Ip Man 2, le retour du grand maître

Edmond Wong's screenplay, like the first film, focused more on drama and had moments where questions such as integrity and the living of one's life according to ideals get raised, whether it is, for the sake of the greater good, worthwhile to forgo those ideals in order to make a living, and allow those who work for you, to make something out for themselves too. In essence, which of the lesser evils are you willing to compromise on. There's also time taken to devote to the corruption of Caucasian police officers, as well as how the Chinese used to fight their own, before learning to unite in the face of stronger, external opponents out to humiliate and insult long held values because of ignorance and prejudice.

The second half of the film, with what we've seen in the trailers involving yet another East versus West matchup that have been covered in contemporary martial arts films and biopics like Fearless and True Legend, was quite the worry for me, in that it would be another opportunity for meaningless bashing and the championing of nationalistic messages. It's that sense of deja-vu that you fear arising from a similar situation from its predecessor, but thankfully, we get a fight that's quite compelling to watch, with Ip Man now being properly challenged by an opponent who's skilled with plenty of power and dexterity, with that lack of honour in dishing out a fair fight. Darren Shahlavi who portrays Twister the boxer, gets top marks for making you all riled up with his constant air of superiority.

Action choreography continues to be designed by Sammo Hung, and personally three action sequences stand out. I didn't enjoy the fish market brawl, as I didn't take to Ip Man fighting with an unruly horde, except that there's a moment of truth there when he shows by example his philosophy of "running away" (not that he's a coward) which continues from where he left off from an answer to Wong Leung. Two scenes which stood out involves Shahlavi's battle with the Chinese grandmasters, and frankly, despite being a "boxing" match, it was really imaginative of Sammo to deliver something that's quite different from the usual action sequences in Chinese films involving battling a Caucasian in a ring.

But the number one action sequence, albeit a little bit short, would be that which you've been teased by the trailer, with Ip Man versus Sammo's Hung Jan Nam mano a mano atop a flimsy table, in what would be Wing Chung versus Hung Ga Kuen. Naturally, not to offend real life practitioners means the result of the fight would be understood, but to see Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung match up against one another, is an action film fan's dream come true again, from SPL, especially after Ip Man dispenses with the side show phonies. If I had a complaint, these two really went all out with the speed of execution, that you just want to beg the camera to stay put from afar in slow motion to allow us all to gaze.

And because of the enigmatic presence of Sammo, somehow I feel that Ip Man the character got diluted screen time because ample time has to be set aside to prevent Sammo's Master Hung from being just the supporting character, but one that's properly fleshed out. He's there to be the contrast as the older martial arts practitioner who's well respected by his peers, and providing that glimpse of how Ip Man could progress, and whether to want to compromise ideals for those dependent on him for livelihood. Sammo being Sammo also chews up the screen with his charisma, and you can hear gasps of reverence reverberate around the cinema hall when he first appears on screen, his persona just screaming that he's one bad mo-fo not to be messed around with.

So Ip Man's thunder did get stolen a little, and the air of invincibility of Ip Man also got shattered in this film, as Wing Chun gets practiced and delivered by others, and we see him drawing or even beaten, which is something rare and unseen thus far. Of course this makes his character even more believable that he's no Superman, and that it provides an opportunity for us to cheer him on in continuing to combat and stand for his ideals. Yen continues to deliver Ip Man in a relatively low key style, preferring smiles and the occasional smoke to wanting to show off that he's one of the best martial artists out there.

Simon Yam, Calvin Cheng, Fan Siu-Wong and even Lynn Hung who plays Ip Man's Wife from the first film were all sadly underutilized, and the introduction of Kent Cheng was something like a direct replacement of Lam Ka-Tung's character from Ip Man 1 (which means the deleted scene in the earlier film could be considered canon if you wish), being the default translator between the Chinese and the British, and more often than not is seen siding with the Westerners in order to keep his cop job. Huang Xiaoming brings a youthful energy as Wong Leung, and I suppose his inclusion is to capture the Mainland market where he's got a huge following.

Same same, but different, is my verdict of Ip Man 2, being just as enjoyable but lacking a certain inexplicable x-factor that could have made the second outing surpass the first.

The most impressive thing about Ip Man was its action choreography, not because it was expertly carried out but because after a long time, martial arts in cinema didn't look like a joke that went way too over-the-top. Instead, it had a very realistic feel, something that I'd been waiting for so long. There's no denying that the film had its storytelling issues but most of those complaints were simply brushed aside by its adrenaline-fueled, high octane & wildly spectacular action.

Now as for Ip Man 2, almost everyone who went in expecting the same thrilling experience that the original delivered didn't really come out feeling exactly the same. The film had an opportunity to be a worthy sequel to Ip Man but it exhibits such a massive downgrade in all aspects that it turns into a disappointment quite easily. Even its action choreography discards that grounded feel & ends up taking the same over-the-top route we've seen so many times in so many martial arts actioners before.

Following the events after the first film, set during the early 1950s & very loosely based on the life of Chinese martial artist Ip Man, Ip Man 2 presents the Wing Chun grandmaster's life in Hong Kong under British colonial rule where he opens a school to teach his discipline but soon faces opposition from local practitioners. After managing to earn their respect, things go extremely wrong when a cocky British boxer makes fun of the Chinese tradition & throws an open challenge to anyone, thus forcing Ip Man to step into the ring.

