10. Iron Monkey
There are a myriad of films about the Chinese folk hero Wong Fei Hong. Think of him as the Wyatt Earp, in American terms, of China. There are numerous stories and legends about him that may or may not be true but fully assembles into a great mythic hero. Iron Monkey gives a different take on the legend. It tells the tale of Wong Fei Hong as a child before he became an icon in the history books. Here, Wong Fei Hong is seen as child following another mythical, and from all accounts fictional, hero of The Iron Monkey, a Robin Hood or Zorro type figure. Its a refreshing take on the character that has been depicted numerous times by showing him less than perfect like a lot of his previous films. He is playful and innocent, getting into childhood shenanigans while being sternly disciplined by his father, played by the great Donnie Yen. Directed by the fight choreographer Yuen Woo-ping, the fight scenes are an exquisite piece of art that uses practical stunts as an avenue of expression. Before there was the fluidity of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon there was Iron Monkey.