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In many ways, The Man With the Iron Fists was an ultra-violent love letter from rapper and founding member of Wu-Tang Clan RZA to the Hong Kong-produced kung fu movies that he grew up loving. He wrote, directed, starred in, and contributed to the soundtrack for the 2012 action flick, earning praise for his sheer enthusiasm if not his mastery of cinematic technique. Now he’s returned to the role for The Man With the Iron Fists 2, a follow-up that tries to smooth over some of the first film’s rough edges and ends up with a project that’s more technically proficient but not quite as much fun.
Leaving behind Jungle Village after the events of the first film, former American slave and blacksmith Thaddeus (RZA) has taken to wandering from village to village, seeking peace and hiding his wicked-looking iron hands under thick bandages. He literally washes up on the shores of a mining town where the local villagers suffer under corrupt official Master Ho (Carl Ng) and the vengeful ghost of a dead sorcerer. Local miner Li Kung (Dustin Nguyen) and his family tend to the wounded Thaddeus, who quickly finds himself caught up in the miners and Master Ho’s dangerous Beetle clan.
It doesn’t take long to see that The Man With the Iron Fists 2 is making an effort to continue the story of its laconic protagonist while shifting gears in terms of style and tone. Where the first film took place largely on sound stages, this installment moves the production to Thailand, taking advantage of some truly gorgeous locations. Cinematographer Roel Reiné steps in as director this time, and his slower approach to pacing helps ground the film in the new environments.
Unfortunately, that newfound restraint backfires a bit when it comes to the action. Fight sequences this time around play down the use of wirework and flying stunts, taking away some of the kinetic dazzle that helped carry the first film. While these less showy battles do help them establish a less frenetic tone, they lack in raw energy. This just highlights the fact that while RZA acquits himself well as a screen fighter, he’s simply not a professional martial artist—and this time he hasn’t got a packed cast of veterans to back him up.
Also missing are the colorful characters that helped to keep the first film’s energy up when it took a break from the action. The roles played by Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu, Byron Mann, and others functioned as a knowing wink to the audience—an acknowledgement that everyone knew how ridiculous some of this stuff gets, but, boy, isn’t it fun? Apparently the only actor to get that memo this time around is Carl Ng, who gives Master Ho a gleeful sliminess that elevates him into a more memorable villain.
Don’t get me wrong; I love that a guy like RZA is getting the chance to play around in a world he clearly cherishes. There’s something inherently fun about watching a fan make the switch from audience to creator. I hope he continues the adventures of Thaddeus, but I also hope that, like the somewhat adrift character at the center of this film, he can reclaim his true fighting spirit and deliver something with more punch the next time around.
Blu-ray Review:
The Blu-ray edition of The Man With the Iron Fists 2 includes both the theatrical and unrated cuts of the film, though there’s not really that much difference between them. Also present are a handful of deleted scenes, a making-of featurette, and a commentary track with RZA and Reiné that provides some interesting behind the scenes knowledge.
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