Iron Monkey [Blu-ray]

Director: Yuen Woo-Ping, Yuen Woo Ping Yuen Woo-Ping

Overview

This kung fu classic weaving fact and myth earned a theatrical release in the U.S. from Miramax eight years after it was produced, following a successful retrospective screening at the 2001 Los Angeles Film Festival. Wong Kei Ying (Donnie Yen) is a master of the Hung Gar style of boxing in mid-19th century China. His son, Wong Fei Hung (Sze-Man Tsang), though still just a boy, will grow up to become a martial arts legend, a nearly mythical figure in Chinese history. When Wong Fei Hung is kidnapped, his father is forced to use his daunting skills in the service of the abductor, a dishonest politician plagued by the Robin Hood-style thief known as Iron Monkey, a mysterious masked avenger stealing from the rich, delivering the spoils to the poor. Wong Fei Hung's only allies are the kindly Dr. Yang (Yu Rong Guang) and Yang's assistant, Orchid (Jean Wang), who are protecting an important secret. Iron Monkey (1993) director Yuen Wo Ping is also the masterful martial arts choreographer behind The Matrix (1999) and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000); his father served as action choreographer on a series of popular, long-running films centered around the Wong Fei Hung character in the 1950s.

Product Details

Release Date:	02/14/2023
UPC:	0826663234763
Original Release:	1993
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	Shout Factory
Language:	English
Sales rank:	21,479

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Yu Rong Guang	Dr. Yang
Donnie Yen	Wong Kei Ying
Tsang Sze-Man	Young Wong Fei-Hong
Jean Wang	Orchid
James Wong Jim	Gov. Cheng
Yuen Shun-Yee	Master Fox
Lee Fai	Witch
Shun-Yee Yuen	Chief Fox
James Wong	Governor
Yam Sai-Kun	Actor
Yen Yee Kwan	Royal Minister
Wong Tsing-ying	Actor
Yu Wing-Kwong	Actor
Hau Yin Chung	Scarred Assassin
Cheung Fung Nay	Governor's Favorite Wife
Chun Kwai Bo	Monk #1
Chan Siu Wah	Monk #2
Yip Choi Nam	Monk #3
Ko Man Dick	Monk #4
Wai Lap Wu	Composer
James Venable	Composer

Technical Credits

Elsa Tang

Tsui Hark

Lau Tai-Muk

Tan Cheung

Yuen Woo-Ping	Director
Elsa Tang	Screenwriter
Tsui Hark	Producer,Screenwriter
Wang Ying Hsiang	Executive Producer
Woo-ping Yuen	Director
Raymond Chow	Executive Producer
Mary Stuart Welch	Executive Producer
Lau Tai-Muk	Screenwriter
Cinefex Workshop Co.	Special Effects
Celia Hallquist	Producer
Tan Cheung	Screenwriter
David Hughes	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

Originally released in 1993, Iron Monkey finally arrived in the States on the heels of the success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Yuen Wo-Ping, who did the stunt choreography for that film as well as for The Matrix, directed this high-flying take on the Robin Hood story, in which an amiable country doctor (Dr. Yang, played by Yu Rong-guong) spends his evenings chasing across rooftops and stealing from the corrupt local lord. Produced by Tsui Hark, the prolific director of, among other things, the fabulous Once Upon a Time in China series, Iron Monkey has all the action of a kung-fu action flick -- as you might expect -- and all the grace and poise of an expertly staged musical. Donnie Yen, as itinerant doctor Wong Kei-ying, plays his role with understated elegance. Wong's son, who turns out to be the Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-hong, is here embodied by Tsang Sze-man with a lively animation that makes her a delight to watch. As is usual for any film where Yuen's involved, the plot here is merely something upon which to hang the nonstop action, culminating as it does in one of those unlikely kung-fu balancing acts for which Yuen is renowned. Not exactly high drama, perhaps, but it hangs together better than most movies of the genre, and it's great fun. Genevieve Williams

All Movie Guide

Originally released in 1993, Iron Monkey finally arrived in the States on the heels of the success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Yuen Wo-Ping, who did the stunt choreography for that film as well as for The Matrix, directed this high-flying take on the Robin Hood story, in which an amiable country doctor (Dr. Yang, played by Yu Rong-guong) spends his evenings chasing across rooftops and stealing from the corrupt local lord. Produced by Tsui Hark, the prolific director of, among other things, the fabulous Once Upon a Time in China series, Iron Monkey has all the action of a kung-fu action flick -- as you might expect -- and all the grace and poise of an expertly staged musical. Donnie Yen, as itinerant doctor Wong Kei-ying, plays his role with understated elegance. Wong's son, who turns out to be the Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-hong, is here embodied by Tsang Sze-man with a lively animation that makes her a delight to watch. As is usual for any film where Yuen's involved, the plot here is merely something upon which to hang the nonstop action, culminating as it does in one of those unlikely kung-fu balancing acts for which Yuen is renowned. Not exactly high drama, perhaps, but it hangs together better than most movies of the genre, and it's great fun.

All Movie Guide - Genevieve Williams

The climactic duel, fought on wooden poles over a sea of flames, is audaciously choreographed. This is formula raised to the level of art, and the results are simply exhilarating.

Los Angeles Times - Kenneth Turan