Set in the mid/late 1930's, Ip Man tells the life story of Master Ip (Donnie Yen). A legendary master of Wing Chun, Master Ip was residing in Fo Shan when the Sino-Japanese War broke out. Prior to the Japanese invasion, Fo Shan was a breeding ground for martial arts schools. Though many masters taught many various styles, Master Ip refused to open a school, instead offering private lessons and guidance to friends and other instructors alike. Considered by many of his peers to be at the pinnacle of his profession, Master Ip faced many challengers, defeating all comers while allowing them to retain their dignity and pride.
At the on-set of the war, the once prosperous town of Fo Shan is occupied and the population is reduced from several hundred thousand down to under a hundred thousand residents. Like many of the formerly wealthy residents, Ip Man is forced from his home and he and his family are forced to live is relative squalor. Master Ip takes up work at a coal processing facility, but the local garrison of Japanese are headed by a martial artist aficionado who offers bags of rice to fighters who face and defeat practitioners of Japanese style combatants. Master Ip refuses to fight for food, but eventually the honor of his people and of his nation bring him into the combat arena. After defeating several opponents, he quickly catches the attention of the garrison commander, who insists that Master Ip instruct his soldiers in Wing Chun. His refusal eventually leads to a showdown with the commander, a fight that helps inspire a people to rise against their oppressors.
Ip Man tells a great story, but, although it is based upon the life of an actual person, it will seem very familiar to many fans of the genre. It shares many characteristics with movies such as Bruce Lee's famous Chinese Connection (also known as Fist of Fury), along with the remake entitled Fist of Legend starring Jet Li, as well as Fearless, also starring Jet Li. Similarities and story aside, Donnie Yen does a fantastic job portraying Master Ip and the action choreography, under the direction of legendary Hong Kong action star Sammo Hung, is simply amazing. The settings are beautiful and it is obvious that a lot of time and effort went into reconstructing the set to offer the audience a glimpse of Fo Shan in a different time.
The Blu-ray version of Ip Man offers many bonus features, including documentaries on the making of the movie, the designing of the set and a diary of the film shooting. There are also interviews with many of the cast members regarding the movie and the life of Master Ip. Those not familiar with Chinese movies might find these features a bit different from their American counterparts. Whereas in America the focus is on the movie, set, etc., in China, the focus is on offering praise to the other actors and personnel involved in the movie. Much of the interviews are simply the actors describing how great it was working with the other actors and directors. This does a nice job of highlighting a difference in the cultures of the two countries.
Ip Man is a very enjoyable film and while the story is somewhat predictable, the fight sequences are fantastic and the movie is well worth the time to view. Not only does it provide a historical glimpse into a troubled time in China (and a prelude to World War II), but it also offers an interesting look at the man who mentored the iconic Bruce Lee.
