Yuen Woo-Ping's "Iron Monkey," is about to released on the big screen in the United States (it is scheduled to open on October 12, 2001). Although the film's U.S. advertising makes it sound as though it is the latest work from Yuen (the choreographer of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "The Matrix"), the film actually pre-dates both of those films. "Iron Monkey" was originally released in 1993.

It will be very interesting to see how much success the re-released movie has in the U.S. market. I suspect that they will have an uphill climb to try to keep it in the theaters for more than a week or two.

For one, unlike the re-released "Drunken Master II" (called "The Legend of Drunken Master" in U.S. distribution), the movie doesn't have a star who is widely known on these shores.

The film's star, Donnie Yen, has all the makings of a potential cross-over star in the U.S. action market, but he has little mainstream name-recognition here at the present time. He's legitimately a sensational martial artist and is blessed with an acrobatic athleticism that is a site to behold even when it is not aided by wires (although this film makes extensive use of "wire fu"). What's more, Yen, who was born in mainland China but raised in Boston, does not have the language barrier issues that held back Jet Li's early cross-over efforts. While off the screen Yen reportedly has a bit a "Bruce Lee" streak in him--a hefty ego and a cocky stubborness that has sometimes rubbed others the wrong way-- all that shows up on the screen is his considerable charisma and physical ability. Some may disagree, though. Yen tends to be one of those stars that people rarely feel indifferent to. Either you love him or you hate him.

It's simply not possible at this time for the distributors to try to make a U.S. theatrical release sink or swim around Yen's presence in the movie. Yen was the action choreographer and had a role in "Highlander: Endgame", a movie that largely disappointed even the small niche audience that went to see it. The "Highlander" appearance is nothing that can be parlayed into making American movie-goers want to see this movie, nor would most people here care about his Hong Kong work. Let's put it this way-- saying "Iron Monkey" was directed by the man who did "The Matrix" would resonate with a lot more American people than saying that it stars the lead villain from "Once Upon a Time in China II" (action-wise, arguably the best of the OUaTiC series).

Secondly, filmgoers who are going to see the movie expecting it to be like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" are going to be disappointed. Yuen Woo-Ping is a master choreographer. He's not a masterful director. Perhaps I should amend that to say he's not a masterful director in the way that Ang Lee is-- Yuen Woo-Ping's stock in trade is making great martial arts movies. (Actually, that is what the entire Yuen family is known for-- Ping is just the best known internationally of the late actor "Simon" Yuen's many sons who followed him into the martial arts movie-making industry).

There's a distinction between a great movie with martial arts like CTHD, and a great martial arts movie, like Yuen's "Magnificent Butcher," "Drunken Master" or "Iron Monkey." The distinction is that a great martial arts movie need not have exceptional scripting, acting, or cinematography. Rather, it is the excitement and inventiveness of the fight choreography that gives the film merit. A case in point-- Akira Kurosawa was a great director in the traditional sense of the term. Chang Cheh was a great martial arts movie director. So is Yuen Woo-Ping.

Lastly, as with "Drunken Master II," the American audiences will be at a disadvantage when it comes to identifying with the central character in "Iron Monkey." DMII was yet another in the long Cantonese tradition of movies featuring Wong Fei-Hung. This one features Yen as a Fei-Hung's equally famous father, Wong Chi-Ying (or Wong Kei-Ying, depending upon the transliteration).

The elder Wong was, like his son after him, a doctor and a kung fu master. Wong Chi-Ying was the founder of the legendary Po Chi Lam school and was one of the members of the Ten Tigers of Kwangtung (Canton); a group that has been the subject of several Chinese motion pictures.

When played to Asian audiences, no explanation is required when the names Wong Chi-Ying or Wong Fei-Hung are mentioned. They instantly know who they are and what they stand for. No character development is necessary-- the audience is already deeply familiar with them. That is not so with audiences over here and it is a very real obstacle to having movies like "Iron Monkey" resonate with American viewers on any level other than its fights. Even if you already know the characters, "Iron Monkey" doesn't offer much in the way of interesting new twists on them. And if you don't know them, the plot will seem like a paper-thin excuse to have Yen and company wreak havoc.

Thus, the question that will determine whether "Iron Monkey" will have a short run to 95% empty theaters or if it will attract more than a tiny niche audience (many of whom have already seen it before) will be whether American audiences have truly fallen in love with Yuen's style of choreography. I have little hope that it will be a hit here but perhaps a few new HK action fans will be created by the release and more re-releases of top HK kung fu moviews will show up on the big screen here. To me, that would be a success.

Brief Plot Synopsis

There is very little, if anything in the plot of "Iron Monkey" that broke any sort of new ground. Actually, it is a loose remake of a 1977 Chen Kwan-Tai movie of the same name. This version, however, infuses more attempts at humorous scenes within its basic storyline and has far superior fight choreography (aided by wires). Since most of the fun comes in watching the fight scenes, I won't spoil how those play out other than to say that if you didn't understand what all the fuss is over Yuen Woo-Ping (and Yen), this movie will show you. As far as plot goes, a short synopsis follows.

Wong Chi-Ying takes his young son Wong Fei-Hung along with him to Canton to buy herbs for his medical clinic. During the journey, he is mistaken by Ching government officials for the mysterious "Iron Monkey": a Robin Hood-like mystery man who has been robbing from rich, currupt Chings and giving it to poor Ming supporters.

Again, a little explanation may be helpful. The Ching dynasty-- spearheaded by the Manchurians-- was established after the overthrow of the Ming dynasty. Canton, a Ming stronghold, was a long-standing hotbed of anti-Ching activity. In almost all Cantonese movies that are set in the Ching dynasty (remember that Hong Kong is a Cantonese-speaking island with deep cultural ties to Canton), the Chings are the villains and the anti-Ching activists are considered the patriotic heroes.

After seeing Wong Chi-Ying easily fend off some thugs who were threatening Fei-Hung, the Chings assume that the doctor must be the Iron Monkey (who also uses a southern Chinese animal-based style). The magistrate throws Wong and his son in prison.

The law-abiding, ultra-principled Wong Chi-Ying is told by the Chings that they are looking for a dangerous criminal. He agrees to help the Chings track down the fugitive. To be certain that Dr. Wong complies, the evil Chings keep Fei-Hung prisoner until he can deliver them the Iron Monkey.

The poor, starving Cantonese people are enraged. But not just at the magistrate-- at Chi-Ying, too. They think he has sold out to the government.

Eventually, Chi-Ying learns the truth. He finds out that the Iron Monkey is actually Dr. Yang, a man very similar to himself (a mild-mannered physician who cares for the poor and, additionally, is a kung fu master). The two join forces and foil the Chings.































Recommended:
Yes