Movielogr
Iron Monkey (1993)
Directed by Yuen Woo-ping
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Overview
Iron Monkey is a Hong Kong variation of Robin Hood. Corrupt officials of a Chinese village are robbed by a masked bandit known as “Iron Monkey”, named after a benevolent deity. When all else fails, the Governor forces a traveling physician into finding the bandit.
Rated PG-13 | Length 90 minutes
Actors
Yu Rong-Guang | Donnie Yen | Jean Wang | Angie Tsang Sze-Man | Yen Shi-Kwan | James Wong Jim | Yuen Shun-Yi | Hsiao Ho | Lee Fai | Chun Kwai-Bo | Chan Siu-Wah | Mandy Chan | Alex Yip Choi-Naam | Cheung Fung-Lei | Sze Mei-Yee | William Duen | Tang Tai-Wo | Wong Kim-Bun | Patrick Ling Chi-Hung | Dion Lam | Wong Kim-Wai | Yuen Gam-Fai | Jack Wong Wai-Leung | Tony Ling Chi-Wah | Lam Chi-Tai
Viewing History (seen 1 time)
| Date Viewed | Device | Format | Source | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/05/2001 | Movie Screen | Film | Theater | 3.5 stars |
| (Average) 3.5 stars |
Viewing Notes
This review originally appeared on ZENtertainment.com. As of the last capture on September 156, 2003, it had 575 hits.
‘Iron Monkey’ Kicks Its Way Around
The Iron Monkey was originally released in 1993, but it has been available in DVD and VHS format for quite some time in America. With the kung-fu craze that’s been happening in America since Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Miramax decided to rerelease it in America in theaters for two reasons: 1) it’s a fun action movie, and 2) it cost them almost nothing to release it since they had very little overhead in releasing it.
The introduction says “presented by Quentin Tarantino, but he didn’t have a hand in making it, only in getting it to America. Tarantino is a great admirer of director Woo-ping Yuen (kung-fu choreographer for The Matrix and its easy to see why, as Woo-ping produces a funny movie that also has some truly awesome scenes.
The Iron Monkey is the tale of a Robin Hood/Batman-esque character named Iron Monkey, who at night plagues palace security chief Master Fox by stealing from the rich (mostly the govenor) and gives to the poor, fighting against the Chang dynasty since his parents were killed by agents of that same government. By day, Iron Monkey is Dr. Yang, the town’s doctor who is a genius in medicine. When Wong Kei-Ying and his son Wong Fei-Hung pass through the town on the way to their home town, they are arrested when town security suspects Kei-Ying to be the Iron Monkey after he defends himself well against thieves. Of course, he is not and the real Iron Monkey appears during the Wongs’ sentencing.
After Kei-Ying battles Iron Monkey, the incompetent and corrupt Govenor Cheng takes Fei-Hung as his prisoner and commissions Kei-Ying to arrest Iron Monkey, or else his son will never be returned. After Dr. Yang has Master Fox release him to his care, Kei-Ying ultimately joins forces with Iron Monkey to battle against the corrupt government and the renegade Shaolin Master Hiu Hing that has come into town, forcing Govenor Cheng out.
The fight scenes in this movie are truly spectacular, like The Matrix on speed. The only aspect that I didn’t like, and that was magnified in Crouching Tiger, were the super-jumping/flying in kung-fu. The wire jumping is truly distracting. Other than that, the only part that I truly did not like was Hiu Hing’s specialty move, “The Flying Sleeve.” I don’t understand how fighting with a sleeve could really be effective. Nonetheless, the movie never takes itself as serious as Crouching Tiger, and that is what makes it so great. It is a simple tale of the love between father and son, and the corruption of government, only with spectacular fights.
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