Iron Monkey (2001)

It is a performances centric movie

I'll tell you why so serious

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

The Iron Monkey steals from Governor Cheng and gives to the poor. He roams the night helping the defenseless. Bumbling police chief Fox is good-hearted and obsessed with catching him. Dr. Yang treats the poor for free helped by his assistant Miss Orchid. They're both skilled in the martial arts. Yang is secretly the Iron Monkey. Wong Kei-Ying (Donnie Yen) is a principled doctor passing through town with his son. The governor takes his son prisoner until he catches the bandit Iron Monkey. As news spread, Wong is rejected by everybody in town. Only Dr. Yang and Miss Orchid are willing to help him. The arrival of the corrupt Imperial Investigator and his evil minions put everyone in danger.Iron Monkey is reminiscent of Robin Hood. The twist is Dr. Wong and his son. Donnie Yen is terrific. The boy is precocious, acrobatic and surprisingly played by a girl. It's got loads of fun, comedy and action. It is one of the best kung fu action comedy around.

The Iron Monkey (1993): Dir: Yuen Wo / Cast: Yu Rongguang, Donnie Yen, Jean Wang, James Wong, Angie Tsang: Typical Hong Kong cinema that isn't too deep yet very funny. The title regards an assailant who robs from the rich and gives to the poor just as he does the greedy Governor while in the midst of an orgy with his nine wives. The Governor orders that anyone suspected as the Iron Monkey be arrested, which leads to numerous hilarious encounters. Among the suspects are a father and son duo skilled at martial arts. This leads to predictable circumstances and a misfire laughable conclusion. Director Yuen Wo Ping does a fine job at combining martial arts action and comedy. The Iron monkey is a medicine expert assisted by Miss Orchard whom he sheltered after the death of her baby. Fine cast includes Yu Rong Gheung as the hero who will eventually get reduced to a laughable climax. Donnie Yen plays the father who is given a proposition that will have him unknowingly assisted by his target. Jean Wang plays Miss Orchard whom finds shelter in the physician who is the Iron Monkey himself. James Wong brings a lot of humour as the Governor. Angie Tsang plays the son of the duo who knows his stuff and takes after his father in the realms of ass kicking. While sometimes predictable and corny, the film is a technically well made Hong Kong satire symbolizing the good Samaritan. Score: 6 / 10

I'm not the greatest expert when it comes to Chinese folklore or whether such incidents depicted here ever existed. If so the issues faced are quite convincing and may hold a place in the annals of Chinese history and literature. The history goes back to mid 1850's when the rich kept getting richer and the poor were become more deprived of any financial gain. To me it the story has a Asian equivalent to the greatest English character in ancient folklore, Robin Hood. The time period was different, but the motives between Robin Hood and Iron Monkey are very similar as both rebels try to outsmart a corrupt government by committing criminal acts for a good cause.In a rather poor slum in China, refugees in the area are being overruled by corrupt governor (James Wong). An incognito hero donning a mask who only goes by the name Iron Monkey (Rongguang Yu) is willing to overthrow this Governor by robbing from him and all the other rich people to give to the impoverished villagers. Governor Cheng lines up possible suspects who may be this mysterious anti-hero. In the middle of this conundrum include a monk Wong Kei-Ying (Donnie Yen) and his young son Wong Fei-Hung (Sze-Man Tsang). Cheng demands Wong to search for Iron Monkey while he holds his young son hostage. Through trials and tribulations, father and son lead themselves to the abode of Dr. Yang (Rongguang Yu) and his assistant Nurse Orchid (Jean Wang). It's quite clear that Dr. Yang is indeed Iron Monkey. This clearly pointed out once the character is introduced.The story is simple and easy to follow through. However it skips through scenes at times which makes the movie feel a bit awkward at times. One minute there's bickering if or if not Fei-Hung may have a roast duck and segues to Dr. Yang and Kei-Ying joining forces to bring down Shaolin Monk Hiu Hing (Shi Kwan Yen) We're familiar with this character and lengths he went through so there's nothing new to inform us about here.Sure the story might be thin and there's a lot of fighting, but that's what you expect to see in an action film. Aside from that the plot of the story actually stands out pretty well. The legend of Iron Monkey has been mentioned in many stories and folklore as he fights corruptions from the Governor who's trying to gather enough money to support his nine wives. The corrupt Monk does unorthodox tricks up his sleeves (literally) that can break through anything. You wonder if these individuals are insured. Like in superhero and police dramas, there will be a lot of property damage and it affects innocent bystanders. One provocation and we all suffer. In a rare occurrence one bystander gets some restitution while the antagonists get what's given to them. The refugees won't expect much left after watching stuff getting destroyed.To me, I felt a little bit of Jackie Chan and Jet Li folded into one package. On the visual format, it's vintage Li. But action wise it has a Jackie Chan flare to it. Sure there's wirework involved and Chan (with the exception of the crappy "The Medallion") refrains from using cheap wirework to his advantage. The set pieces at the end will really set your souls on fire. Knowing that this is a fictional period piece film, that's classic Jet Li. The little girl in the film was adorable, but I'll just stay out of her way when it comes to battle. Let her have her duck.

excerpt, full review at my location - Tales of folk heroes and legends saturate the fabric of Chinese history and culture. Re-released and discovered by a wider audience after Yuen Woo-ping's astonishing success choreographing Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Iron Monkey is a notable addition to the extensive list of historical legends committed to film. Directed by The Matrix choreographer and action master, and featuring Hong Kong and China's most vaunted action star of the moment, Donnie Yen, Iron Monkey proves to be a short but well-crafted story.Iron Monkey may not be amongst the best of Yuen Woo-ping's enviable filmography, nor of the ever-growing list of historical hero endeavours, but it is a short and fun exponent of the historical hero genre.