One Of The Greatest Martial Arts Film Of All Time

Rating: Null/10 (14 October 2013)

Martial arts in cinema generally have this tendency to go way over-the-top in its depiction. Some find that overly exaggerated action ridiculously fun while for others, it's plainly stupid. However, there are also a few examples out there that have captured this combat style in a very grounded manner while managing to stay within the laws of physics. And Ip Man is definitely one of those flicks.
Ip Man is a semi-biographical account of the legendary Chinese martial artist Yip Man who popularised the Wing Chun fighting style but is best known around the world as the teacher of yet another Kung-fu legend, Bruce Lee. Set before & during the Second Sino-Japanese War, the plot covers the change brought in the peaceful life of the grandmaster & everyone around him in the city of Foshan after the Japanese invasion.
Brilliantly directed by Wilson Yip, Ip Man is a highly character-driven story that's filled with some of the most amazing martial arts sequences ever put on the film canvas. It takes its action seriously, keeps it realistic to a considerable extent but also manages to mix a bit of humour in it, especially in the first half. One action scene definitely stands out & you'll know which one I'm talking about once you've seen it yourself.
The script may not be an entirely authentic account of the grandmaster's life but the artistic license taken for dramatic effect never really deviates from what it's all about. Camera-work is expertly carried out, Editing provides a frenzy pace to the whole narrative, background score is beautifully composed & Donnie Yen is absolutely impeccable in the iconic role of Yip Man. In fact, of all the actors who've played that role before or after, he's the best at it.
On an overall scale, Ip Man is one highly explosive, incredibly thrilling, wildly entertaining & immensely satisfying cinema that's great enough to be ranked amongst the finest examples of its genre. It is wonderfully balanced in all departments of filmmaking, benefits hugely from Donnie Yen's committed performance & features regular moments of action that don't end up making a complete joke of its sacred combat style. Highly recommended.