"Ip Man" review

“You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can drip and it can crash. Become like water my friend.”

Those familiar with legendary martial artist-turned action star Bruce Lee will recognize this as one of his most famous quotes. What a lot of people may not know about Lee is that he was mentored by another fairly legendary figure in the history of the art - that would be the Grandmaster Ip Man, the titular character of Wilson Yip's 2008 Kung Fu masterwork.

Like Lee teaches, the movie takes on a few different forms through some subtle (and not so subtle) flourishes. Beginning in the early 1930's, Ip Man lives a quiet and comfortable life with his wife and son, assured in his abilities as a martial artist and decidedly modest about it in comparison to some of the other major players we meet early on. Around the half hour mark, all that changes as the Japanese invasion of China in 1937 disrupts life in Foshan ( the city where the film is set), and strips Ip Man and his family of their material wealth.

The time jump from the early 30's to the Imperial invasion is earmarked by one of those aforementioned flourishes by cinematographer Sing-Pui O. Early on, the film is brightly lit and tinged with a golden hue that complements the awesome set design. The sun shines on Foshan, and gives it a dignified look that fits well with some of the nostalgic and historical themes of Kung Fu movies. After the invasion, it appears to be filtered through a grittier dark blue (think Ozark) which while a bit on the nose (possibly even for 2008 standards), fits well with the exaggerated nature of Kung Fu cinema, feeling partially like an homage to movies that came before it, while also standing up well on it's own.

That's not the only impressive technical aspect of the film. Yip (the director) has a tremendous understanding of perspective, something that lends itself especially well when it comes to the captivating fight scenes (of which there are of course many). Spectators of the clashes are treated to condensed shots without crossing over into claustrophobia, and they're only held long enough until we pull back in close to cut to the rhythm Ip Man's punches and strikes, and zoom out to capture fighters flying through the air, ending in satisfying thuds.

Without giving too much away, the story of an invading force going up against an almost mythic figure who teaches the people to fight back isn't something especially unique to this genre, but there's just enough human drama between Ip and his family (particularly as it relates to his dedication to martial arts) here to hold your attention for the long haul. Donnie Yen's portrayal of the main character certainly helps with this, as his subdued charisma that eventually gives way to a simmering ferocity is truly compelling to watch. While some of the emotion may be a bit lost in translation for an English speaking viewer at first, the Bong Joon-Ho described "1-inch barrier of subtitles" isn't much of an issue in this movie at all; in fact this is a genre that's known for immodest performance on camera, and in that way, actors being more emotive than you'll typically see really helps to evoke that.

This is a stylized, professionally crafted exercise in genre that stands out as one of the better action flicks of the 2000's. The visuals and the performances will keep you glued to the screen (I mean, you kind of have to be with the subtitles, but either way), and the fighting sequences are extremely entertaining, if not always rooted in realism (if that's what you're expecting, you'll be surprised). All that and a sub-two hour run time make Ip Man a captivating and digestible viewing experience that's definitely worth seeking out.

Streaming: Netflix, available to rent

Jake's rating: 8.5/10