Iron Monkey

Yuen Woo-ping's dazzling take on Robin Hood, set in a 19th-century Canton township, stars Yu Rong-guang as the humble healer Dr. Yang, who dons black tights and a bandit mask for nightly excursions as the Iron Monkey to rob from the thieving governor of Canton and give to the poor. When wandering herbalist and martial artist Wong Kei-ying (Donnie Yen) enters town with his son in tow, the governor blackmails Wong into capturing the outlaw. Needless to say, Wong and Yang become fast friends and team up to take on the new villain in town, the Monk, and his mob of street-fighting thugs. The story is pure pulp, a turn-of-the-century superhero picture with a comic book sensibility, and master choreographer Yuen (Wing Chun) provides plenty of splashy, stylish battles with an emphasis on elaborate wire work and complicated stunts--notably the spectacular finale in a fiery inferno as the heroes leap above the flames, balanced on burning poles. Fans of the Once Upon a Time in China series (created by Iron Monkey producer Tsui Hark, Hong Kong's answer to Steven Spielberg) will appreciate the prequel elements featuring Wong's son (played, incidentally, by a very gifted young girl), a scrappy little customer who turns out to be none other than future folk hero Wong Fei-hung.