Rating: 
Summary: Best I've seen so far...
Review: For those who enjoyed the purely action aspect of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, this movie is a MUST SEE for you. Those who rely solely on plot, story development, romance etc. might not be quite as pleased, but don't be dismayed. The fight scenes they pulled off in this one were surreal. Words alone don't do this movie justice, you must see it and decide for yourself...
Rating:
Summary: The Monkey Shines
Review: "Iron Monkey" was originally released in 1993, but North American audiences are only now getting an opportunity to see the film on our big screens. This new version was released partly due to the enthusiasm of one Quentin Tarantino, and its script, which is loaded with deliciously corny dialogue, shows evidence of his taste or, quite possibly, his fingerprints (one such example has Young Wong Fei-Hung running into a posse of turncoat monks, whom he insulting calls "Shaolin Punks"). But don't get me wrong; this is no "Pulp Fiction" rip-off.The obvious comparison is to Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", which is an admitted homage to this (and others from the Wong Fei-Hung series, of which I'm now dying to see more of). It's a fair comparison for the most part, except that where "Crouching Tiger" went for epic grandiosity in its melancholy romantic elements (which I liked well enough in that movie), the "Monkey"s grandiosity exists only in its intense fight scenes. That's not to say that the love story element here is not examined, it's just not alluded to as explicitly as it was in the later film. Dr. Yang and Ms. Orchid's love affair is mysterious but palpable. It exists only behind the plot, is never fleshed out, but is no less touching. These two are obviously in love, and care for each other (made especially clear when one or the other gets hurts, and the wounds are dressed with much tenderness). Still, the obvious thing that will attract people to "Iron Monkey" are its Kung Fu battle scenes. They are, without a doubt, the best I've ever seen put on film. Now, I don't fancy myself a connoisseur of fight scenes; most bore me to tears with their unrealistic cartoon violence and lack of imagination. Here, the fight scenes stretch the boundaries of the imagination. You have to suspend disbelief for a while, otherwise the sight of Shaolin monks floating through the air against the wishes of gravity will be too distracting. But if you can buy into the film's magic-realist conceit, then I guarantee you will be amazed by what you see. Director Woo-ping Yuen, best known on these shores for choreographing "The Matrix" and the aforementioned "Crouching Tiger", gets to put the fight scenes front and centre here, even more so than his late nineties American works. The man appears to be an endless fountain of unique ideas; there are no dull moments in his fights, and nothing you'll have ever seen before (at least nothing I'd seen before). The fight scenes are all slightly sped up, and people fly in and out of the frame with quick precision, but they never feel confusing. The action is easy to follow, and Woo-ping deserves high marks for keeping things palatable and energetic. The highlight, of course, is the final showdown atop the burning poles. It is suspenseful, beautiful, dangerous, and exhilarating. A true show-stopping number that leaves you gasping for breath after it's over. But there are other fantastic moments too: Dr. Yang and Wong Kei-Ying battle atop a rooftop as a crowd of onlookers gasps below; Ms. Orchid defends her turf with economical beauty against four would-be assailants; young Wong Fei-Hung takes on a bruising hulk in a marketplace, armed only with his trusty umbrella. The last example also further illustrates the depth of the creativity used here. I suspect it was Woo-ping Yuen who made famous Jackie Chan's propensity for using everyday objects in his battles. Here, besides the umbrella that figures prominently above, battles are waged with tables, chairs, poles, but also exotic items such as buns bought from a street vendor, a small chain, and in one memorable instance, a shirtsleeve. That's right, a shirtsleeve! It is the most menacing weapon here, and has to be seen to be believed. The film is populated by charismatic, but less than proficient, actors, who are all cast more for their athleticism than their acting technique. Yu Rong Guang and Donnie Yen, as the heroes Dr. Yang and Wong Kei-Yang, make for a stunning action duo. The former has Chow Yun Fat's quiet intensity, brooding nature, and awesome skills. But he also brings a more obvious warmth to the character. Yen is Yu's equal when it comes to fighting, and he also ably pulls off the darker anti-hero aspects of his character. Not to mention the affection he has for his young son. Tsang Sze Man as the son is as precocious as she (that's right, she) needs to be. But she also skillfully alludes to the legend that is to come for Wong Fei-Hung. Jean Wang is a dead ringer for Michelle Yeoh, and she more than holds her own in terms of creating an interesting character, who can kick ass if provoked. The bad guys here are more over-the-top and cartoonish. They include a money-hungry but ineffectual governor, who at one point loses an eyebrow in an attack(!) and a renegade Shaolin master who also happens to be an emissary from the Emperor. The latter makes one of the greatest villain entrances I've ever seen. It's a mad rush of quick energy and destruction, followed by a menacing tableau. It'll make your eyes pop out with awe. Contrast this with a beautiful scene in which Dr. Yang and Ms. Orchid float around a room, collecting papers swept away by the wind, and you get a fine picture as the versatility of Woo-ping Yuen's vision. If you go in to "Iron Monkey" expecting another lyrical love story with action elements, a la "Crouching Tiger" you might be disappointed. Or pleasantly surprised, for the film you will see is such a primordial rush of energy and combat that you will forget your expectations and have fun on the ride.
