Right behind your back, RZA directed a kung-fu movie starring Russell Crowe. All the proof (as if you don’t believe me) can be found in the first trailer for The Man with the Iron Fists, itself a bizarre cornucopia of Asian decor, metallic armor, flying eyebalsl, men screaming whilst engaged in combat, men turning into metallic armor whilst engaged in scream-filled combat… it’s a lot to take in.

Too much, actually. Confident as I am that time with Quentin Tarantino (the film’s “presenter”) and a heavy diet of genre films have both taught RZA some basics as to the nature of shooting an action scene — I think it’s actually on display, however briefly — anything relating to plot or character is entirely absent. Which, I guess, is okay for a first look, but I would appreciate a more cohesive portrait of Iron Fists as a whole; right now, I’m very, very confused, and Russell Crowe‘s presence doesn’t help matters much. Nor will it be a good start for the movie’s box office chances.

(A quick Wikipedia search tells me the film centers on “a blacksmith who makes weapons for a small village [and] is put in the position where he must defend himself and his fellow villagers.” Try and gather that from the footage.)

Watch the trailer below (via IGN):

RZA, Lucy Liu, Jamie Chung, and Pam Grier also star in The Man with the Iron Fists, c0-written by Eli Roth, which is scheduled to hit sometime this year.

Has this first trailer put you into anticipation over the film, or is it too much at once?