Review (5/5): The Monkey Shines
"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.