Directed by Wilson Yip, there are a handful of positives in this film such as its good pacing, an enjoyable plot & another charismatic performance from Donnie Yen. But that's all there is to this picture for it is marred by dull characters, horrible dialogues, poor performances, fractured storytelling & the most heartbreaking of them all, lacklustre action. What was done so amazingly well in the previous film is completely forgotten here although there are a few glimpses of such moments when the filmmakers aren't trying too hard.

On an overall scale, Ip Man 2 lacks the elements that made Ip Man such a terrific example of its genre & feels like those sequels which are made to cash in on the success of the original rather than trying to push forward what it achieved with the first film. Replacing the authentic martial arts choreography with eye-candy moments full of gravity-defying stunts in slow-motion within the first act of the film, Ip Man 2 is a massive disappointment in every manner, lacks the kinetic energy of the original & falls remarkably short of its expectations.

Ip Man (Donnie Yen), a master of the fighting style Wing Chun despite his smoking habit, has come to Hong Kong. But he meets some resistance, both from other masters of other fighting styles and then from the British authorities who rule. Can Ip Man overcome, or at least learn to live with, such obstacles?

Let me just get this out of the way: "Ip Man" is a terrible name for a movie, even if that was really the man's name. And having his nemesis be Master Hung? This is not how you sell a movie to American audiences. Marketing concerns aside, the film was amazing.

The choreography was excellent, the use of tables, chairs and pallets as props during fighting was wonderful. And the musical score was phenomenal, hitting all the emotional highs in just the right places, making the fight scenes even more epic than they already were.

I can see this film being popular, especially with the current MMA craze: this film features a Wing Chun master fighting a Western-style boxer. Of course, this is not real, but I still see this appealing to someone. Probably many someones.

The DVD is loaded with hours of extras, and the quality is amazing. You even have six audio options, so your stereo will get a workout, and you can watch in either Chinese or English (I watched in Chinese with English subtitles, but you may prefer to have your movies dubbed).

The quote on the cover called this "possibly the best martial arts movie", which I am sure is taken out of context, but it is also not a stretch. While I am not a huge fan of the genre, this film captivated me and I found it hard to look away. With the exception of Master Hung's repulsively ugly, fat son, this movie is pretty much perfect.

Donnie Yen returns as the titular kung fu grandmaster in Ip Man 2, with Wilson Yip reassuming his directorial duties and, most importantly, Sammo Hung back in his role as action director, and also as a main character.

The story picks up from where the first movie left off. Ip, having survived the war period in Foshan, moves to Hong Kong with his family and attempts to make a living teaching his beloved art of Wing Chun boxing. However, he is met with opposition and hardship in the form of rival martial arts schools and the atypical British oppressors, and finds that even his formidable martial arts prowess may not be enough to resolve these problems.

But the story aside, anyone with a little background knowledge of this film should know what to expect; a dose of intense Hong Kong kung fu film action. As the story begins to drag, at some point even a unsuspecting viewer should have realized that all the plot devices and dialogue serve little purpose other than as catalysts leading to the combat scenes. And at helm of the fight scenes is none other than the legendary Sammo Hung, in familiar territory choreographing the Wing Chun style, which he made a name for himself in movies such as The Prodigal Son in the 80s. With some creative input of his own, he manages to compose complex and graceful fight sequences that stays true to traditional kung fu styles, from Praying Mantis to Hung Gar Kuen. And who better to bring his imagination to life than the ever reliable Donnie Yen? What Hung designs, Yen executes with masterful control and precision. And in the movie when the former steps up to challenge the latter in a sparring session, we witness two of Hong Kong's greatest kung fu stars pushing themselves doing what they're best at in a brilliant exchange of strikes and blows. Absolutely a sight to behold.

In the end, the typical viewer is unlikely to be captivated by the highly borrowed storyline, save for some who still enjoy the cinematic display of Chinese pride that is rather blatant and unsubtle. But you will be blown away by the fights, you will be in awe of the moves, and, if you're able to, appreciate the action scenes not as the mindless, disposable portion of the movie, but rather the core of it, carefully thought out, executed, and filmed as a true form of art. With that, forgive the storyline, and enjoy the film for what it is.

I somehow doubted that IP MAN 2 would compare to the general excellence of the first film, but to my surprise and delight it does! It's a cracking little action movie that tells an involving, true-life story that doesn't just repeat the same kind of stuff we saw in the first film. This time around, Ip Man must test his mettle against a series of Hong Kong martial arts masters before taking his talent to the world stage.

The film displays exactly the same kind of sumptuous production values as the original, with Wilson Yip's expert direction combining with Sammo Hung's beautiful fight choreography to startling effect. Hung himself appears as a rival master and his various bouts with Yen are awe-inspiring, and there's a mid-way set-piece in a fish market that has to be seen to be believed – one of the greatest large-scale fight scenes ever put on film. By the time we reach the events of the last reel, involving a nasty British boxer, I was fully behind the film and loving every action-packed minute. It goes without saying that Yen gives a seemingly effortless performance and that the film provides real heart as well as top-notch action. Outstanding!