The fact that I
can’t tell if the poorly constructed sequences, cheesy dialogue and shoddy
special effects are meant to be intentionally bad as a way of imitating and
parodying the genre or are simply signs of awful filmmaking means that The Man with the Iron Fists 2 was a
failure, regardless. The failure is a result of a lack of commitment to either
make a movie intentionally campy, like Robert Rodriguez’s Machete franchise, or a more sincere effort like the latest
adaptation of 47 Ronin. This typical
straight-to-video cash grab from Universal studios is not brave enough to take
any real risks, and the result is a predictably bland follow-up film.
To be honest, I
don’t remember enough about the first film for the sequel’s storyline to have
any real relevance to me. On the other hand, I truly don’t think it matters.
All you really need to know is that Thaddeus (RZA) returns to the narrative as
the title character, a blacksmith whose hands have been replaced by fists made
of iron. These fists result in a majority of the onscreen violence, though the
real carnage comes in the form of RZA’s acting skills. The rapper has long been
a fan of kung-fu films, and has found a way to engrain himself in them by
producing and co-writing himself into them. This does not necessarily mean that
he belongs in front of the camera; I would much rather see a mic in his hand
than iron fists.
Thankfully, the
storyline takes some of the focus away from Thaddeus onto a conflict between
the townsfolk of a small mining village and the corrupt Master Ho (Carl Ng).
When the kindness of one of the miners (Dustin Nguyen) puts him in debt,
Thaddeus agrees to build weapons that might help in the peasant’s revolt. Key
the rap soundtrack and generic montage sequences of RZA making indestructible
tools that can double as weapons. Unfortunately, the sequences never work
together within this film, and all of his work to disguise the weapons seems
pointless by the time the film’s brief climax is reached.
The Blu-ray
release of The Man with the Iron Fists 2 brags the inclusion of an unrated
version of the film which is about one minute longer. I’m sure that some of the
more graphic shots were included in this minute, but the violence seems
relatively tame even with these additions. I can’t imagine that it would have
made a difference in getting an R-rating, which leads me to believe that this
is yet another consistently over-used marketing ploy from Universal Studios
home entertainment. They don’t even try and hide their transparent grabs for
cash any more, exploiting even the unsuccessful franchises.
The Blu-ray
combo pack release also includes a DVD and a digital HD copy of the movie.
Along with the triplicate ways to view the film, the extras include a handful
of deleted scenes, a making-of featurette and a commentary track.
Producer/co-writer/star/soundtrack-contributor RZA also provides an optional
audio commentary alongside director Roel Reiné.
Entertainment Value:
4.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 3.5/10
Historical
Significance: 1/10
Special Features: 5/10
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