Good martial arts movie

Rating: 6/10 (2 January 2009)

If you're a fan of martial arts this is a good one to watch. Donnie Yen portrays the Ip Man, a family man of good standing who faces many challenges in the movie. Much like a Bruce Lee movie, the plot is really just a method of introducing a number of action/fight sequences, culminating in the Ip Man's confrontation with invading Japanese forces in China's WW II experience. The fight choreography is fast and entertaining, and the movie's villains and heroes cast in stark black and white terms. For all its limitations, Ip Man manages to hold one's attention, providing there is no viewer antipathy for martial arts violence. At times the violence is quite intense, which will probably get it an R rating when it becomes available in the U.S.