“You are mine”
This
review is based on the unrated version of the film.
SPOILERS
AHEAD
The
Man with the Iron Fists had its
moments, but I don’t think it did nearly enough with its resources.
I wasn’t a fan, so my hopes weren’t high when its lower-budgeted
sequel was released.
As
a matter of fact, I didn’t bother checking it out at all. However,
having finally
seen it now, I realize it
wasn’t necessary for me to avoid
it. The Man with
the Iron Fists 2 is bereft
of most features
that defined its predecessor – a supergroup cast, the
wuxia influence, and a
general over-the-top style
– but this is actually what
makes it for me. More sober-minded and focused
on its characters,
this is a surprisingly worthwhile
adventure and
definitely the best action feature I’ve yet seen from director Roel
Reine.
The
story: En route to Wu Chi Temple to cleanse his soul, the blacksmith
Thaddeus (RZA) is embroiled in a
treacherous conflict
between a small mining village and the oppressive Beetle Clan.
The
most obvious way the film deviates from the original is the lack of
major names. With the
exception of the lead star, no one here’s been anywhere near top
billing for a major release in years. Nevertheless,
this one’s cast isn’t without cult charm, and they’re
all clearly acting their
butts off. Dustin Nguyen is the real star as the de facto leader of
the village, and Carl
Ng makes a surprisingly strong impression as the despicable villain.
Cary Tagawa is solid as the
wheelchair-driving mayor, while Eugenia Na does good work as an
archer and Nguyen’s onscreen wife. Action hero-in-the-making
Charlie Ruedpokanon enjoys the best role of his young career as
Nguyen’s brother, while action regulars Kazu Tang and Ocean Hou are
memorable enforcers.
Grace Huang and Andrew Lin reprise their roles as the Gemini Twins
for a flashback scene. RZA easily
slips back into his character
but reduces
his impact by not having much
to do with the first half of the movie.
While this
cast ultimately appeals
less to people used to
theatrical fare, I
love how the lack of name
emphasis requires the actors to focus on their characters all the
more. No award-winning
performances, but there are
some good exchanges that
elevate the otherwise humdrum plot.
Aesthetically,
I declare the film a complete triumph. Director/DP
Reine and production designer Lek
Chaiyan (Anna and the King)
create
an absolutely beautiful flick composed of exotic
on-location shots and
intricate costumes. At the
risk of comparing the film to its predecessor too often,
this one eschews the
original’s lavish style
and focuses on a more
realistic and detailed look, smoothly incorporates the local
countryside
for a sense of scope.
This organic style carries
over to the action content, which is considerably scaled back from
the predecessor’s wirework bonanza. The fighting is almost entirely
grounded and less reliant on special effects, and
this works well for the performers and the Thai stunt crew. Of
course, the results aren’t
perfect: over-editing works its way into more and more of the brawls,
and the mass battle scenes are one thing that the original film did
better. I was excited when Cary Tagawa unexpectedly became
a combatant in the 11th
hour, but he’s stunt doubled to within an inch of his life.
Nevertheless, we get some
good matches in the Charlie Ruedpokanon/Ocean Hou and Dustin
Nguyen/Carl Ng encounters, so
the adrenaline department
gets an overall passing grade.
I’m
disappointed that the animal motifs are downplayed this time: RZA
mentions in the DVD’s special features that he sought to explore
insect themes, and while we get the Beetle Clan, everything else is
downplayed to the point that appears
incidental. (E.g. the miners as ants.) The overabundance
of gore ensures that executive producer Eli Roth got to eat for
another day, but the over-the-top violence isn’t very creative.
Again, die-hards of the
original won’t be happy about
these things, but
I find the faults forgivable.
With fewer resources at its
disposal, the sequel finds a harmonious balance much easier than its
richer
predecessor. It’s still a take-it-or-leave-it feature for casual
viewers, but it’s hard to
deny the effort and skill
that went into this. The Man with the Iron Fists 2
is utterly watchable on its
own merits, and if you’re like me and enjoy seeing small
productions succeed against all expectations, you’ll definitely
have fun. Rent it.
The
Man with the Iron Fists 2
(2015)
Directed
by
Roel Reine (Hard
Target 2)
Written
by
RZA, John Jarrell (Romeo
Must Die)
Starring
RZA, Dustin Nguyen (Once
Upon a Time in Vietnam),
Carl
Ng (Point
of Entry),
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
Cool
costars:
Grace Huang, Andrew Lin, Charlie Ruedpokanon (Ninja:
Shadow of a Tear),
Ocean Hou (The
Blood Bond),
Kazu Patrick Tang (Dragonwolf),
Eugenia Yuan (Jasmine).
Seigi Ozeki, who seems to have dropped from the leading man spectrum
following Muay
Thai Warriors,
plays a vengeful member of the Lion Clan. Sahajak
Boonthanakit (Zero
Tolerance)
is one of Thailand’s rising dramatic stars and plays one of the
featured minors. Simon Yin (Birth
of the Dragon)
is likewise memorable.
Content
warning:
Extreme
violence, group violence, lynching, childbirth, racist
dialogue
Copyright
Universal
Pictures Home Entertainment
B-Movie Dragons 