In China, a Black blacksmith and an English soldier go up against warriors and assassins out for the emperor's gold.

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In the 19th century, the sovereign of a Chinese village is toppled by two of his lieutenants, who reign by terror. They demand that the local blacksmith, a former slave from Africa, make them weapons to attack a shipment of the emperor's gold. The blacksmith takes on the job in hopes of making enough money to leave town with his shapely love, an employee of the local brothel run by a fearsome madam. Meanwhile, an English knife-thrower and the vengeful son of the sovereign make for the village and its impending cache of gold...

Directed by and starring the rapper RZA, this "tarantinesque" homage to 1970's kung fu and blaxploitation movies has good and bad qualities. In favor is its obvious intention not to take itself seriously, which minimizes slightly the over-the-top gore of too many decapitations, slit throats and chopped-off limbs.