Parents' Guide to

The Man with the Iron Fists

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Violent but blah martial arts tribute from rapper RZA.

Movie R 2012 96 minutes
The Man with the Iron Fists Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 16+

Based on 4 parent reviews

age 14+

Iron Fist

I think this movie is for kids 14+ because I watched most of it myself and it kind of bothered me. The episode that really bothered me was episode 7. I’m really good about movies and shows like this, but this show just crossed the line for me because I’ve watched Hunger Games, Stranger Things, and other movies like this. Anyway I hope this feedback helped you. Thanks for reading!

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
age 18+

Disgusting Sexual Content

Be aware that this movie contains EXTREMELY suggestive sexual content. I was a fan of Russell Crowe until this film came out, and now I'm disappointed in his lack of morality. He debases himself by being a man-whore on camera with enough implied information to excite the fantasies of children in puberty. Aka... the content is not subliminal and won't go over the heads of children. This is not for kids... and shouldn't be watched by or performed by adults either.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (4 ):

Much of this lifeless movie simply feels like it's been done many times before. Working on the music scores for Jim Jarmusch's Ghost Dog and Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill - Vol. 2 apparently whetted rapper RZA's appetite for filmmaking -- as did a childhood spent watching Shaw Brothers martial arts movies. Unfortunately, the result demonstrates why not all fans can be filmmakers.

The fight choreography, by Corey Yuen, is terrific, but the shaky, uncertain cinematography and choppy editing strip all the beauty and excitement from it. The non-fighting scenes are even worse, thanks to stale dialogue by co-written by Eli Roth (of the Hostel films) and to flat performances (including by RZA himself). Only veterans Crowe and Liu really seem to savor their roles and get behind the spirit of fun that should have pervaded The Man with the Iron Fists; their scenes together have a slight sizzle.

Movie Details

  • In theaters: November 2, 2012
  • On DVD or streaming: February 12, 2013
  • Cast: Lucy Liu , Russell Crowe , RZA
  • Director: RZA
  • Inclusion Information: Black directors, Black actors
  • Studio: Universal Pictures
  • Genre: Action/Adventure
  • Run time: 96 minutes
  • MPAA rating: R
  • MPAA explanation: bloody violence, strong sexuality, language and brief drug use
  • Last updated: January 29, 2023

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate