Donny Yen in his defining role

Rating: Null/10 (9 November 2011)

This movie won the prestigious Hong Kong academy award of 2009. Donny Yen was nominated for the award as the leading actor, and so has Wilson Yip as its director.
The year is 1935, in the Chinese town of Fo Shan, there are many martial arts schools. Owner of one of the school master Liu (Chen Zhihui) challenges Ip Man (Donny Yen) to a match. Liu was no match for Ip, but asks him to keep things quiet. Ip assures Liu that no one will hear about it. But Yuan (Wong You-nam) who was climbing a tree to recover his kite was watching the match and spreads the word. Ashamed and furious Liu directs his anger towards Ip, but it soon becomes apparent that it was Yuan who spread the word.
One day a martial artist named Jin (Fan Siu-wong) shows up and starts defeating all the school masters. He hears about Ip Man and challenges him. Ip is not interested but Jin tries to humiliate him. Ip's wife tells Ip to accept the challenge but don't break anything. Jin turns out to be no match for Ip either. After defeating Jin, Ip becomes somewhat of a home town celebrity, but dark clouds of war was forming. In 1938 the Japanese invaded Fo Shan, Ip's home was taken away from him, and he now had to make a meager living as a worker.
Japanese soldiers shows up at Ip's work. They were recruiting sparring partners for Japanese soldiers. If they win, a bag of rice will be awarded. Ip's friend Lin (Xing Yu) volunteers. At the karate dojo, master Liu has defeated the Japanese soldier, and was returning with a bag of rice. General Miura (Hiroyuki Ikeuchi) steps in and offers three vs one combat to show his skills. Lin and two other challenges, but they are no match for Miura. Lin persists on fighting, and gets killed by Miura. Following day, noticing that Lin is missing, Ip goes to the karate dojo. There he witnesses master Liu challenging three Japanese soldiers, and getting defeated. After he's lost, Liu is shot in the head and killed. Miura is furious that Sato (Shibuya Tenma) shot Liu and orders him not to use guns in the dojo ever again. Ip witnessing the murder, and sensing that Lin has been killed there also, challenges 10 Japanese and defeats them. Miura impressed asks Ip to come back again, and asks his name. Ip replies that he's not coming back, and he's just a Chinese man. But Li (Lam Ka-tung) who was interpreting, tells Miura that he will be back and his name is Yo Mon (Ip Man in Japanese).
In the mean time, Jin who was defeated by Ip has turned into a bandit. Yuan has joined him also. Now they are terrorizing Ip's close friend Chow's (Simon Yam) factory. Chow asks Ip to teach kung fu to the workers for protection. Ip obliges, and the factory workers are now being trained in Wing Chun. Jin shows up to the factory again with his bandits, but this time he's met with workers trained in kung fu. Amongst them he sees Ip Man. He challenges Ip again, but loses. Japanese are now looking for Ip and Li is ordered to find him. They show up at the factory and offers him a position as an instructor. Ip refuses, but Li interprets to Miura that Ip is considering the offer, and wishes to challenge him. Miura accepts the challenge, and date is set for their match.
The movie is almost tailor made for Donny Yen to star in. He even looks a bit like Ip Man himself. His martial art skills really shines in this movie. Portraying a calm and powerful master is spot on for his personality. This movie is made by seasoned staff, and the quality shows. Sammo Hung is the fight sequence choreographer. One honorable mention goes to the movie's producer Ramond Wong. He's been producing entertaining movies in Hong Kong for over a quarter century. This is his crowning achievement as well.
While this movie was made in Chinese Hong Kong, and negative propaganda about communist China was omitted in the story, it was the Cultural Revolution and the Red Army that confiscated all of Ip Man's property in China, and forced him to relocate to Hong Kong in 1949.
This is one of the best martial art movie to come out of Asia, and is recommended for viewing by action movie, and Asian movie fans alike.