Rating: 
Summary: Martial Arts Classic
Review: After several years of watching old Run Run Shaw kung fu movies on late night local TV, I was able to find a laserdisk from the UK of this movie, and man was my world rocked.In terms of bang for buck, no other martial arts movie comes even close to capturing the savage ballet exhibited in Iron Monkey. Other reviews will tell you about the simple story line, and how it is mostly a Chinese variation of the Robin Hood story. This review is just to reiterate the sheer number of incredibly high quality action sequences. Highlights of this amazing martial arts film rank high in the top CHK fight sequences of all time. From hand to hand battles, to weapons kata, including swords, chains, staves and even an umbrella, the choreography by Yuen Wo Ping is brilliant, and the speed of the battles is mind-blowing. The production values (lighting, photography, etc.) are pure Tsui Hark.. absolutely beautiful. If you're a serious martial arts film enthusiast and do not have this movie in your personal library, you should be hit with flying sleeves, the king kong palm, and no shadow kicked in the groin all at the same time. Turn in your badge and go back to renting 'American Ninja' and 'Karate Kid' videos. Shame on you.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding Martial Arts Movie
Review: First, let me rave about the kungfu action...PERFECT CHOREOGRAPHY! Outstanding martial arts performances. Fighting scenes are fast and clean. Wire effects are flawless. Some outrageous action, yet pulled-off ever so convincingly. In my opinion, this is director Yuen Woo-Ping's finest work, the creativity level is so advanced, I can't think of any U.S. action films to even compare it to. It's a brilliant film with simple storyline, interesting characters and played by an unforgettable cast. Here, Wong Kei-Ying (Donnie Yen), father to a younger Wong Fei-Hong, is blackmailed by corrupt officials into capturing the Iron Monkey-a masked Hero who steals from the rich and gives to the poor (played by Yu Rong Guong). And in the end, the good guys come together to defeat the evil power-hungered government/monk official. Yen and Yu make a great team in this movie, both deliver astounding performances. All the fight scenes are amazing to watch. This movie's also got that "Yuen Woo-Ping humor" that makes it all the more enjoyable to watch and as always puts out a high level of excitement.
Rating: 
Summary: 5-star action, 3-star characters, 4 star-plot = 4 star movie
Review: Before The Matrix, before Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, there was Iron Monkey, and Yuen Wo-Ping has done great. The Shadow Kick was extraordinary. The characters use the terrain to their advantage, hurling sandbags and rods and throwing trolleys. Yu-Rongguang ought to be in more American martial art films, even if his character is a bit one-sided. Wong Kei-ying has little personality but has great moves. In fact, almost every character in the movie (other than Wong Fei-hung) has little personality but does kung fu like The Matrix on steroids.
In nineteenth-century China, an evil governor keeps the poor from having food and his police force accept bribes from criminals, such as slavers and the owners of brothels. The Iron Monkey (whose secret identity is Dr. Yang, a mild-mannered herbal physician) steals from the governor and gives to the poor. Occasionally he battles the governor's guards or a few Shaolin monks, but other than that, his missions go easily. Dr. Yang, a.k.a Iron Monkey, lives with Miss Orchid, a pretty Chinese woman who helps him with his remedies.
Wong Kei-ying and his son, Wong Fei-Hung, both trained in kung fu, arrive in town, and are apprehended by the police forces. The Governor is conducting searches for the Iron Monkey, and he captures anyone he believes suspicious (over 30 people). Wong Kei-ying strikes a deal: Let him go, and he will catch Iron Monkey, return for his son and go.
Wong Kei-ying makes friends with Dr. Yang and Miss Orchid while fighting Iron Monkey. Eventually, Wong Kei-ying realizes Dr. Yang's identity, and they band together to fight the Monk, a man posing as the Royal Minister with a band of renegade Shaolin thugs at his side. The rest is a flurry of action and destruction. The action by Yuen Wo-Ping is outstanding. It's no wonder the Wachowski brothers and Ang Lee chose him for their movies. The only bad part with the action is one of the Monk's signature moves, the Flying Sleeves. It just seems pretty ridiculous, even though somehow the sleeves manage to grab things. Other than that, the action is tremendous, and there's less of the unbelievable (in the literal sense of the word) jumping from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. I wonder how many more movies they'll make with a title having to do with an animal. What will the sequel to Crouching Tiger be called? Senile Lemur, Moulting Ostrich? I hope not. Anyway, before I get too carried away, let me discuss character portrayal. The Monk is fairly motiveless. All he seems to want is to beat up Iron Monkey and torment the Governor, who you almost feel sorry for. Iron Monkey is trying to stop him, but he still feels blandly evil. Orchid is somewhat useless. All that happens is she occasionally beats someone up, takes care of the boy while the others are gone, and has nightmares of being a prostitute. She isn't even a romantic interest until the end. The other characters are fairly good, except for Wong Fei-hung, who is quite convincing at times.
I've already described action and plot, so that's all I have to say. Iron Monkey is a nice, short movie that belongs in any kung-fu aficionado's collection. Rent it if you have a casual interest in the chopsocky business. It's a good movie for a day when you want to have fantasy and you have a few hours before your next errand.
