Siu nin Wong Fei Hung ji: Tit Ma Lau (1993)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Woo-ping Yuen

Writers:

Tai-Muk Lau (writer)
Cheung Tan (writer)

Release Date:

3 September 1993 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

Sometimes the only way to become a hero is to be an outlaw

Plot:

A doctor fights the corrupt authorities as a masked Robin Hood hero, even while another martial artist/doctor is forced to hunt for him.

Plot Keywords:

Iron Monkey | Robin Hood | Doctor | Monk | Secret Identity

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Rongguang Yu	...	Iron Monkey / Dr. Yang
Donnie Yen	...	Wong Kei-Ying
Jean Wang	...	Miss Orchid
Shi-Kwan Yen	...	Hiu Hing (as Yee Kwan Yan)
James Wong	...	Governor Cheng
Hou Hsiao	...	Disfigured Swordsman
Sze-Man Tsang	...	Young Wong Fei-Hung
Shun-Yee Yuen	...	Master Fox
Fai Li	...	Witch

Also Known As:

Iron Monkey (Hong Kong: English title) (USA)
Iron Monkey: The Young Wong Fei Hong
Shao nian Huang Fei Hong zhi: Tie Ma Liu (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for martial arts action/violence and brief sexuality.

Runtime:

90 min | USA:85 min

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese | Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS (US version) | Dolby Digital (US version) | Mono (original release) | SDDS (US version)

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Finland:K-15 (2006) | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG | Ireland:15 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13

Company:

Film Workshop

Trivia:

The part of the young Wong Fei-Hung is played by Tsang Sze-Man, a talented martial artist, and also a girl.

Goofs:

Continuity: Just after Miss Orchid put the needles in the back of Dr. Yang to get the poison out of the Buddha's Palm, she lays him back in the chair, and then we see his back without the needles, and it never shows her taking them out.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'Kill Bill' (2003) (TV)

Great Entertainment

This is by far one of the top 10 martial art movies of all time.

This movie has beautiful scenery and atmosphere. It transport me back to a place long ago and far away where life is cruel and government officials are corrupt but all is not forsaken for heroes are out there with heart of pure goodness, body of iron armor, and spirit of courage and valor. This movie made me believe in this world where human can train their body and mind to do inhuman feats like leaping onto roof tops and shattering cement blocks two feet thick. It invoked memories of my childhood dream of becoming a martial art master able to kick butt but also the restraint and pathos for helping those less fortunate. Both Dr Yang and Wong Kei-Ying plays a martial art hero that possess these traits. They are well rounded individuals that posses other admirable skills. Dr Yang for example is a highly skilled doctor, a flashy cook, and a musician. I love one of the breath taking scenery in which he was playing this Chinese instrument out in the court yard on a golden autumn day. It's very nostalgic for me for some reason. Orchid, Dr Yang's assistant is wonderful in this movie as well. She brought beauty and depth to this movie. The young Wong Fei-hung character was great as well. These wonderful characters on top of the amazing fight sequences makes this movie transcend martial art movies and rival any movies genre ever produced in terms of sheer entertainment value. I have read review about the bad/simple plot or fake wire-fu in this movie. That's not the point, the mastery of mood and texture in this movie is sheer enjoyment. How much plot can one develop in a 90 minute martial art movie?...or any movie really...it's all about the human conditions some more complex than other often recycled over and over through the years and placed in a different setting and different context. Great movies capture the human imagination and touches a spectrum of human emotions. Great movies also flow smoothly and do not go into a lull. For me this movie did that and more. Hopefully you'll want to watch it again and again like I did.