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Anyone who is familiar with the Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA knows that he is a fan of martial arts movies, which is evident in all of the kung fu flick samples he uses in his music. So, it’s unsurprising that his 2012 directorial debut, “The Man with the Iron Fists,” is a martial arts film that pours RZA’s lifelong fandom into an entertaining genre pastiche<\/a>. What’s more, the actioner boasts an all-star cast that includes Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu, Pam Grier, and Dave Bautista (right before he was catapulted into superstardom thanks to Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy”).<\/p>\n Co-written by RZA and Eli Roth, “The Man with the Iron Fists” is an action-packed bloodbath set in 19th-century China. RZA plays a nameless blacksmith who gets stuck in the middle of a battle between warring clans, forcing him to gather a group of heroes to protect a lawless village from the baddies. However, Crowe steals the show as Jack Knife, a promiscuous British soldier who refers to his manhood as “the baby’s arm” \u2014 and you can tell the actor is having a ball. Meanwhile, Bautista portrays a mercenary named Brass Body, whose main skill \u2014 you guessed it \u2014 is turning his body into literal brass and punching people.<\/p>\n “The Man with the Iron Fists” isn’t one of the best martial arts movies ever made<\/a>, nor is it considered one of the greatest Russell Crowe films<\/a> in existence. That said, it’s a fun, pulpy, and bloody fantasy with lots of fighting and a hip-hop swagger \u2014 one that boasts a terrific sense of world-building and a cast of interesting characters. What’s more, it helped Bautista fully concentrate on taking Hollywood by storm.<\/p>\n