Repulsively violent martial-arts fantasy in which a blacksmith – played by rapper RZA, who also directed and co-wrote the script – a secret agent for the emperor of China (Russell Crowe) and the heir of an assassinated warlord (Rick Yune) join forces to battle a variety of villains (principally Byron Mann and David Bautista), all of whom are out to purloin a shipment of imperial gold. Far from administering stylized karate chops, warriors on both sides dismember, disembowel and even liquefy their enemies to sickening effect.
Watch out for: Excessive bloody violence, gruesome images, graphic sexual activity, implied aberrant sex acts, a prostitution theme, drug use, an anti-Catholic slur, much rough language, a few crude or crass terms.
Rated: The Catholic News Service classification is O – morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R – restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
