Movie: Ip Man (2008)
Director: Wilson Yip
Cast: Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi
Rating: ****
What makes a true Kung- Fu classic?
Epic martial arts choreography- Check.
Philosophical overtones- Check.
An honorable hero who fights like a boss: Check
Evil Japanese/Western Stereotypical villain- Check.
A subtle or not so subtle Bruce Lee reference- Check
I can go on and on. Ip Man checks all the boxes of a kung-fu classic. It has it all and more. It is a semi-biopic based on a very real Ip Man. Who was a great Wing-Chun master and the teacher of a little somebody called Bruce Lee. You might have heard of him somewhere I am sure. When I say semi-biopic, I am just being humble. It takes a lot of creative liberties in terms of story telling, opting for myth and folklore than fact. If you are looking for historical accuracy this is not the movie for you. but if you are a big fan of the kung-fu genre, it is a definite cannot-miss-you-have-to-see-it-now kinda movie.
The movie kicks off in the martial arts center town of Foshan, where we see the titular character played with characteristic ease by Donnie Yen enjoying a quiet and comfortable life with his wife and son. A gang of upstarts from the north raid the town seeking a worthy opponent and are taught a lesson in humility by the lightning fast fists of Ip-Man, cementing his status as a town-hero. As time rolls out and China is under siege, the town comes under occupation from Japanese military. Here the movie channelizes nationalistic pride and uses Japanese stereotypes to its advantage that the Chinese audience loves to hate.
