The Man with the Iron Fists

Best known as the Wu-Tang Clan’s sonic architect, the RZA has always had aspirations of directing (he’s made short clips associated with his various musical endeavors). With some help from Quentin Tarantino, who loans his name to the project (the film is billed as “presented by Quentin Tarantino), RZA finally has the chance. Set in 19th century China, his martial arts film doesn’t exactly add anything new to the genre. The acting is generally bad (while RZA is passable in the title role, Russell Crowe and Lucy Liu turn in forgettable performances) and the plot about a group of warriors who try to save their home from a group of thugs is clichéd. The soundtrack, which RZA assembled, is fantastic, however, and features songs from the aforementioned Wu Tang Clan and other acts such as the Black Keys and Kanye West.