The Movie
Iron Monkey is the name and disguise assumed by a local hero in a Chinese town, circa 1858. Peasants have been flocking in from the countryside, hoping for relief from flooding and the whims of warlords, only to find themselves now victimized by greedy businessmen and corrupt officials. The Monkey is a Robin Hood of sorts, a martial arts master who shows curious restraint, stealing from the rich and aiding the oppressed in any way he can. When a mysterious traveler and his son arrive in town, the hero's days appear to be numbered, and the arrival of the despicable Royal Minister marks the beginning of the end of the old ways.
Under the direction of Yuen Wo Ping, who would later choreograph the fights for the Matrix movies, Iron Monkey serves up plenty of fast-paced action, and yet almost every aspect of this movie embraces the cheese of old-school kung fu cinema. Just as significant as "1858" is "1993," the year it was released in theaters, predating the revolution toward the more lavish, cerebral martial arts fare we've come to enjoy, especially in that small percentage that actually makes it from China to the U.S. The exaggerated acting, camerawork and slapstick humor can be a little off-putting, although when the jokes are subtle they can be pretty funny, and the tone grows noticeably more serious as the story progresses to a satisfying finale.
The Picture
The 1.85:1 film image is grainy, unevenly so, sometimes severely, which taints the movie with a disappointingly low-budget funk. The frequent use of smoke softens the image further and eventually leads to video noise. Despite that occasionally crisp, well-focused shot and some strong colors, this is not a very impressive disc visually, really more akin to DVD than Blu-ray.
As with the Blu-ray of Hero, the Iron Monkey disc defaults to a Dolby Digital 5.1 rendition of the original Chinese track, and the somewhat hokey English dub receives the modern high-resolution glory of DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. I won't rehash my whole diatribe, suffice it to say that I believe it should be the other way around, with the original language soundtrack receiving the best possible audio format.
Not that it makes much difference in this case: Long stretches of the movie are simple dialogue, with no multichannel involvement, as even sound effects are relegated to the front channel, or the center channel specifically. The musical score can be heard in the rears at times, but when a character plays an instrument in one scene, it is sonically lifeless. There's some occasional bass oomph during the fight scenes, and some destruction and weather effects across the soundstage, but in general this track is forgettable. (Although it would be better to hear and forget the original Chinese from the original performers in high-resolution. There, I'm done.)
The Extras
Two separate interviews are included, one with filmmaker and kung fu fan Quentin Tarantino (nine minutes), explaining what kung fu movies mean to him, with clips from other titles. (Tarantino is credited with bringing the little-seen Iron Monkey to America, years after its Chinese release.) We're also given the chance to get to know the martial arts superstar Donnie Yen (six minutes). Both interviews are presented in standard definition.
Final Thoughts
Iron Monkey requires a bit of patience to properly enjoy, although frankly if you already own the DVD, you might want to rent the "upgraded" Blu-ray before committing to a purchase.
Product Details
Also part of "The Ultimate Force of Four" Blu-ray Boxed Set
Where to Buy:
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