Review: Ip Man (2008)

The latest collaboration between Donnie Yen, Sammo Hung, and director Wilson Yip yields a satisfying martial arts classic, and cements Yen's as the definitive martial arts actor of the moment.

Of late, martial arts movies from China can be divided into two wide categories: those that take their cue from the success of the resurgence of the classic wuxia pian following Lee Ang's well-accepted—and overrated—Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and the direct descendants of the Hong Kong urban martial arts flicks made by the likes of Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung (e.g., SPL, Dragon Tiger Gate, Flash Point). I am grateful Ip Man falls into neither.

From start to finish, Ip Man consistently favors restraint over flash, sentimentality over mawkishness. The film doesn't open with a dazzling display of martial arts prowess. Rather, a Master Liao turns at the Ip mansion, intent on pitting his skills against Ip's. Instead, he is kindly persuaded to dine with the Ip family first. After dessert and a smoke, Ip quickly and politely defeats Liao in a matter of minutes. So, within the first 10 minutes or less, we are given subtle but clear glimpses into the personas of Ip, his wife, as well the general regard for Ip represented by Liao. This restraint and economy in storytelling, superbly balanced by breathtaking fight sequences expertly choreographed by Hung, is Ip Man's strongest trait.

For the longest time, martial arts and action flicks from Hong Kong and China have been guilty of two things: action sequences tend to be so over the top as to be unimpressive; acting is typically melodramatic and shallow; and production values are usually slick but artless. The film makers behind Ip Man seem to understand that the effective punch is preceded by the effective pull. Every aspect of the film—acting, plot, editing, camera work—is kept in check, and Ip Man delivers with poise and precision when necessary. The film make even Flash Point—the previous collaboration between Donnie Yen and director Wilson Yip— feel more like a WWE production than a proper film.

Make no mistake: Ip Man doesn't pull any punches when it comes to martial arts action. Donnie Yen has always been serious about martial arts, and he certainly delivers in his portrayal of the founder of Wing Chun. A sequel is reportedly already in the works, and Wong Kar-wai apparently is also making his own biopic based on Ip Man's life. However they turn out doesn't matter much; for now, Ip Man will have you shadow-boxing all the way home.

Sphere: Related Content