Other Titles • Iron Monkey (1993) • Iron Monkey: The Young Wong Fei Hong (1993) • Shao nian Huang Fei-Hong zhi tie ma liu (1993)
Synopses for Iron Monkey (1993)
1.
Amazon.com Yuen Woo-ping's dazzling take on Robin Hood, set in a 19th-century Canton township, stars Yu Rong-guang as the humble healer Dr. Yang, who dons black tights and a bandit mask for nightly excursions as the Iron Monkey to rob from the thieving governor of Canton and give to the poor. When wandering herbalist and martial artist Wong Kei-ying (Donnie Yen) enters town with his son in tow, the governor blackmails Wong into capturing the outlaw. Needless to say, Wong and Yang become fast friends and team up to take on the new villain in town, the Monk, and his mob of street-fighting thugs. The story is pure pulp, a turn-of-the-century superhero picture with a comic book sensibility, and master choreographer Yuen (Wing Chun) provides plenty of splashy, stylish battles with an emphasis on elaborate wire work and complicated stunts--notably the spectacular finale in a fiery inferno as the heroes leap above the flames, balanced on burning poles. Fans of the Once Upon a Time in China series (created by Iron Monkey producer Tsui Hark, Hong Kong's answer to Steven Spielberg) will appreciate the prequel elements featuring Wong's son (played, incidentally, by a very gifted young girl), a scrappy little customer who turns out to be none other than future folk hero Wong Fei-hung. --Sean Axmaker
Since the late 1800s, the real-life Cantonese patriot Wong Fei-hung has evolved into an icon of Chinese pop culture, a sort of Asian Davy Crockett. He's been a central figure in Hong Kong cinema since the 1950s, most recently in Tsui Hark 's Once Upon a Time in China series. In this thrilling 1993 adventure directed by Yuen Woo-ping, we meet Wong as an earnest boy traveling with his upright pugilist father (Donnie Yen) and drawing inspiration from the activities of the benevolent masked bandit known as the Iron Monkey (Yu Rong-guang). The sheer physical prowess of the stars is often flabbergasting, and the action set pieces (especially an interlude atop a set of "Chinese poles") are staged for maximum dynamism. In effect, this is a powerful combination of the older, Baltic style of kung fu action and the newer body-slamming style pioneered by Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. This is a perfect martial arts picture to screen for any genre skeptics in your midst. --David Chute
(15 votes)
2.
Yuen Woo-Ping's exhilarating martial arts film stars Yu Rong Guang as Dr. Yang, a kind family doctor who charitably provides medicine and care to impoverished villagers, along with his assistant, Orchid (the lovely Jean Wang). Yang, however, also masquerades as the crime-fighting Iron Monkey, who robs gold from the rich and gives to it the poor, much to the dismay of the corrupt local governor (James Wong). When famed fighter and physician Wong Kei-Ying (Donnie Yen) and his young son, Wong Fei-Hung (crossdressed actress Tsang Sze-Man), wander into town, the cowardly ruler captures the boy and pits his father against the elusive Iron Monkey. Eventually, the heroes must unite to face an even greater foe--a renegade Shaolin master (Yen Yee Kwan) and his treacherous lackeys.
This Chinese variation on the legend of Robin Hood is a good-natured (and often funny) action movie that features numerous outstanding fight scenes (including a battle fought on poles over a raging fire) and a surprising amount of cooking (yes, cooking). The film is the prequel to Tsui Hark's ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA series, which follows the adventures of folk hero Wong Fei-Hung as an adult. IRON MONKEY is particularly revelatory due to the amazing action sequences directed by Woo-Ping, who went on to choreograph the intricate fights of THE MATRIX and CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.
(15 votes)
3.
Unmask The Legend
With sensational, nonstop martial arts excitement supplied by the acclaimed choreographer of The Matrix and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Iron Monkey is the spirited tale of a mysterious and mythical Chinese legend! In a desperate and unjust land, where government corruption rules the day, only one man - known as the Iron Monkey - has the courage to challenge the system and fight back. Under the shadow of night, in the silence before dawn, he fights to give hope to the poor and the oppressed. Although no one knows his name or where he comes from, his heroism makes him a living legend to the people… and a wanted man to the powers that be! Presented by Quentin Tarantino - don't miss the exhilarating action adventure that critics everywhere have called one of the greatest martial arts films of all time!
(15 votes)
4.
Iron Monkey is a thrilling 1993 adventure directed by Yuen Woo-Ping, now better known as the action director of The Matrix and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Audiences who approach Iron Monkey after seeing the latter two Hollywood-produced hit movies will not be disappointed here, either by the physical prowess of the stars or the astonishing action set-pieces (especially an interlude atop a set of "Chinese poles"), which are staged for maximum dynamism. The story concerns the real-life Cantonese patriot Wong Fei-Hung, who is first introduced as an earnest boy travelling with his upright pugilist father (Donnie Yen) and drawing inspiration from the activities of the benevolent masked bandit known as the Iron Monkey (Yu Rong-Guang), a sort of Oriental Robin Hood. Ever since the late 1800s Wong Fei-Hung has evolved into an icon of Chinese pop culture and he's been a central figure in Hong Kong cinema since the 1950s, notably in Tsui Hark's Once Upon a Time in China series. Yuen Woo-Ping's fight sequences for his version of the legend are a powerful combination of the older, Baltic style of kung fu action and the newer body-slamming style pioneered by Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. If you thought you were allergic to martial arts but loved Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, this is the perfect picture to continue your exploration of the genre. --David Chute, Amazon.com
On the DVD: This is a handsome-looking anamorphic (16:9) widescreen transfer, although the soundtrack is in mono. You can select either the dubbed English version or the original Cantonese with English subtitles. Extra features include trailers, photo galleries, biographies and interviews with both star Donnie Yen (in English) and director Yuen Woo-Ping (subtitled).
(15 votes)
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