Being a Martial Arts fan for years and years I just had to write about this film. It typifies all oriental, eastern films. It has a madcap story with loads of little twists and turns which always makes you puzzled at how come there is so much action sequences in it (unlike American action films which leaves you wondering why your watching this garbage). This film is so full off action, stunts and a watch able story that you’d be wishing it went on for another 90 minutes it really is a masterpiece. It came out in 1993 but seemed to sneak into the shelves in hmv and the local blockblusters. So it never really had a chance to prevail unlike 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'
So what’s the story?
The story takes place in a poor Chinese province in the 1800s, where penniless refugees struggle to get by while the corrupt Governor keeps himself in luxury with all the food, money and supplies there are. A masked ninja-style vigilante,
nicknamed "The Iron Monkey" (Rongguang Yu) has arisen in these troubled times, robbing the rich, giving to the poor and leaving drawings of cartoon chimps with moral advice I.e "Don't be greedy!" as calling cards. And yes he is just like a Chinese Robin Hood but wears black instead off green. The governor is comically inept but not-quite-as-corrupt as the head of security, Chief Fox, who has the duty off unmasking and arresting the troublesome hero. Order needs to be restored, because the province is due for inspection by some "government officials:" A group of traitorous ex-Shaolin monks with lethal (and bizzare) kung fu techniques at their disposal.
Within minutes you will have figured out who it is although the governor never does. Therefore, I'm not spoiling anything by telling you that The Iron Monkey is actually Dr. Yang, a gifted local physician who tricks his richer patients into buying expensive medicine for common ailments so he can treat the poor, sicker refugees for free. Yang is aided in his medical duties and his Iron Monkey duties by the requisite lovely sidekick, Mrs. Orchid.
Into this walks doctor/fighter Wong Kei Ying (Donnie Yen) and his young son Wong Fei Hong, who both find themselves taken prisoner during Chief Fox's latest half-baked scheme to trap "Iron Monkey" by arresting anyone vaugely related to monkeys(literally anyone at all), kung fu or both. When it's discovered that Kei Ying's has special kung-fu techniques which would make him a match for the "Iron Monkey" in combat, the governor forces him to help capture the hero, if he ever wants to see his son again. But fate intervenes, through the sort of rapid-fire plot twists expected from the presence of producer Tsui Hark, and soon all the good guys (and some of the in-between guys, too) are united in common struggle against evil and corruption.
Conclusion
With all the action in the film, it's something of a miracle that "Iron Monkey" remains bloodless. He prefers to embarrass his foes rather than to kill them, and lethal moves are avoided until the most deserving super villains show up. We have Fallen Shaolin monks, and we have the implied evils of the Qing dynasty. We have beautiful sets and gorgeous costuming, and most importantly, we have top-notch martial arts.
There have been non-stop action films before but they are nothing compared to Iron Monkey's dazzling display. The fighting in this film is more solid and more sustained than that in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The characters defy gravity in their leaps but seem to do so with supernatural strength rather than supernatural powers. They jump rather than float. Iron Monkey presents it like a fact that people really can run on walls, jump over roofs, balance on 15 foot flaming poles, and kill with their sleeves (I tried running along a wall for ages, never managed it though).
This is a movie that is over before you know it and you wish it wasn't. If you love HK movies, then this is a must see. But then, if you are an HK fan, it's likely that you've already seen it. If you saw and enjoyed Ang Lee's 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' then you must see this film. And if you are an action movie fan, than by all means you must see this, simply to what a real action film should be like.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 1993 - Martial Arts - Director: Lo Wei - Original Language: Cantonese - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Bruce Lee, Nora Miao, James Tien
Production Year: 1971 - Martial Arts - Director: Lo Wei - Original Language: Cantonese - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Bruce Lee, Maria Yi, James Tien
Production Year: 1981 - Martial Arts - Director: Kenji Misumi, Robert Houston - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Kayo Matsuo, Minoru Ohki, Akiji Kobayashi, Shin Kishida, Masahiro Tomikawa, Tomisaburo Wakayama
![The Iron Monkey [1977] [DVD]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78512129.jpg "The Iron Monkey [1977] [DVD]")
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