Byron Mann

Rapper-turned-actor-turned-filmmaker RZA is clearly influenced by cohorts Quentin Tarantino and Eli Roth as he indulges in this crazed pastiche of 1970s kung fu action romps. It's energetic and often quite funny, but far too silly to come together properly, mainly because he never adds any sense of post-modern wit. If the action scenes were more coherent, it at least could have been a guilty pleasure.

In a 19th century Chinese village, an American ex-slave (RZA) is known only as Blacksmith, forging weapons for gang members to raise the money to buy his girlfriend Lady Silk (Chung) from the local brothel's Madam Blossom (Lucy Liu). But their fate is caught up in a battle for power after the patriarch of the Lion clan is murdered and the swaggering Silver Lion (Mann) challenges rightful heir Zen Li (Yune). After a vicious attack by Silver Lion's muscled henchman Brass Body (Bautista), Zen Li is rescued by Blacksmith. And they get help from Englishman Jack Knife (Crowe) to fight Silver Lion and his thugs.

The title refers to something that happens about halfway in, when Blacksmith forges new arms for himself after being attacked by Silver Lion for helping Zen Li. This sets the stage for an orgy of metal-on-metal battling (there are also bronze and copper characters), leading to a clattering showdown between Blacksmith and Brass Body, who for some inexplicable reason can morph his body into, yes, brass. As such a wild fantasy, it's not surprising that the plot makes so little sense, although a bit more genuine character depth would have helped hold our interest.

Continue reading: The Man With The Iron Fists Review

"The Corruptor" gets off to a shaky start --literally. The over-stylized, '70s-inspired shake-and-zoom handheld cameraworkin the establishing action scenes was enough to make me wish I had a someDramamine.

The first act of the movie mostly by-the-book ganglandcop stuff, featuring Hong Kong action king Chow Yun-Fat ("TheReplacement Killers") as a hard-boiled(naturally) NYPD detective working the gang beat in Chinatown who reluctantlytakes on Mark Wahlberg ("Boogie Nights") as his inexperienced and laughablyidealistic new partner.

Early on Wahlberg and Chow, in his trademark sunglasses,slick suits and leather duster get into the kind of bystander-endangeringchases and shoot-outs that would get a real cop suspended (if not fired),but instead they receive commendations. They rough up informants, cut dealswith mafia leaders and raise the FBI's hackles by busting an undercoveroperative. They're kick-ass Chinatown gang cops who don't play by the rulesand act like a gang themselves.

Continue reading: The Corruptor Review