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Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grandmaster (2010)

Actors: Donnie Yen, Sammo Hung, Simon Yam, Darren Shahlavi
Directors: Wilson Yip
Language: English
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Well Go USA
DVD Release Date: April 19, 2011
Run Time: 108 minutes

Donnie Yen continues to exert his status as the magnetic and skilled star on the international martial arts cinema scene in Ip Man 2, the sequel to his blockbuster 2008 biopic of the iconic Wing Chun grandmaster. The film, also directed by Wilson Yip, picks up where its predecessor left off, with Ip Man (Yen) and his family relocating from China to Hong Kong in the early 1950s. There, he attempts to establish a Wing Chun school, but is challenged at every turn by potential students like Wong Leung (Huang Xiaoming), who later became one of Ip's greatest disciples, and other schools, including a Hung Ga school led by Hung Chun-nam (the legendary Sammo Hung, who also serves as the film's martial arts choreographer). Ip's astonishing skills help him to defend his school's honor, but in order to truly establish roots in Hong Kong, he is forced to participate in a city-wide boxing competition, where he faces a variety of styles and competitors, including an unscrupulous British fighter (Darren Shahlavi). Fans of the original Ip Man may be disappointed by the scope of the sequel, which focuses more on fighting and less on the political and societal tensions that gave its predecessor an emotional gravitas. But for those who simply want to see Yen unleash his seemingly supernatural talents, Ip Man 2 consistently delivers, and ups the ante by including such cult figures as Shahlavi, Louis Fan Siu-Wong (Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky), and Shaw Brothers veteran Lo Mang (Five Deadly Venoms) among its cast members. And for those hoping to finally see the connection between Ip and his most famous disciple, Bruce Lee, the film's coda gives a brief glimpse of their momentous first meeting.

The two-disc Collector's Edition set includes an 18-minute making-of featurette that includes behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the cast and crew; all major participants are also featured in a sizable gallery of individual interviews that range from brief chats to 30-minute conversations. A quarter of the deleted scenes offer a few extra minutes of fighting trimmed from the theatrical release, while a trio of trailers and a lightweight shooting diary round out the supplemental features. Sadly, genre expert Bey Logan's commentary, which appears on the UK version of the disc, is not included here. --Paul Gaita

International superstar Donnie Yen reprises his iconic role as the real-life kung fu Grandmaster Ip Man, widely known as the man who brought Wing Chun to the world with the help of his star pupil, Bruce Lee. Master Ip, a new arrival in British-occupied Hong Kong, wants to open a martial arts academy to teach his unique Wing Chun style. A corrupt group of martial arts masters, led by Master Hung (Sammo Hung) refuses to allow him to teach in peace until he proves himself as a kung fu master. Ip s troubles continues when he is forced to enter a brutal King of the Ring boxing match against Twister, a Western-style boxer who insults the Chinese locals, in a East versus West knock-down, drag-out fight to the finish.

This review is from: Ip Man 2:

I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of this new film starring Donnie Yen (You may remember him from "Hero") entirely in Cantonese with English subtitles which will be out in theaters in the U.S. and Canada on January 28th. Donnie Yen is reprising his role here as the real-life kung fu grandmaster Ip man in this martial arts film. I never saw the original but apparently in it, he escaped the Japanese occupation of his hometown and with his pregnant wife and family have moved to Hong Kong which is living under British colonial rule.

Ip Man begins his life in Hong Kong barely making ends meet renting an apartment and trying to start a martial arts school to teach his Wing Chun style. He is challenged by several neighborhood ruffians who eventually grudgingly give him respect and ask to serve under him as students. Being a kind-hearted man and pleased with the opportunity to teach, he does not push them very hard for their student fees knowing they are also struggling financially under British rule. His school is put up against other martial arts schools in the area competitively and they all clash and fight with territorialism. Eventually all the schools must unite together in order to face the British for their honor.

The British are demanding payments from the schools in return for allowing them to stay open (like offering "protection" in gangster movies). The British do not respect the Chinese and often ridicule them in public. A Western-style boxer named Taylor "Twister" Milos comes to town to fight and entertain the British and by mocking and insulting the Chinese martial arts demonstration opening act, Ip must step up to defend the honor of his people and his own kung fu, Wing Chun.

I know that was a lot of summary, but it seemed needed to really get across the themes in this movie. This film is a delightful throwback to the good ol' days of kung fu. Though I love the wire martial arts styles in films like "Hero", "House of Flying Daggers", "Fearless", and "Iron Monkey", classic kung fu battles of men hitting and kicking each other in defense of their homes, family, country, honor, etc. still are a pleasure to watch. I loved Donnie Yen in "Hero" (basically loved EVERYTHING about that movie) and it was so enjoyable to see him in this role and to find out it was based on a real person's story who eventually went on to train a young Bruce Lee. Wow! This probably won't be a very wide release in the U.S., but if you happen to see it is in your area and you love martial arts movies, go have a fun afternoon in the theater! Yes, you will have to read subtitles, but that's ok. I felt like I could have watched the entire movie muted without subtitles and still understood easily what was going on since everything is so physical not only in the fighting scenes but in acting and reacting in conversation.