Rating:
Summary: Simply the best!
Review: Way before the time of Tigers and Dragon, there was Iron Monkey (am I the only one to wonder about the relationship with the Monkey God of "Monkey" who is born from an Iron egg? Anyway...) This is simply one of the best Wu Fu movies ever made, with a nice story (if simple, but hey, that's OK), and the most amazing action! We're talking comic-strip moves here! The kind of stuff that even non martial-arts movie fans like. We've had this movie on VHS (and now on DVD) for years, and it's great to see that someone in Hollywood finally figured out that it was a hidden gem that deserved a proper theatrical release (just like they did with Jackie Chan's Drunken Master). Because no-one had heard of it, we've had numerous viewing parties at home, and every time, everyone loved the movie, so believe me if you feel like some quality entertainment, chances are you will love it too!
Rating: 
Summary: Great Movie
Review: I originally saw this movie on a bootlegged Chinese videotape, shortly after it was released in its original version. My friend had an overseas connection, and we watched lots of Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Chow Yun Fat, and Donnie Yen movies before they became popular over here. Of course, we couldn't understand a word of them, but we enjoyed the action sequences nonetheless. Then, earlier this year while I was renting as many HK action flicks as I could on DVD :) I found a copy of Iron Monkey as a DVD rental, and watched it again with subtitles. I was very pleased to find that I was able to follow the story pretty well (unlike alot of cheesy HK action flicks). So, not only did it have great action, but it had a great plot as well. Now, thanks to the popularity of Yuen Wo Ping (The Matrix, CTHD), Iron Monkey is coming to theaters, and I'm definitely interested in seeing it on the big screen. That will complete some sort of odd Iron Monkey trifecta for me, I guess. heh I just hope that Yuen Wo Ping doesn't start turning out really cheesy American flicks like Jackie Chan did after his success (Ok, Rush Hour was good, but what was up with Shanghai Noon?). Or like Jet Li, Chow Yun Fat, John Woo, or like Wo Ping's brother has done with Charlie's Angels 2000. It must be the curse of Hollywood that these guys are such great talents but are completely wasted when they come to America. Let's hope that Wo Ping can keep cranking out material on the order of The Matrix.
Rating:
Summary: Donnie! Donnie! Donni!
Review: O.K., so this flick is about to hit the good ol' USA. Well, I own it on DVD and I love this movie. I watch with sub-titles which makes it better. Donnie plays the father of Wang Fei Ho (pre-teen kid in the flick, he's impressive also), who is strick and an awesome doctor and master. I don't want to give it away, just go check it out, you won't be disappointed. I don't know if it's dubbed or not in the theaters but if you can, watch it with the sub-titles. Dubbing always take away from a film.
Rating:
Summary: A Kung-Fu Joy Ride!
Review: It definitely takes a little bit of 'orientation' when watching a Hong Kong Flick. The characters can be a bit cartooney, the performances are over the top, and the stories, well... a bit foreign. But once you get past this, you'll be hard pressed to find films with more breath-taking action and excitement. One of the crown jewels of Hong Kong Action Films is Iron Monkey, directed by Woo-ping Yuen, who also did all the action choreography for The Matrix. Originally released in 1993, Buena Vista has gone back and completely restored Iron Monkey with fantastic results. The print of the re-release has deep rich colors and very little imperfections (only a few shots look as if the color timing is a little off). In addition to restoring the picture, they've refined the audio including an update to the score. The end result is an Iron Monkey which is on par with current Hollywood theatrical releases. Before seeing Iron Monkey I read a lot of concern from DVD Talk Members in The DVD Talk Forum about the re-release being dubbed. I'm happy to report that it ISN'T dubbed! Iron Monkey is presented in its original Cantonese audio with really excellent new subtitles. But the reason to see Iron Monkey isn't for its great picture and sound. Iron Monkey has some of the best martial arts action you'll see on film. If you liked the action and swordplay of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or enjoy the action of stars like Jackie Chan or Jet Li, do yourself a favor and see Iron Monkey. It's a complex Kung-fu joy ride from beginning to end! [Geoffrey Kleinman, DVDTalk.com]
Rating:
Summary: Not new...but better than Tiger!
Review: I'm not going to name names and stuff life that. My boyfriend and I bought this DVD from a store because it was fairly expensive for a DVD and it HAD to be good. Yes, a silly reason, but we were NOT disappointed. The martial arts in this film was really entertaining. The stunts were incredible and I enjoyed the "Robin Hood" plot. I suggest people see/buy Iron Monkey. Crouching Tiger, it ain't and if you keep an open mind, you'll be happy about that. PS - Do NOT buy Monkey 2.
Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as "Crouching Tiger..." but still good.
Review: Yuen Woo-Ping...sound familiar? It should. He has choreographed fight scenes in "The Matrix," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," and "Fist Of Legend." Well, he took a crack at directing his own movie in 1993 (pre-Matrix and pre-Crouching Tiger) and it's was called "Iron Monkey 2" even though it was hardly a sequel to the 1977 original. Well, we in good ol' America are just now getting this movie, except ours is called "Iron Monkey." It must sound like a funny title to us, but the Iron Monkey is basically a Chinese version of Robin Hood. You know, "Steal from the rich and give to the poor" type of stuff. Except this Robin Hood knows some pretty funky Kung-Fu, which is what makes this movie awesome. The fight scenes are some of the best ever made. Sure, it's fake because these guys just fly off the ground, but you have to let your mind past all the and just watch how beautiful the fight sequences are. The plot, a bit lame. The dubbing in this viewing I must admit is cruddy and probably the most negative thing about the movie, besides the lame boss. If you want to see a non-dub version, buy the DVD from Hong-Kong. If you don't like to read, I guess the U.S. version will do. See it if you are a die hard Kung-Fu flying action fan! PG-13 because of intense action and brief sexuality.
Rating:
Summary: A Donnie Yen Gem
Review: Iam a huge fan of martial arts i have seen hundreds of kung fu films and own around 50. I dont own iron monkey becuase you can easily rent it from any video rental store in your area. But i have seen Iron monkey over 5 times. Now that Iron Monkey is being released in North America many are going to compare this naturally to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. But they are different, if you want to see a crazy wire assisted kung fu flick with less plot and more action well this is the movie for you. But if you want an epic like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, when fighting is secondary then you might not like this one. Also this movie goes back to the roots of Kung Fu with classic fist like the Shaolin Wonder palm, and many other Shaolin and wu shu associated fights. Donnie Yen proves in this movie that Martial Arts doesnt only have to be about Jackie Chan And Jet Li, and this might be the breakout movie for Donnie Yen who is choreagraphing the fights for Wesly Snipes in blade 2.
Rating:
Summary: The Greatest
Review: Donnie Yen is bound to break into Hollywood in a big way, and this film will show you why. Donnie Yen is on the same par with Jet Li, and in some ways better because of his larger size. Donnie Yen proved how good he is by being the only thing even close to watchable in the horrible sequel to this film, "Iron Monkey 2." Yuen Woo Ping again works his magic and makes the greatest Wu Shu film ever. It's also good to know that this film will be released in theaters on September 14, 2001, exposing millions of more people to its greatness. Thanks to "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" for opening that door.
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