The little brother of Jet Li's masterpiece "Fearless"

Rating: 6/10 (23 January 2012)

This is a beautiful martial arts movie with stunning fight scenes that also features some historic drama elements and a slightly philosophical touch which creates a rather addicting potpourri. It's portrait of Chinese culture, pride and rebellion during the Japanese occupation and is starring an authentic and brave main hero and a couple of interesting characters like his proud wife, a brutal bandit who wants to become a martial arts legend or a traitor and translator who works with the Japanese and has some important inner struggles.
Nevertheless, this movie is slightly overrated if you have seen the very similar but more emotional and profound "Fearless" by and with Jet Li a couple of years ago. Ip Man lacks of a profound story, aesthetic details and human passion that the other movie included. It's still an entertaining flick but has not many surprises, intense scenes or parts that may truly trouble you emotionally. You will basically watch this flick for its historic elements and its fight scenes while the acting and the story are rather mediocre after all.
That's why this movie is not as brilliant as its reputation. If you're a fan of Asian martial arts movies, you shouldn't expect anything groundbreaking as there are many better classic and modern flicks of the genre. On the other side, for an occidental viewer, this is still an exotic movie that may grab your attention and that is at least worth a loan at your local shop.