The finale movie of Donnie Yen's portrayal of Grandmaster Ip Man is a bittersweet closure to this version of Ip Man. It is less melodramatic than its predecessors and more contemplative as the aging Ip Man is dying. Here Ip Man is shown to have attended Bruce Lee's kungfu demo at the San Fransisco Karate Tournament in 1964. This is the first hint that the movie is still set within a fully fictionalised world. The second hint is when Master Wan, the chairman of Chinese Benevolent Association, chastises Ip Man's student Bruce Lee for teaching non-Chinese wushu. Then in the next scene we are introduced to his daughter who looks very much half-white (unless her nose and face are fake). In the 60s, and perhaps earlier there were already Chinese martial arts teachers who were teaching their arts to non-Chinese even before Bruce Lee migrated to the States. But I understand this was a generally accepted myth-taboo that would help make for dramatic stories.
The production quality is still top-notch, and the CGI towns and backgrounds of 60s Hong Kong and San Francisco are well crafted. I gave this movie a couple of extra points for the moving and lyrical music by maestro Kenji Kawai. This is one of his best, and in this fourth rendition, he mellows down the upbeat tempo of Ip Man's theme to reflect the deteriorating condition of Ip Man's health and how his life has matured beyond his fighting days. The real Ip Man was a gaunt by this time while Donnie Yen still looks full of vitality. Still missing mysteriously is Ip Man's actual Wing Chun's flag bearer, his first son Ip Chun. Instead, Ip Ching's teenage rebellion becomes the genesis of Ip Man's venture into San Fransisco.
At times the movie meanders back into a caricature of racism in 60s' San Fransisco, where one-dimensional and poorly written characters, especially the non-Chinese, were all out to get you. While racism is part of human reality and every society is plagued by this condition (it's even more entrenched in Asian countries), I understand the movie needs to kowtow to its China financiers so expect a lot of abuses towards Chinese and literally all the European characters want your money or harm you. It is a reflection of the current state of affair between the two Superpowers (and I suppose the state of minds of the target audience of this movie).
This is why Jacky Chan's movies are more universal as he bridges the cultural and political gaps through humour and athleticism. Seek what unites us instead of what divides us. Once you have trust and connection, then you are at a place to discuss the more complex and difficult human conditions. In a way, Ip Man does deliver some good advise to the Chinatown's kungfu masters that they should be out building bridges rather than remain in the cultural bubble of China Town, which exists as a symbol of historical segregation and a legacy of racist policies.
Luckily, the fight sequences are still well choreographed by HK cinema veteran Yuen Wooping and they are paced evenly throughout the movie so that you are never bogged down too much by any moral dilemma or social criticism. I do miss Sammo Hung's direction from the first movie, as his fighting style is more grounded and suited to Wing Chun. But Yuen is as good as they come, albeit he does more flashy and wire-fu. I do enjoy the creative clashes between the different styles and this time around we get to see Wing Chun vs Taiji. In fact, we even get to see a bit of Xingyi and Seven Star Mantis vs Kyokushin Karate/Wrestling.
All in all I am happy with the movie I got and congratulate both Wilson Yip and Donnie Yen for their swan song after 13 years of making these Ip Man movies for us martial arts enthusiasts and cinema goers.
The production quality is still top-notch, and the CGI towns and backgrounds of 60s Hong Kong and San Francisco are well crafted. I gave this movie a couple of extra points for the moving and lyrical music by maestro Kenji Kawai. This is one of his best, and in this fourth rendition, he mellows down the upbeat tempo of Ip Man's theme to reflect the deteriorating condition of Ip Man's health and how his life has matured beyond his fighting days. The real Ip Man was a gaunt by this time while Donnie Yen still looks full of vitality. Still missing mysteriously is Ip Man's actual Wing Chun's flag bearer, his first son Ip Chun. Instead, Ip Ching's teenage rebellion becomes the genesis of Ip Man's venture into San Fransisco.
At times the movie meanders back into a caricature of racism in 60s' San Fransisco, where one-dimensional and poorly written characters, especially the non-Chinese, were all out to get you. While racism is part of human reality and every society is plagued by this condition (it's even more entrenched in Asian countries), I understand the movie needs to kowtow to its China financiers so expect a lot of abuses towards Chinese and literally all the European characters want your money or harm you. It is a reflection of the current state of affair between the two Superpowers (and I suppose the state of minds of the target audience of this movie).
This is why Jacky Chan's movies are more universal as he bridges the cultural and political gaps through humour and athleticism. Seek what unites us instead of what divides us. Once you have trust and connection, then you are at a place to discuss the more complex and difficult human conditions. In a way, Ip Man does deliver some good advise to the Chinatown's kungfu masters that they should be out building bridges rather than remain in the cultural bubble of China Town, which exists as a symbol of historical segregation and a legacy of racist policies.
Luckily, the fight sequences are still well choreographed by HK cinema veteran Yuen Wooping and they are paced evenly throughout the movie so that you are never bogged down too much by any moral dilemma or social criticism. I do miss Sammo Hung's direction from the first movie, as his fighting style is more grounded and suited to Wing Chun. But Yuen is as good as they come, albeit he does more flashy and wire-fu. I do enjoy the creative clashes between the different styles and this time around we get to see Wing Chun vs Taiji. In fact, we even get to see a bit of Xingyi and Seven Star Mantis vs Kyokushin Karate/Wrestling.
All in all I am happy with the movie I got and congratulate both Wilson Yip and Donnie Yen for their swan song after 13 years of making these Ip Man movies for us martial arts enthusiasts and cinema goers.