BY ROGER WATSON
The Monk and the Gun (2023) emerges from the relatively new but thriving Bhutanese film industry, centring on events from 2008 when Bhutan held its first general election. The King had shocked the nation by abdicating ahead of the elections, leading to unease among the population, particularly as the internet had only just arrived in the country.
This film prompted me to reflect on the fact that I had never heard of Bhutan—quite possibly, I was not alone in this—until the late 1980s when I met Geoffrey Lean, then the environmental correspondent for the Guardian and currently with the Daily Telegraph. He had just returned from Bhutan, having been part of the first delegation of journalists allowed into the previously closed Kingdom.
Later, while I was a warden at the University of Edinburgh in the mid-1990s, we had a Bhutanese student in our hall of residence. It baffled me how she had ever heard of us, given that the internet did not yet exist in her country and it was still largely closed to outsiders.
I then encountered a nursing colleague in the UK who had served as a health visitor in Bhutan while the country was still closed to most foreigners. Over breakfast in China one morning, she regaled me with tales of her time there; no car had been provided, as it would have been of little use with so few roads, and she walked hundreds of miles every month.
The plot of The Monk and the Gun, filmed in Bhutanese with English subtitles and set for general release in 2024, revolves around a Buddhist lama who desires a gun. The purpose of this gun, which I won’t reveal, only becomes clear at the film’s conclusion. An American also seeks the gun—a relic from the American Civil War—and is willing to pay a substantial sum for it.
He strikes a deal with the gun’s original owner and sets off on a journey, accompanied by a guide, to retrieve the payment. Upon his return, he discovers that the owner has given the gun to a young monk, who is tasked with taking it to his lama, who mysteriously wants it to ‘make things right’. This sets off a chase, culminating in the young monk stating they may have the gun if they can find two AK-47s to swap for it. However, they are warned they are racing against time, as the guns are needed within two days.
Another road trip ensues in search of the AK-47s, which they procure at a considerable price from a gangster on the border with India. The gun runners—who the police suspect are up to no good—experience all the cinematic clichés associated with a mad rush: frustrating delays and local customs that must be observed. Naturally, their car breaks down, prompting them to hitch a ride on a passing tractor. If these tropes have worked before, why not utilise them again?
Interspersed throughout the action are scenes featuring electoral officials arriving in rural areas to register voters and conduct mock elections to teach the locals about the voting process. It soon becomes apparent that most of the villagers have no idea what their date of birth is; one even answers with “wooden rabbit.”
The officials present a hypothetical election scenario involving a blue party and a red party. The people are divided into two respective groups and instructed to cheer for their assigned party. To the officials’ frustration, they all cheer simultaneously, struggling to grasp the concept of making a choice. There’s also a minor subplot involving a family divided over the election, whose daughter faces bullying at school due to her father’s known allegiance.
This film undoubtedly falls into the category of ‘charming’. It is easy to watch and thoroughly entertaining. The lama’s intention in wanting a gun becomes clear at the end of the film, as all narrative strands converge. His desire to ‘make things right’ is effectively woven throughout, leading you to suspect an armed uprising is in the works; he even takes aim at an election official. However, he has other reasons for wanting the gun, which you will discover only by watching the film, which I highly recommend. And keep an eye out for the enormous red phallus; its initial cameo appearance is followed by a hilarious finale, all presented in the best possible taste.
Roger Watson is a Registered Nurse and Editor-in-Chief of Nurse Education in Practice.