MovieChat Forums > The Man with the Iron Fists (2012) Discussion > Why I love this movie

Why I love this movie

posted 11 years ago by ironfingerchan
10 replies | jump to latest

Because RZA gets the genre & has made what is essentially the greatest tribute film to one of my favorite types of movies: 70s Shaw Brothers kung fu films. This movie feels like it was produced in the 1970s but with modern technology. Yeah, the acting is bad, even atrocious at times, but the acting in old kung fu flicks is even worse! And I love how he took the outlandish character names & crammed them all into this movie. Names like Golden Arms, Iron Lion, Brass Body, Iron Finger, Brass Head, Iron Robe, Silver Spear - I could go on & on. So talk all the *beep* you want about this, but RZA made exactly the movie I hoped he would.

[–] BrunoAntony 11 years ago

"This movie feels like it was produced in the 1970s but with modern technology. Yeah, the acting is bad, even atrocious at times, but the acting in old kung fu flicks is even worse!"

That isn't a good thing. Also, 1970s kung fu movies had better action scenes than this film.

[–] ironfingerchan 11 years ago

Yeah, you can call me whatever you want for liking this movie, but something in it connected with me subconsciously & dammit, I liked it. I'm not saying this is the second coming of Christ or anything, but RZA made a movie that, all flaws aside, resonated with me.

[–] ALWrite 11 years ago

ironfingerchan, I absolutely love your reply ("something in it connected with me subconsciously ... that resonated with me").

That's exactly what I treasure about movies, too. I am getting sick and tired of people posting about "what doesn't work" instead of just shutting up and watching other movies they might like better...

And what's the point of "intellectualizing" why some things work and some don't when, obviously, so much of the enjoyment is about personal taste, anyway?! I remember enjoying this movie from the first minute just BECAUSE it was so different from all the we-are-showing-you-the-gritty-reality- and the we-are-going-to-take-a-critical-stand-and-are-politically-correct movies.

The costumes (especially the girls)... aaahhh...
the fight sequences... hah, what fun
the weaponry... yeah, shoot him with a knife, Jack
the landscape and scenery... China really IS beautiful
the overblown characters... yep, that's like the 70ies... snigger
and, yeah, you know exactly what's gonna happen in the end... ain't that part of the fun?

[–] mxlflx 11 years ago

I am absolutley proud of the RZA's progression as an artist and a renaissance man. He went from making music about the ethos to making movies about it. Bravo.

I still believe. Do you still believe? - Earl Hickey

[–] Verne64 11 years ago

"I am absolutley proud of the RZA's progression as an artist and a renaissance man."

No. I even found the score badly executed, while it was mostly made up of remixes of songs I love. The opening scene had me repeatedly checking the stereo to see if something else was playing in the background.
If anything, this movie just shows that being great at managing the Wu Tang Clan, does not mean that you will be great at any creative endeavor. Rza may know his classics, he fails to do them any justice and does not begin to convey any kind of sense to the endless fighting.

[–] Cobra1986 11 years ago

That's how I felt about it. It bugs me people listing out what is/isn't good about a film(Especially a homage to 70's Kung Fu movies). I could've done that, listed the pros & cons but what does it matter when I enjoyed the film as a "whole"? that's all that matters to me. I found it enjoyable...

[–] Rhythm-2 11 years ago

EXACTLY liam784.

When my wife and I were watching this movie, we just kept thinking about the old kung-fu flicks we used to watch as kids on "Kung Fu Theater". RZA did a mash up of them and it worked to us. I loved the names and the action. And RZA's character, well if you watch a sizable number of old kung fu flicks, the lead character wasn't all lively, dynamic, etc. The villains were. So in my mind, RZA's acting worked. His narration just sucked. LOL

[–] ironfingerchan 11 years ago

Exactly. I can't tell you why I liked, say "The Master" because you may not like or dislike it for the same reasons I do. So rather than wasting time & energy explaining or trying to explain what it was about said film that made me love it in the first place, go watch what you like & I'll watch what I like & let's just enjoy life & co-exist peacefully.

[–] anomony 11 years ago

ironfingerchan wrote: something in it connected with me subconsciously

Pathologies work that way.

.

[–] zerofinnigan 11 years ago

I gotta side with you on this one. This movie is what I expected, why are so many people surprised? I guess they didn't know what they were getting into. I mean, if you don't know who RZA is, and you aren't a fan of old kung fu movies and all of their faults, then you won't appreciate this movie. However if you DO know RZA... and you DO love old kung fu movies and all of their faults... then I'd have to wonder why you don't like it, you know? It is what it says on the box.

I remember my favorite kung fu movie, The Master of the Flying Guillotine, features a "one-armed boxer" who, throughout the entire movie, is CLEARLY just holding his arm under his shirt to look like it's gone. That's all. It couldn't be more obvious. And yet, it's a classic of kung-fu and well regarded. You gotta suspend disbelief with these movies, and by emulating them, RZA makes the same situation with this movie.