Ip Man

Wilson Yip's 2008 biopic of the legendary practitioner of the Wing Chun form of martial arts might initially seem very familiar with its tale of an extraordinary fighter whose reluctance to engage in conflict is eventually worn down, with damaging results to his would-be opponents. Yet this is an invigorating production, thanks to the charismatic star turn by Donnie Yen and astonishing action choreography by Sammo Hung. Set in 1930s China during the Japanese military occupation, the story finds Wing Chun master Ip trying to maintain a low profile by working as a coolie at a coal plant. But when he's egged on by Japanese soldiers, Ip is forced to demonstrate his amazing fighting skills, winning the admiration of local military commander Col. Miura (Hiroyuki Ikeuchi), who challenges him to a championship duel. For the oppressed Chinese cheering on Ip, the match-up goes far beyond a mere display of physical skill. While Ip Man has much going for it—opulent set design, a strong ensemble cast, and a genuinely compelling screenplay by Edmund Wong—the true highlights here are the spectacular fight sequences, which are masterworks of staging and editing, sure to delight martial arts fans. Highly recommended. (P. Hall)