The Man With The Iron Fists [2012]

April 21, 2013

There are a few things that you need to know about this movie before playing it. I mean, you knew that something is up when you read the title The Man With The Iron Fists. First of all, it is directed and written by RZA (American Gangster, Repo Man, The Box), a man who you probably best known as the singer of the Wu-Tang Clan. He is an avid fan of old kung fu movies. You know the ones I mean, the bad-acting, ridiculous, and over-the-top violence movies. A fun romp for the male part of the family.

Secondly, Eli Roth (Cabin Fever, Hostel) helped him with the script and production. And finally, you sprinkle this with Quentin Tarantino’s magic fingers and you got yourself quite a mess. A mess that can be really fun and entertaining at times. Apart from our main man RZA, we’ve also got bulky Russell Crowe, huge Dave Bautista, and nimble Lucy Liu.

However, the main focus of The Man With The Iron Fists is on that thick and juicy atmosphere. And the inevitable fight scenes there were actually quite good. I really can’t think of any other movie like this. This is something really unique and despite its messy execution, it offers something new. Especially if you’re willing to go along with the story. The only thing I don’t get is why there’s no nudity?

Nineteenth-century, in China, dozens of different clans are at war with each other seeking ultimate power and domination. And gold, lots and lots of gold. A small village is caught in the middle of this mess, with its blacksmith working day and night, making the deadliest weapons in the world for the clans. Desperately in need of money to buy back his only love from the local brothel and escape this wretched town he has no moral objections, he just sees the money.

As the governor sends a large shipment of the gold through the village under the protection of the Lion Clan, the rest of the clans gather to prepare an attack on the shipment. This shipment attracts all kinds of people so soon this little village will be a place where epic battles will take place.

The Man With The Iron Fists is strange, but no stranger than its premise, so do not judge it lightly because it has a lot to offer. Production values are phenomenal and the special effects are awesome, especially the gore. They didn’t hold back with the blood and eviscerations and all the other fun stuff. It has a western vibe, although it is about Chinese warriors. Now, I know this can be confusing at times, but it gives the movie a refreshing atmosphere.

The only problem is that it takes a while for a story to develop. However, you can use that time to admire all the cool little details. Costumes, sets and weapons all look amazingly good. Finally, if you’re looking for more bloodshed I highly recommend you check out 13 Assassins. This time we will be following a bunch of samurais so there won’t be any hand-to-hand combat but a whole lot of sword fighting.