Man of Iron

Man of Iron, or Chou Lian Huan as it's known in Mandarin, is a 1972 kung fu flick set in the gang-ridden underworld of 1930s Shanghai. Directed by Cheh Chang and Hsueh-Li Pao, the film stars Chen Kuan Tai as the titular character, a skilled martial artist with a penchant for gambling and a carefree attitude.

The story follows Chou's audacious pursuit of a powerful man's girlfriend, played by Ching Li. His brazen attempts to win her over set him on a collision course with the city's reigning crime boss and his henchmen. What follows is a brutal and bloody tale of gang warfare and revenge, as Chou battles his way through Shanghai's criminal underbelly, taking on all comers with his ruthless and realistic kung fu style.

Chen Kuan Tai dominates the screen with his incredible physical presence and martial arts prowess. His performance as Chou is a highlight, exuding a carefree yet powerful aura that draws you into the world of the film. The action sequences are brilliantly choreographed, showcasing Tai's physicality and the brutal efficiency of his character's fighting style. The fights are frequent and progressively more intense, with a realism that sets them apart from more fantastical martial arts films of the era.

However, the film is not without its flaws. The plot is somewhat simplistic and predictable, with the standard gang warfare and revenge tropes. While the costumes and set design are impressive, they sometimes feel at odds with the post-war setting, appearing older than expected. Some may also find the relentless action and violence excessive, with little time dedicated to character development or exploration of themes beyond gang rivalry.

That being said, "Man of Iron" is a solid entry in the kung fu genre. It delivers exactly what it promises: intense and brutal martial arts action, a compelling anti-hero, and a vivid portrayal of 1930s Shanghai's criminal underworld. The film's stylistic choices, from the costumes to the soundtrack, create an immersive experience, even if the story itself is not particularly groundbreaking.

Overall, "Man of Iron" is an enjoyable and unapologetically brutal kung fu flick that will appeal to fans of the genre. While it may not be a groundbreaking masterpiece, it is offering plenty of well-choreographed action and a captivating anti-hero in Chen Kuan Tai's portrayal of Chou Lian Huan.

MAN OF IRON (1972) was positioned as something of a follow-up to BOXER FROM SHANTUNG (1972), the rise-and-fall story of Ma Yung Chen (also reviewed on this site), and it reunites the directors and some of the cast in a similar but much slighter tale of a lesser gangster's rise and fall in Shanghai. While the opening narration specifically recalls the events and tragic conclusion of BOXER, this one is set 20 years later in the same section of Shanghai but otherwise has nothing to do with the events or characters of the previous film.

It's basically a tale of gang warfare in post-war Shanghai (although the sets and most of the costumes look much older) that begins when an "upstart," Chou Lian Huan, played by Chen Kuan Tai (also the star of BOXER), takes a liking to the socialite mistress (Ching Li) of the son of the city's reigning crime boss (Yang Chih-Ching). He even rides a motorcycle through the patio doors of her elegant house and into the parlor and fights off her bodyguards to get her attention. The old crime boss, disgusted with his own son's wastrel ways, actually takes a liking to Chou and lets him have the woman. This provides a wedge for another crime boss to start a war to take over the city's criminal network.

To make a not-so-long-story short, Chou finds himself battling dozens of henchmen wielding clubs and knives (apparently no one has any guns left over from the war) in a series of brutal kung fu fights that are more realistic than usual because of Chou's strategy of ruthless thrusts, punches, kicks and elbow blows designed to maim and disable his opponents as quickly and surely as possible. Fortunately, the film is filled with such fights and they keep one's interest throughout.

The on-screen chemistry between Chen Kuan Tai and his female co-star, Ching Li (a leading Shaw Bros. star who was also in BOXER), is quite strong and includes some tender and romantic scenes (after, of course, she gets over his initial rough treatment of her).

The narrator begins with a helpful explanation of the chronology of this movie and "Boxer from Shantung" in which Chen Kuan-Tai ended up dead because of a belly full of axes. It is now 20 years later so call this movie a sequel or remake but it is actually neither. What is it? The best business model for making movies "Find something that works then beat it to death". Here we are beating to death the "new gangster comes to town with predictable outcome" plot. This is all done in a good way though so no complaints from this reviewer.

Chen Kuan-Tai starts out walking through town and looking good. It's all about the looking good and our hero nails it as the ladies in the audience drop to their fainting couches. He goes to the casino, wins big, beats up Bolo, then steals the loser's girl. What a manly man! Loser goes to his daddy who is a big gangster.

Alexander Fu Sheng has his first speaking role in this movie. He is the guy with the Raleigh bicycle. I noticed that detail because I ride a Raleigh bicycle but a much newer one. This is at about the 26 minute mark. Alex warns our hero about the ambush and our hero then proceeds to give them a demonstration of bicycle kung fu. This could be the first time bicycle style was ever shown on screen.

I rate this above average and it is on my list to watch again every few years as appropriate.