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Movies / On DVD / Iron Monkey
Iron Monkey

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Iron Monkey (1993)

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Reviews Counted:89

Fresh:80

Rotten:9

Average Rating:7.3/10

Consensus: Iron Monkey may not have the poetic lyricism of Crouching Tiger, it makes up for it in fun and energy.

Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for martial arts action/violence and brief sexuality

Runtime: 86 mins

Genre: Foreign Films

Theatrical Release:Oct 12, 2001 Wide

Box Office: $14,231,964

Synopsis: 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,... 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. [More]

Starring: Yu Rong Guang, Donnie Yen, Tsang Sze-Man, Jean Wang

Starring: Yu Rong Guang, Donnie Yen, Tsang Sze-Man, Jean Wang, Yuen Shun-Yee, James Wong

Director: Yuen Woo-ping

Director: Yuen Woo-ping
Screenwriter: Tsui Hark, Tang Pik-Yin, Lau Tai-Muk, Cheung Tan
Producer: Tsui Hark
Composer: Richard Yuen
Studio: Miramax Films

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Release:

Nov 30, 1999

[DVD Details]
 
 

DVD Features:

  • Region 0

Audio:

  • Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo - Cantonese, English, Mandarin
  • Dolby Digital 5.1 - Cantonese, English, Mandarin
  • Subtitles - English, Japanese, Malay, Thai, Vietnamese
 
 
 
 

Reviews for Iron Monkey

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1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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Despite its seemingly constant action, the focus was way too light for my liking, resulting in a film that's often more corny than it is enthralling.

Full Review Source: Movie Views | comment Comment
09/27/09
Ryan Cracknell
Ryan Cracknell
Movie Views

some of the finest martial arts displays imaginable, and it doesn't take itself seriously

Full Review Source: Old School Reviews | comment Comment
09/25/09
John A. Nesbit
John A. Nesbit
Old School Reviews

Despite it's tonal split personality, Iron Monkey is a fun Hong Kong martial arts action-comedy that offers a heck of a climax.

Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
09/23/09
James Plath
James Plath
DVDTown.com

Woo-ping is as unembarrassed by the hokiness of his narrative as he is by that of his unending combat enactments, which you can accept as intentional stylistic exaggerations.

Full Review Source: Cinema Signals | comment Comment
09/22/09
Jules Brenner
Jules Brenner
Cinema Signals

While purists may balk at not getting Yuen Woo-ping's complete "vision" here, Iron Monkey manages to make its case, even within the mangled material provided.

Full Review Source: PopMatters | comment Comment
09/17/09
Bill Gibron
Bill Gibron
PopMatters

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
08/07/08
Mark Halverson
Mark Halverson
Sacramento News & Review

Some of the best fight sequences one can expect to see in this genre.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
02/06/08
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Big Picture Big Sound | comment Comment
12/27/07
Joe Lozito
Joe Lozito
Big Picture Big Sound

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Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Film Threat
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
03/16/04
Apollo Guide
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/08/02
Film Threat
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

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Full Review Source: Cincinnati Enquirer | comment Comment
10/15/02
Margaret A. McGurk
Margaret A. McGurk
Cincinnati Enquirer

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Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
09/21/02
Derek Smith
Derek Smith
Apollo Guide
N/R

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Full Review Source: Montreal Film Journal | comment Comment
09/10/02
Kevin N. Laforest
Kevin N. Laforest
Montreal Film Journal

Sometimes it's nice to sit back and enjoy the fireworks, and this movie has lots of fireworks.

Full Review Source: Goatdog's Movies | comment Comment
09/09/02
Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
Goatdog's Movies
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Denver Rocky Mountain News | comment Comment
08/09/02
Robert Denerstein
Robert Denerstein
Denver Rocky Mountain News
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

...quite possibly the best action film of the year.

Full Review Source: Supercala.com | comment Comment
07/09/02
Paul Salfen
Paul Salfen
Supercala.com

The joy of watching this kind of stuff lies in the choreographical invention and creativity [and] the speed and dexterity of the combatants.

Full Review Source: Decent Films Guide | comment Comment
05/08/02
Steven D. Greydanus
Steven D. Greydanus
Decent Films Guide

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: MovieMartyr.com | comment Comment
03/05/02
Jeremy Heilman
Jeremy Heilman
MovieMartyr.com

A crackling Cantonese action caper in the tradition of Robin Hood, Zorro, Batman et al.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
01/06/02
Rita Kempley
Rita Kempley
Washington Post
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
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