Movie Review: ‘The Man With the Iron Fists’
Marital arts fan RZA finds his inner Tarantino in B-movie that gets A for effort
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If only every filmmaker were as creatively inspired by his influences as Wu-Tang Clan leader RZA, who makes a memorable directorial debut with his kung-fu homage, “The Man With the Iron Fists.”
Countless filmmakers have tried to emulate B-movie style, with most getting caught in post-modern self-awareness that undermines the whole project.
RZA, a lifelong fan of martial arts movies, was smart enough to apprentice himself to Quentin Tarantino, who’s presenting this venture. It’s clear he absorbed his lessons well: the results both pay tribute to and improve upon the grindhouse originals RZA watched as a kid in Staten Island.