lama’s full moon ceremony.
Tashi’s quest leads to an antique rifle, reportedly left over from the American civil war, that has fallen into possession of a farmer. This coincides with the arrival of an American collector (Harry Einhorn) who is willing to pay a considerable fortune to secure ownership of the same firearm. While these competing parties chase after the rifle, election officials led by an educated and idealistic young woman (Pema Zangmo Sherpa) arrive in the village, where they face a succession of unforeseen obstacles.
The villagers, predominantly farmers, struggle to understand why they cannot continue being ruled by their benevolent monarch, why Buddhist sutras say nothing about democracy, and why anyone would remember such trivial information as their own birthday. Dorji’s previous film, Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom , was a surprise international hit, winning a number of notable festival prizes on its way to securing an Academy Award nomination for best international film. The Monk and the Gun , co-produced by Hong Kong’s Tomson Films, may well prove every bit as popular.
The film hums with a charming, grassroots authenticity reminiscent of classic British comedies like Whisky Galore! and Local Hero , interweaving a hilarious crime caper with homespun realism that elevates the material far above its occasionally rough technical merits. Benefiting from stunning locations in one of Earth’s few remaining pearls of truly unblemished beauty, The Monk and his Gun is a one-of-a-kind triumph..
