Iron Neck Li (1981) Review

Starring: Chi Kuan Chun, Wong Hon, Hsiao Hou-Tao, Wang Shui

Director:  Cheung Yan-Git

Action Directors:  So Kwok-Leung, Lin Kuang-Yung

Summary:  ‘Iron Neck’ Li Yung(Chi Kuan Chun) earned his nickname by using his fists to stand up for the weak and persecuted.  LI Yung becomes the bodyguard of young Emperor Chien Lung after His Majesty stands up for him when he was wrongly accused of killing a man.  The pair set out on an adventure across Taiwan with Wang Fa(Wang Shui), the Emperor’s eunuch.  The trio run into some interesting circumstances, love and nefarious characters on their adventure.

This is one of my non-Shaw Brothers films starring one of my top 3 favorites Chi Kuan Chun.  I liked this movie because Chi Kuan Chun doesn’t play his normal stoic and wise character as he was stereotyped during his Shaw Brothers days.  Iron Neck Li allows him to show his range as an actor.  Li Yung is brave and strong but also shy around women and has a fight now and ask questions later kind of attitude.  He is a martial force to be reckoned with as he takes on many enemies throughout their travels.

One of my favorite scenes is where Li picks up a pair of wedding shoes and lucky red envelope of money.  The father comes out of the house and greets Li Yung as his son-in-law.  Li runs for his life back to where the Emperor and Wang Fa are waiting.  The sheer look of terror, which is not a normal look, on Chi Kuan Chun’s face made me giggle a little.  In this movie, we are able to see many different expressions/emotions from Chi Kuan Chun that we are not used to seeing in his Shaw Brothers films.

The other actors also did a great job in this film, especially Wang Shui as the eunuch, Wang Fa.  He provided some funny moments in the movie.  Wang seems to get them in a bit of trouble in a brothel and serenades a young lady while she is picking tea.  

The action wasn’t anything spectacular as most of it was hand to hand combat.  The sequences are basic and not flashy which fits in with the story of the movie.  Don’t get me wrong, the action is good but you shouldn't expect flipping and many different types of weapons being used. The fighting is true to life in my opinion.

All in all, this is a good film if you are looking to discover a different side of Chi Kuan Chun.  I liked everything about the movie except the ending.  I wish it had a different ending.

Iron Neck Li is available on Youtube and Amazon Prime


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