Anyway, the plot synopsis is that Crowe and RZA are playing a couple of guys in feudal China who have to defend themselves using kung-fu and stuff. Too bad it isn’t set in a more modern era — Russell Crowe won’t have any telephones to throw. Wonder if he can deadlift a rickshaw.

Wu-Tang Clan’s The RZA is moving into film directing with an idea that would make The Sha Brothers proud. The Man with the Iron Fist will star Russell Crowe in RZA’s ultimate concept for martial arts. There’s been a little speculation so far about RZA’s ultimate vision. Durin Fantastic Fest, after he presented master Yuen Wu-Ping with a lifetime achievement award, RZA told me his idea for Iron Fist fights.

More from RZA after the jump…

“I think something that’s missing in some of these film, that lose tension is sometimes these guys’ll get his three or four, five or six times and get back up and try to kee fighting,” RZA said. “Bruce Lee once said that he likes his movies where he hits you one time and you’re down. That’s because what’s the use on knowing kung fu if it’s going to take you 20 punches to kill a man? Anybody could do that then. So I’m looking at trying to bring back the exciting impact of a martial art blow. It’s easier said than done of course but that’s my aim, to look at it like ooh, ooh, get a lot of oohs and not a lot of ha ha, ahh.”

If it only takes one hit to take a guy out, those fight scenes will end up pretty short. Don’t worry, RZA has a way to keep the action moving.

“I think there’s a way to do it. I think without revealing my technique, take [the example of] horror movies, like Jason. It’s one stab and that motherfucker’s dead. It’s a buildup to that death but you watch it and that’s your fear. When he does it, you’re like ugh. I think it’s that. I think it’s the impact of the one thing that makes an audience feel that kind of jolt you get when you’re watching these kinds of films.”

Now imagine Russell Crowe doing it.

Hold the phone! Longtime fan of hitting things, Russell Crowe has signed on to do BFF the RZA a solid by slumming it in the rapper’s shoddily-directed kung fu flick, The Man With The Iron Fist. The only thing we know about Crowe’s character is that he’ll be playing "the baddest man alive." Shouldn’t be a stretch. He’s already regarded as one of the baddest musicians alive.

Crowe is more than likely doing this as a favor to his friend and oft co-star, so it’s unlikely his labor will take that big of a bite out of the movie’s $20 million budget. The craft service budget on the other hand… (E!)