Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks

Kung fu films began as studio production in 1960s Hong Kong. Shaw Brothers put out dozens a year, Bruce Lee carried it to the world, and in the 1970s the films played in inner-city cinemas in America. Other things were born there: blaxploitation, hip hop culture, breakdance, parkour, and eventually Wakaliwood, the low-budget action cinema of Uganda. Serge Ou's documentary follows that chain in order. What is interesting in the narrative is the way it shows a local film industry dispersing across the world and turning into something different at each stop. Martial artists, choreographers, producers and filmmakers who grew up watching the genre all speak. Rare archive footage makes up a significant part of the film. Who it's for: Anyone curious about martial-arts cinema, genre history, and narratives of cultural spread. Who it's not for: The scope is very wide and each subject gets a few minutes. It stays shallow for a viewer looking for depth.