I love Kung-Fu movies. I used to stay up late to catch them on TNT. I own a great many of them and watch them all the time. The Man with the Iron Fists is RZA's love note to classic Kung-Fu flicks and while it doesn't always work perfectly there is quite a bit to love about this movie.
The film takes place in Jungle Village where a blacksmith makes weapons for the warring clans. When Gold Lion is killed before finishing his clan's duty of protecting the Governor's gold it sets in motion a battle of epic proportions.
This movie first of all is not for everyone. If you've never seen Five Deadly Venoms or The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and don't really get the appeal of those film's then you will not necessarily enjoy this movie. It really is like a modern film made by Chang Cheh or Chia-Liang Liu with modern effects techniques.
The movie is full of action and sometimes gruesome violence. Heads get chopped off, arms broken, and people just beaten to bloody pieces so if you have a weak stomach or just don't like gore again not the movie for you. But if you're into that sort of thing you will love it.
One problem with the film is that even though there are some great actors in the film, Russel Crowe and Lucy Liu to name two, their acting is a bit wooden. They look like they're having a blast playing these over-the-top characters but just not enough to give a strong performance.
RZA proves to be a very capable director in my opinion. His scenes are shot well and he picked out some beautiful locations. He's created a believable world where everything fits together. You don't question a guy being able to turn his skin into metal you just go with it. No matter how unbelievable the actions you just accept it because that's how his world works.
Look there are a few weak spots but if you're a fan of so-called chop-socky action films you're going to find an awesome treat. Everyone else should watch the trailer and see if they're intrigued.
This film earns Four Stars. Hopefully we'll get a sequel because the scene during the credits makes me salivate for more.
I've added a link to the film's parental advisory page here. A link to the film's website here. And a link to Amazon so you can purchase this movie on DVD or Blu-Ray here and here.
So if you're in the mood for something just a little different check this movie out.
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