The Man with the Iron Fists
Directed by RZA
- action
The story
In feudal China, a blacksmith who makes weapons for a small village is put in the position where he must defend himself and his fellow villagers.
What it’s like
Saturated, grimy colour in every frame: blood-red lanterns and sodden amber rain against murky greens and mud browns, with a kinetic, pulpy energy that feels like a 1970s kung fu grindhouse print run through a modern digital grade. The camera is restless but legible, cutting fast through brawls and swinging through wide courtyard and brothel sets, while the score mixes hip-hop beats, clanging metal and wailing strings for a loud, giddy clatter. The vibe is raucous, sweaty and deliberately over the top, best suited to a late-night watch with friends or a playful, no-thinking Friday. Pacing is brisk and episodic, with a loose, found-family arc as a reluctant craftsman is pulled into a fight he never wanted. Violence is frequent and cartoonishly bloody, with sprays of gore, stabbings and dismemberment played for fun, plus sexual innuendo and brothel nudity; it is not gentle. For fans of wuxia pastiche, genre mash-ups and cheerful B-movie excess who can handle an abundance of gore.
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