Rating: 
Summary: GREAT movie, POOR version
Review: Iron Monkey is definitely one of the best (if not THE best) kung-fu movie ever made. The story is nice and simple enough to follow with ease and the fight scenes are nothing less than breathtaking. This American version of Iron Monkey totally downgrades the movie. OK, so they added to the story at the beginning and also remastered both audio and video. They even kept the original Cantonese language. Sounds like the best remastered kung-fu movie? Well, not exactly. Though what they added is great, what they took out was totally uncalled for. First, they deleted scenes. I would understand deleting irrelevant scenes but why delete fight choreography? I don't understand why some of the fight scenes were cut short, especially the final fight as it's the best one. It doesn't make sense at all. Secondly, they deleted dialogue. A big part of kung-fu is actually calling the attack one is about to do. Donnie Yen's character (Wong Kei-ying) has this signature move called the "Shadowless Kick" which he yells out when he executes it. They completely took that off along with other called attacks for some reason and that just takes the flavor out of the fighting. Finally, they changed the story with the subtitles. If you don't speak Cantonese (which I don't) you won't get what the characters actually say as the subtitles are NOT actual translations. This really feels like a dumbed down version for the American audience. I've seen two other versions of this DVD. One is the original Region 0 version from HK and the other is the Region 2 Collector's Edition that I bought. The Region 2 is a perfectly remastered version of the ORIGINAL movie with crisp sound and video with REAL subtitles. The only thing about this version is that it's PAL video format whereas the Region 0 is NTSC. I give this Region 1 release 2 stars just because it's Iron Monkey. The added content was nice but they shouldn't have cut so many things. I recommend buying the original Region 0 HK DVD (green cover with the 2 ninjas) or the Region 2 version if you can play PAL discs. However, if you're not picky and just want a glimpse of this movie, buy this release.
Rating:
Summary: A bonafide HK classic
Review: Just to clear up some issues about the film: It is enjoying a USA theatrical release currently, but the film itself was released originally in 1993. Stands on its own as one of the greatest martial arts movies ever made, yet was obviously slated for a USA release by Miramax to capitalize on the surprise success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The two films bear little similarity, with IM being more of an action-on-display film, CTHD being more of a pensive highbrow affair, though both are tremendous films. Donnie Yen got top billing in the film, yet he is NOT Iron Monkey, he is Wong Fei-Hung's father. Incidentally, the role of Wong Fei-Hung's father was played by Hong Kong veteran actor Ti Lung in Jackie Chan's Drunken Master II (dubbed Legend of Drunken Master in its USA theatrical release.) Yu Rong-Guang (a former male model in China) plays Iron Monkey, but gets 3rd billing in the film, due to previous unsuccessful efforts at making him a top-shelf HK action hero. Yuen Woo-Ping's world-reknowned fight choreography truly shines in the ending scene, which has our heroes battling on top of a courtyard of burning poles. For certain one of the finest martial arts scenes ever filmed. The Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-Hung is also featured in over 200+ films, including Jet Li's famous Once Upon A Time In China series. Wong Fei-Hung was indeed a real person, born in 1847, and passed away in 1924. He was a martial arts master, teacher, healer, and revolutionary who would protect and help those who were weak and defenseless. All in all, Iron Monkey is a top-notch film that belongs in any martial-arts or Hong Kong film fan's collection.
Rating:
Summary: fun to watch
Review: The opening scene and setting of Iron Monkey is very similiar to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Where CTHD is more of an epic drama, IM is more of a comedy, but the martial arts choreography is just as spectacular. Their naming of certain moves is amusing. Enjoyable plot. As to suspending belief, I give you this quote from Albert Einstein: Imagination is more important than knowledge.
Rating:
Summary: The best Martial Arts movie of the 90s
Review: This movie just fell from the sky or something. Considering that it was produced in 1993, it is of amazing quality. The storyline is excellent and inspiring, and the cast is astonishing. Yu Rong Guang is not very known in the west, but he is indeed a true martial artist. In fact, he has Peking Opera training. Additionally, this is Donnie Yen's best performance to date. His character was so convincing that you really believed him to be Wong Key Ying.
Rating:
Summary: Swirls on the wind
Review: Amazing choreography. Amazing story. God I love martial arts movies like this. If you liked Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and want another one with a similar spirit, this is a great one to get. There are some breathtaking scenes in here that really get your heart pumping in excitement. Watching martial arts like this is like watching the acrobats of Cirque du Soleil. Like sky-dancing. Art and perfection of body merged as one. This is one of The Best martial arts movies I have ever seen. Up there with Crouching Tiger and Legend of Drunken Master (without the humor).
Rating: 
Summary: Stick to an import
Review: Ok so this is one of the greatest Kung Fu movies ever made yet if you buy this version you might as well be insulting the film. Find the original online somewhere as what they did to this makes me ashamed to be a westerner.
Rating:
Summary: Good Movie
Review: I thought this movie was going to be another one of those low budget cheesy fight scene movies. BUT, I must say I was pleasantly surprised by its quality. The fight scenes were well coreographed, and there was a pretty good plot to the movie. Once the fighting started, the movie didn't slow down much at all. A movie you can watch more than once.
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