Iceman thaws on Blu-ray today from Well Go USA.
On a wintery mountain in the Ming Dynasty era, a political scenario plays out in which a loyal soldier, He Ying (Donnie Yen), is accused of treason. A brawl begins, but is cut short by by an avalanche which engulfs He Ying and a couple of his former comrades-turned-enemies, preserving them to eventually wake up 400 years later (but only after snowboarding down the mountain on their shields).
For whatever reason, the awakened warriors have extraordinary, fantasy-level acrobatics, super strength, and fighting skills. I’m not sure if this is simply signifying they come from a wuxia-style era or if they were enhanced as a result of some of the film’s incomprehensible mystical themes — if it was explained, I missed it. But the point is, these guys are basically superpowered warriors in modern times. He Ying awakens before his two opponents, and takes off on his own in modern Hong Kong, but they continue their search for him.
Hey Ying befriends May (Huang Shengyi), an ultramodern and somewhat shallow party girl who takes him in but also takes advantage of him, charging exorbitant rent and food prices (he carries a fortune in gold ingots and “antique” jewelry). Nevertheless, they of course become quite good friends and this dynamic evolves as their lives become more intertwined and they bond over May’s ailing mother. Meanwhile, He Ying’s pursuers, Niehu and Sao, fall in with an Indian street gang (literally because they discover and develop an obsession for curry chicken) and, like He Ying, modernize their clothes and approach.
Another major character, a police detective named Cheung, seems to have inside knowledge about the Ming characters, or at least some idea of their importance. He uses police resources, including video surveillance systems, to try to locate He Ying. This kind of police work is actually part of a trend I’ve noticed in HK films (including Firestorm), so I assume it’s due to the way things really work there. Notably, Iceman puts this technology in the hands of an untrustworthy character, commenting on the potential for abuse in a surveillance society.
The film feels bears a lot of similarities to western comic books movies like Captain America (frozen hero wakes up in modern times) and Superman II (superpowered hero and his foes share common origin), but it is actually a remake of the 1989 Hong Kong film The Iceman Cometh, starring Yuen Biao.
While there’s certainly something to be said for going into a film blind and being surprised, in the case of Iceman I think it would help to know a couple things before you press Play.
First and foremost, it’s a comedy, and a very silly one at that. Yes, there’s also a ton of great martial arts action, but I’d probably call it a comedy first. The humor includes the predictable fish-out-of-water, time travel jokes and character-driven humor, as well as some slapstick. A look at the casting may provide a clue as to how the filmmakers were inspired: Iceman reunites three cast members from Kung Fu Hustle.
But what you may not expect is that is also gets full-on scatological. Yes, this is a movie packed with a literal shit-ton of poop, fart, pee, and toilet jokes. Our superpowered hero has similarly power-packed bodily functions which are referenced and even used in combat repeatedly.
The lightness in tone also brings with it a certain shorthand. This is popcorn entertainment, and there are plenty of plot holes and nonsense that fall apart under scrutiny. He Ying’s learning curve for culture and technology is ridiculously fast; and he’s fully literate not only in modern Chinese, but smart enough to memorize a license plate number with Roman letters — and then search a computer license database for the owner.
Another thing you’ll probably want to be aware of is that the movie was designed as a 3-D film, even though this Blu-ray is not. It’s composed in that over-the-top trimensional fashion, with lots of camera movement, deep shots, crap (sometimes literally) flying about, and lots of pointing things.
This is also the first chapter of a series — and it feels like it. Even though it’s a full 105-minute feature with a climactic battle, the story is incomplete and the film’s bizarre ending actually raises more questions than it answers.
The Package
WellGoUSA’s Iceman release comes to Blu-ray in style. My copy included a very slick embossed slipcover with artwork identical to that of the cover. The movie is presented in the original Cantonese with options for English, French, and Spanish dubs, as well as English subtitles.
The movie is Rated R, but I’d contest that. A PG-13 would seem more appropriate, considering the fantasy nature of the violence and generally juvenile sensibilities.
Special Features and Extras
Making Of (20:13)
This breezy BTS is actually composed of several smaller chapters. The format suggests they probably began life as production journal webisodes. Even though the film is a bit cheesy and the effects often look too flashy, there’s some great work behind the scenes. Some things in the film which I assumed were CGI were actually real, and vice versa.
Trailer (1:42)
Previews
The disc includes trailers for three WellGoUSA titles, Dead Snow 2: Red Vs Dead (2:21), Kundo (1:57), and Special ID (1:35). These trailers also appear as autoplay pre-menu advertisements.
Iceman is an entertaining if incredibly dumb film, and while it’s not exactly filmmaking at its finest, I’m certainly intrigued enough to continue with the series and see where the future entries may take us.
A/V Out.
Get it at Amazon:
Iceman [Blu-Ray]