DirkH’s review published on Letterboxd:
Part of Dastardly Difficult December: film nr.60
I'm not down with the hippety hop crowd so I have no idea who RZA is. I do know he is a mediocre director at best and a very poor actor. So how he was allowed to make this is beyond me as I feel there is a decent film hiding in the murky depths that is The Man with the Iron Fists, beaten to death by someone who probably shouldn't be directing.
This is a poorly sown together patch quilt of overstylized, tonally schizophrenic action sequences that feel as uninspired as the plot and the characters in it. The poor pacing makes the film drag immensely in the middle, pushing the somewhat enjoyable first act to the realms of distant memories.
The only person who actually seems to be having fun is Crowe. It's either that or it's the fact that he is the only one on set who can actually act (I know Lucy Liu is in this, but she's basically reprising three quarters of her previous roles).
RZA is about as charismatic as a depressed poodle and that is a bit of a problem when he's the hero of the story. He is also not a fighter I think as he is about as convincing in his fight scenes as a....well....depressed poodle.
Some people should just stick to doing what they're good at.