| | | | Links | | |
R E V I E W
Iron Monkey
1993 / Mega Star / 86 minutes
Directed by Yuen Wo-Ping
Written by Tsui Hark, Lau Daai Muk, Elsa Tang Bik-YinWith Donnie Yen, Yu Rong Guang, Jean Wang, Tsang Sze-Man
B A C K G R O U N D : director, in cinemas, recent and related films
Director Yuen Wo-Ping worked with producer/director Tsui Hark on the latter's Once Upon a Time in China II. Yuen's protégé, Donnie Yen, co-starred in the second installment of Tsui's reimagining of the Wong Fei-Hung legend. The three worked together on this film, a sort-of prequel to the OUATIC films in which Wong Fei-Hung is a young boy. Thus, Yuen made films about Wong Fei-Hung as a boy (this film), as a young man (the original Drunken Master, with Jackie Chan, in 1978), and at the height of his legend (OUATIC II).
The film played in Hong Kong cinemas in September 1993 but grossed just HK $6.97 million.
It may not have done very well in Hong Kong, but the film gained a cult following in other areas and has been named in the "Top Ten" of numerous fan sites. Recently it was released to cinemas in the United States and Canada with a new musical score and new subtitles, but also with some scenes and lines of dialogue trimmed.
M O V I E : plot, performances, production, rating
Plot: A doctor tries to help his poor fellow villagers, suffering from an oppressive local governor, by putting on a mask and stealing from the rich. He is known as "Iron Monkey." Miss Orchid, a lovely nurse, aids him. Governor Cheng becomes obsessed with capturing Iron Monkey. One day Wong Kei-Ying, a doctor and martial arts teacher, and his son Wong Fei-Hung are passing through town. Because of his martial arts skills, Wong Kei-Ying is rounded up with other suspects. He is pressed into service to capture Iron Monkey. Until then, his son will be held captive. Many fights ensue.
Performances: No great acting chops on display here, but the performances are believable and it certainly helps that Donnie Yen (Wong Kei-Ying), Yu Rong Guang (Iron Monkey), Jean Wang (Miss Orchid), and Tsang Sze-Man (Wong Fei-Hung) look graceful when performing the martial arts action, enhanced by wires as it is. Important comedic touches are added by James Wong as the cowardly Governor Cheng and Yuen Shun-Yee as Security Chief Fox.
Production: Reading recent reviews by American film critics about the re-release of the film have left me puzzled. How can they complain about the lack of a storyline or fleshed-out characters? Yes, this is predominantly an action film. Yes, those action sequences are spectacular (although those who are severely allergic to wire-assisted martial arts , or wire fu, are advised to stay far away from this offering). Yes, the villian is painted in one color. On the other hand, the doctor/Iron Monkey has conflicted feelings about what he is doing; his relationship with Miss Orchid is deeper than it appears; Miss Orchid herself is a strong rather than completely defenseless woman; Wong Kei Ying is righteous but torn over the lessons he feels he must impart to his son; Wong Fei-Hung is humble and loves his father; and Security Chief Fox is not too sure about who really deserves his loyalty. And even the action scenes have a refreshing variety, ranging from poetic to brutal to rakishly funny. As to story, film is a visual medium, and the images created on screen are capable of conveying as much or more than a thousand words per frame.
Rating: Category II. Much martial arts violence, some blood, one brief attempted sexual attack.
D V D : look, sound, subtitles, features
Look: The letterboxed (approximately 1.85:1) presentation looks very good. Black levels are deep, colors are vibrant, and flesh tones appear natural. The source print appears clean, for the most part, with imperfections such as dust and speckles evident at times.
Sound: The Cantonese DD 5.1 soundtrack sounded good, although the mix was uneven at times, with the result being that the audio did not always sound naturally balanced. Also included are DD 5.1 Mandarin and DD 1.0 (mono) English audio tracks. The English dubbing is good for a few laughs, although it should be acknowledged that the Cantonese track was dubbed in post-production as well.
Subtitles: The white removable English subtitles are easy to read and well timed, but the meaning is difficult to discern at times, perhaps the result of a word-for-word literal transliteration, rather than a true translation. The action is so kinetic, however, that the subtitles rarely distract. Also included are traditional and simplified Chinese, Japanese, Bahasa Malaysia, Spanish, Thai, and Vietnamese subtitles.
Features: Nine chapters can be selected from a video capture menu. "About the Film" includes a brief synopsis and cast and credit list, along with brief biographies and filmographies for Tsui Hark, Yuen Wo-Ping, Donnie Yen, and Yu Rong-Guang. The original theatrical trailer is included, as is a promotional trailer for other Media Asia films released by Mega Star.
R E C O M M E N D A T I O N : buy, rent, or pass?
Buy. Terrific entertainment with style, verve, and humor.
Note: Be advised that if you can play Region 2-encoded discs, the Hong Kong Legends version is highly recommended by Love and Bullets and other sources. Also, a Region 1-encoded version will no doubt be released in the next few months, albeit with some changes based on its recent cinema release.
(Reviewed 10/17/01)
| | | | Links | | |
corrections? broken links? criticism? praise? please e-mail webmaster
this site is a non-commercial resource for region 1
'woman warrior' original artwork by moro turkey
logo design by spot; site design assistance by jeff, shawn, and kevin
original content copyright 2001 peter a. martin all rights reserved