9.0
i first heard about Sammo Hung during Ric Meyers' excellent commentary for Once Upon a Time in China (or at least that's who i think he was referring to). he kept mentioning Sammo this Sammo that during the entire film because he was supposed to be given a role in the film. Meyers kept talking about how amazing it would have been to have him scare off in the various fight scenes in that film. i looked him up and sure enough, he had a long list of credits. and Fox had just released a bunch of his older films on dvd. The Iron-Fisted Monk is Sammo's directorial debut. and the reviews were glowing; especially because of the great level of confidence it showed. it's an affable (the good kind, though) revenge story that is really quite well done (it includes one jarring, nasty scene; it's appropriate but it shocks you within the context of the film). you wouldn't think this is a first-time director. now, the fight scenes (btw, what's especially nice is that it doesn't feel as though the film is an excuse for excellent fight scenes. the story flows nicely and these scenes never feel out of place like some in most 'action' films). although i'm not a martial arts film expert yet i've seen my small share of hong kong flicks by now. but i was floored by most of the fight scenes in this film. Sammo Hung is a goddamn master. the film also stars Chen Sing as his teacher. both of them are a joy to watch, especially when they fight together. the level of artistry throughout the flick is both outstanding and breathtaking to watch. seriously. if you've got any kind of interest at all in martial arts films, please make sure you see this one. definitely a must-see.
Posted by Anonymous | 9:09 AM
