Cast: Donnie Yen, Yu Rong-gwong, Jean Wang, Yee Kwan Yan, James Wong, Tsang Sze-man
Director: Yuen Woo Ping
Producer: Tsui Hark
Screenplay: Tsui Hark, Elsa Tang and Lau Tai Mok
Cinematography: Arthur Wong
Music: Richard Yuen
U.S. Distributor: Miramax Films
In Cantonese with subtitles
In the wake of the stunning success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, studios have suddenly realized the popularity of the martial arts genre, and are rooting around in search of material to release. Miramax Films, aided by enthusiastic Hong Kong cinema booster Quentin Tarantino, has dug into the vault to pull out a 1993 release, Iron Monkey, which is already available on home video in North America. The choice of this title is not coincidental. Iron Monkey was directed by Yuen Woo Ping, the man who choreographed the fight scenes in both Crouching Tiger and The Matrix.
When it comes to action, Iron Monkey is every bit as astounding as either of Yeun's subsequent, more commercially successful features. There are plenty of amazing fight scenes, each intent upon topping its predecessor. Many use wires, enabling the combatants to seemingly leap amazing distances and do all sorts of gravity-defying moves in mid-air. The climactic struggle, which features a duo of good guys against a mighty villain, has the participants balancing on poles over a raging inferno. These are the kinds of impeccably choreographed action sequences that make the material in movies like The Musketeer seem like a second-rate copy.
Iron Monkey is actually a prequel of sorts to the Tsui Hark/Jet Li 1991 collaboration, Once Upon a Time in China, about a 19th century Chinese folk hero named Wong Fei-hung. Here, Fei-hung is a 12-year old boy (played by a girl, Tsang Sze-man) who has come to the city of Chekiang with his father, kung fu master Wong Kei-ying (Donnie Yen). Shortly after their arrival, they are "recruited" by the corrupt governor (James Wong) to hunt down the notorious outlaw, Iron Monkey. Kei-ying is told that his son will be imprisoned until Iron Monkey is caught. But, as Kei-ying begins his task, he finds little help from the citizens of Chekiang. Iron Monkey is a popular figure, who, like Robin Hood, robs from the rich and gives to the poor. The only ones to show any sympathy to Kei-ying are the kindly Dr. Wang (Yu Rong-gwong) and his lovely assistant, Miss Orchid (Jean Wang). The irony is that, by night, Dr. Wang is Iron Monkey.
Iron Monkey doesn't possess the epic feel of a Crouching Tiger, nor are the characters as well developed or effectively drawn. In fact, they're really just sketched. The storyline, despite having supposed historical underpinnings (like most legends), seems as simple and straightforward as something out of a comic book (with very few deaths). It also has a clear sense of good and evil. This isn't the movie to watch if you're looking for morally ambiguous heroes and conflicted antagonists. Iron Monkey is clear about where our sympathies should lie.
Of course, the primary reason to see Iron Monkey isn't for a history lesson, nor for the underplayed love story between Dr. Wang and Miss Orchid, nor to see whether a female actress can pull off the role of a boy kung fu expert (she had me fooled). Instead, Iron Monkey is all about action, a goal that Yuen pursues relentlessly, pausing only occasionally for short bursts of exposition before getting the adrenaline pumping again. His fights are innovative and intense, whether they're a whirlwind one-on-one duel or one of many struggles featuring multiple combatants. And he truly saves the best for last.
One might wonder if it's worth going to a theater to see a movie that is eight years old. The answer, if you're an action fan - and especially if you're a martial arts fan - is yes. Miramax may be shamelessly plundering an old treasure chest in an attempt to cash in on a current popular trend, but Iron Monkey is worthy of this kind of release exposure. Regardless of its age, the fact is that this movie is easily better than three-quarters of the films currently available in the marketplace. So, without considering the reasons why Iron Monkey is playing at a multiplex near you, simply be thankful that it is.
© 2001 James Berardinelli