Review of The Man with the Iron Fists (2012) by Agentjones — 17 Nov 2012

If the name "Shaw Brothers" doesn't mean anything to you, you probably aren't going to like this movie. The Man With The Iron Fists was made with a very specific audience in mind. It isn't likely to win any Oscars, or be remembered as an enduring achievement in the art of film making, and it probably won't grow to the same cult status as many of the movies that inspired it. Frankly, it has some pretty cringe-worthy acting, occasionally goofy dialogue, and spends a little too much time on exposition and not enough on kung fu. That said, if you are a fan of RZA or old school kung fu movies, you will still get a kick (see what I did there?) out of this.

"Iron Fists" emulates its source material so brilliantly that other than the occasional CGI blood spurt, it's almost impossible to distinguish from its predecessors. "Come Drink With Me" and "Return of the One Armed Swordsman" in particular compare most closely to Iron Fists' blend of intrigue, plot twists, and over the top kung fu cheesiness. There are almost too many references in this movie to count, although some will be obvious even to non-fanatics. There's a cameo by Gordon Liu (most of you will recognize him from the Kill Bill movies, but fans know he's been kicking butt much longer than that) that is absolutely perfect, and really pays a fitting tribute to his long career. Another scene will be recognizable to anyone who has seen Enter The Dragon.

All things considered, The Man With The Iron Fists is a pretty good kung fu flick. Given how much of a pet project it was (RZA is to Iron Fists as Tommy Wiseau is to The Room), it could have turned out much, much worse. For a movie made on only 15 million dollars by a 43 year old hip hop producer from Staten Island, it is quite impressive.

Bottom line, if you like kung fu movies, go see the Man With The Iron Fists.