RZA stars in, directs, cowrites and co-composes the score for the martial arts film The Man with the Iron Fists. An homage to the kung fu flicks that influenced his Wu-Tang Clan crew, the movie concerns RZA’s Blacksmith who forges weapons for the many warring factions who inhabit his town of Jungle Village. The town has just seen the theft of a great quantity of gold from the Emperor by the Lion Clan. The Lions suspect Blacksmith of aiding one of their pursuers and cut off his arms as punishment. He becomes the character referred to in the title by fashioning replacement appendages out of metal and seeks revenge with the help of Russell Crowe’s Jack Knife, a British soldier. With masterful action choreography by Cory Yuen and a hype soundtrack that includes songs by Kanye West, The Black Keys and, of course, the Wu-Tang Clan, The Man with the Iron Fists is a rollickingly violent and entertaining movie that shows an aptitude for action filmmaking by first timer RZA that many other directors take years to master.
