Review of The Legend Is Born: Ip Man (2010) by John B — 12 Sep 2010

A well made biopic of the legendary master of Wing Chun,The Legend Is Born: Yip Man (starring Dennis To), as compared to another picture, Ip Man (starring Donnie Yen); I must admit, the former is much better.

The film is not different in the story-telling, actually. Instead, the audience should focus on the martial art the actors perform in both films. In Ip Man, while maintain the dramatic portion, the martial art is kind of exaggerated, while in The Legend, the martial art generates the pleasure of every eye that watches. I think that's because the choreograph; Ip Man shows a real combat with CGI (what a pain in the arse), while The Legend is more flexible with wires and stunts. I really enjoy The Legend, pretty much because it delivers an entertainment that only a real action film can do. The camerawork is rich, with lots of angle and varied shots, making it more like a Spielberg-an (it really does!). But if you want some drama, I advise you to watch Ip Man. Watching The Legend, forget the script, forget the acting (or save it for Ip Man), just enjoy the fighting. That's what we come to see a real action film for, right?