What do Pam Grier, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin’s Gordon Liu, Dave Bautista, and legendary fight choreographer Corey Yuen have in common with the Wu-Tang Clan’s beatmaker the RZA? This film, my Chop Socky Brothers and Sisters, this badass film right here. The Man With The Iron Fists may not be a lot of things as a directorial debut, but there’s little denying its sheer ability to KICK ASS.
You will believe a man can fly thanks to The Man with the Iron Fists.
Unfortunately, it seems Universal wants people to forget about the RZA’s The Man With The Iron Fists . . . which is an absolute shame. Since its 2013 debut on blu-ray, there’s been virtually no efforts to revisit the release again with a repackaged design, an upgrade on the transfer, or - gasp - a SPECIAL EDITION anniversary release housed inside a limited edition STEELBOOK with brand-new supplemental items. Nothing. Just silence.
If anyone with any influence on such things over at Universal is reading this just know that you’re losing out on money. There are fans of the series - yes, even its sequel - and we will not go quietly into that dark night without justice being served to the cinematic talents on display here!
The Man With The Iron Fists is a ballsy take on Hong Kong cinema that, while completely unhinged with its wild progression, makes no apologies for its use of kung fu FUN. It’s an action film with a wild swagger and an attitude that just doesn’t care about the needs of a typical audience. You either get this tale of an emancipated slave who left America to pound metal (and skulls) in 19th-Century China or you’re out and, thankfully, this guy gets it . . . and wants more of it.
Okay, first things first, The Man With The Iron Fists operates as an homage to the martial art films of the Hong Kong-based Shaw Brothers, whose titles are featured heavily here on Reel Reviews. If you are a fan of the genre then you probably already know that the RZA, who directs and stars in the film, co-wrote it with Eli Roth (yep, THAT guy) and is a big fan of the genre and of the Shaw Brothers films.
The RZA often appears in interviews on several of the Shaw Brothers blu-ray releases, explaining the connection between hip-hop and martial arts cinema quite eloquently, so it's little wonder with his connection to Quentin Tarantino that he’d try to bring the martial arts style of movies back. His appreciation for the films is apparent and, in 2012 (during his involvement with Kill Bill), he decided it was time to make his own homage to the genre he loved so much.
It only took a few years, two film companies, and a budget of $15 million dollars, but - few can argue about this - his love for the genre is right there on the screen. The Shaw Brothers themselves would have been happy with the results of The Man With The Iron Fists.
Filmed by Chi Ying Chan, the RZA plays the blacksmith who is the central hero in this trifecta mash-up between three different clans. His direction is to the point. Literally. It is exaggerated - almost to the point of exhaustion - but it also works to create brazen characters that deliver unforgettable lines.
And the action scenes - complete with wire work, incredible choreography, and bludgeonings which have to be seen to be believed - are absolutely out of this world. The man behind those Wu-Tang slash and burn head-bobbing beats, the RZA, makes his directorial debut and revitalizes the martial arts genre with a film saturated with ridiculous amounts of blood and high-flying kicks.
As an actor, he might not have a wicked amount of charisma but RZA’s flurry of martial arts directorial know-how carries the picture with one meta-moment after the other. The RZA’s East meets West mash-up, under the tutelage of Tarantino, has a cool vibe to its slick kicks and swift beats and establishes its director as a man of more than the house of Wu-Tang.
But the edits; the wild zooms; the sheer gonzo-ness of this martial arts throwback is enough for it to be included under the banner of CHOP SOCKY CINEMA. At the end of the day, The Man With The Iron Fists is completely badass.
The Man with the Iron Fists deals with a massive and complicated clan confrontation – between the Lion, Hyena and Wolf clans – over stolen gold. The Jungle Village will never be the same. Known for its "house of pleasure," the Pink Blossom, run by Madam Blossom (Lucy Liu) is where the showdown takes place. Of course, this is after all the beheadings and maiming and other dismemberments that occur.
The enigmatic Blacksmith (RZA) spends his days fashioning exotic weaponry for the various clans. His nights are spent with one of Blossom's young ladies, Lady Silk (Jamie Chung). He also narrates the film and tries to make sense of what is happening around him with minor key Zen philosophies to guide him. Also starring Russell Crowe as an Aussie mercenary named Jack Knife and David Bautista as Brass Body, The Man with the Iron Fists is not without some heavy hitters who like to chew the scenery with their wild line deliveries.
Kill Bill it is not.
The RZA seems more interested in creating mayhem with his lens rather than characterization. For a film of this caliber, it’s not a bad choice. No one’s expecting genius filmmaking from him. He’s no maestro behind the camera (and it shows) but what he and the director of photography Chan Chi Ying do – seamlessly reproducing the look, the style, and the visual flair of the Shaw Brothers films – is carbon copy the B-movie vibe of Hong Kong caricature and it should be applauded by fans of the blood spurting genre.
The Man with the Iron Fists is midnight trash cinema at its filthiest.
Home Video Distributor: Universal Studios
Available on Blu-ray - February 19, 2019
Screen Formats: 2.39:1
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1; French: DTS 5.1Spanish: DTS 5.1; Audio descriptive
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; single disc
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A
Trimmed down from an initial four-hour cut, The Man With The Iron Fists (co-written by Eli Roth) follows a humble blacksmith tasked with making weapons for a number of warring animal-themed clans, including Lions, Jackals, Wolves, and, as seen for a few delirious moments, Birds. After suffering a grievous insult to his person, the blacksmith teams up with a drunken cowboy (Russell Crowe) and a shady brothel owner (Lucy Liu) to set things right.
Video
Shot with the Red One camera, the digitally-rendered image is ready to brawl with some fantastic resolution. The near-reference quality 1080p/AVC MPEG-encode is consistently razor-sharp, exposing every pore and imperfection in the faces of the cast. Everything is balanced and sharp. Complexions show lifelike textures in close-ups with natural flesh tones while individual hairs are distinct and resolute. There are quite a number of breathtaking transfer moments where the image seems lifelike with texture. The architecture and design of the village is highly-detailed, revealing every corner of the Pink Blossom brothel. Blacks are solid and shadows maintain their lines. Even the costumes are noted stitch by stitch.
Audio
The DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack is as detailed as the picture and, make no mistake about it, captures every sound and every effect with a one-two punch to the gut.
Supplements:
Commentary:
- There is no commentary. This needs to be corrected should the film ever get a re-release.
Special Features:
The supplemental material is a bit on the light side of things. It starts with an EPK-style promo piece with RZA playing host and ends with a set of one-minute interviews about the production. In between are five deleted scenes that highlight the mirror fighting sequence and the production location in China. The brief mix of material is interesting, but not completely necessary.
- A Look Inside
- A Path to the East
- On the Set with RZA
- Five Deleted Scenes
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Composite Blu-ray Grade
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MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime: 95 mins
Director: RZA
Writer: RZA; Eli Roth
Cast: Russell Crowe; Cung Le; Lucy Liu
Genre: Acttion | Drama
Tagline: You Can't Spell Kung Fu without F and U
Memorable Movie Quote: Power belongs to no one, until it is seized through sex or violence.
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Official Site:
Release Date: November 2, 2012
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: February 19, 2019
Synopsis: On the hunt for a fabled treasure of gold, a band of warriors, assassins, and a rogue British soldier descend upon a village in feudal China, where a humble blacksmith looks to defend himself and his fellow villagers.
