A psychopathic thief is chased by the police after he and a gang of thieves murder the owner of a gun store.
Fifth brother is separated from his kin whilst fighting the marauding Lao, and is nursed back to health in a monastery. He is befriended by Grinder, a monk whose job is to mill wheat. Fifth brother assumes the name of Ming Sau, and works on improving his fu. He is alternately helped and distracted by pretty Yue Lan. Meanwhile, the treacherous Lao continue their plans for conquest.
A trio of fine martial artists unite their skills to destroy a ruthless opium smuggling gang led by the Silver Fox; a master kicker and flying guillotine user. No mercy asked, none given.
Dirty Kung Fu is about a young bounty hunter who uses his kung fu skills or lack thereof to capture criminals.
Man of Iron was positioned as something of a follow-up to Boxer From Shantung, the rise-and-fall story of Ma Yung Chen and it reunites the directors and some of the cast in a similar but much slighter tale of a lesser gangster's rise and fall in Shanghai. While the opening narration specifically recalls the events and tragic conclusion of BOXER, this one is set 20 years later in the same section of Shanghai but otherwise has nothing to do with the events or characters of the previous film.