Ip Man

Ip Man is Bruce Lee's wushu teacher and for some reason people wanted to make film about him at some point at the same time. One such film is The Grand Master directed by my all time fave Wong Kar Wai and I loved it to bits. It was every bit as emotional as his previous films but there was good action in it too. This one is the "other one". I have stayed away from this one for a long time since I don't care for Donnie Yen.
The whole dislike started when I watched an interview of him being all cocky and implying that Jet Li was reluctant to fight with him (apparently there were two sets of fight props one light one heavy and when asked to choose Jet Li chose the light-easy- ones.) because Donnie is all that. Anyway this dislike was not helped that the man neither has charisma nor acting skill (as opposed to Jet who has both - heh can you tell I love Jet Li?). And despite the fact that he is a good martial actor and an even better action coreographer, I avoided the films he starred in (a mercifully short list).  Ip Man also was away because I wanted to watch WKW version first and then even after I have read all the praises heaped on it, I stayed away, disliking Donnie.

Now that my tastes are changing again (yeah I even like Scarlett Johanson and Christian Bale now) I wanted to give this one a try and I'm so glad that I did.

First off this one is directed by Wilson Yip, a competent HK director whose films I usually like. Next, the action choreographer is Sammo Hung (yet another guy I like better behind the camera than in the front of) whose close up fight scene choreographies are very very good.

This film is not an exception. I loved the fight scenes which looked real and only minimally wired. I took great pleasure watching almost all of them. My favorite being the northern martial art practitioner wanting to beat Ip Man and getting his lesson by being beaten with a feather duster in the end of the fight.

Donnie is not a good actor in this film but at least he could emote some parts and this performance is the best I have seen him since OUATIC 2 where he was the villain.

Ip Man was a rich guy until the Japanese Invasion (so soon after Gaksital, I'm reminded Japanese imperialist crimes once again, I know that not all the Japanese were evil at that time but I don't blame the film makers showing them as such) where the Japanese army confiscated his mansion and goods. He didn't think making a profit from martial arts and did menial work to support his family (these were the same in WKW's film too so I assume most factual parts of Mr.Ip's life story on film).

And there was a certain kind of gravitas in the fights that usually lacks in Hong Kong films which are quick and frenetic. I loved it and will probably watch it again despite Donnie.