Review of Ip Man (2008) by Adam L — 25 Nov 2012

Grand Master Ip Man might have went down in history as the most notable practitioner of Wing Chun wu shu -- trumping Yim Wing Chun herself for whom the style was named after -- had his most famous disciple not have been Bruce Lee.

Though "Ip Man" has nothing to do with Lee (save a reference in the film's epilogue) it really doesn't have anything to do with the real Ip Man, per se, either.

Screenwriters Edmond Wong and Chan Tai-li have re-imagined Ip as a stoic national in the vein of Wong Fei-hung who remains in his home town of Fushun during World War II and restores pride to the Chinese people in the face of totalitarian Japanese occupation.

In reality, Ip's chosen profession was law enforcement and while his chivalry is noteworthy as was his Wing Chun prowess, he [understandably] fled Fushun when the Japanese invaded and didn't return until after the war.

The end game of Wong and Chan's "Ip Man" script is a title match between Ip, portrayed by Donnie Yen (borrowing all the right stuff from his "Once Upon a Time in China II" co-star Jet Li) and a bullish Japanese general (Ikeuchi Hiroyuki).

Guess who wins and then must flee to Hong Kong?

Ironically, in real life Ip fled to the British colony from his own people in 1949 when communist forces entered Fushun.

Suffice to say, the reel story isn't the real story but when is it ever? And honestly, was the audience truly hoodwinked by these biographical adjustments?

As a film "Ip Man" is an easy, breezy biopic with impressive art direction and a fine performance by the ever maturing Yen who comes into perfect alignment with Sammo Hung and Tony Leung Siu-hung's nearly organic choreography.