Ip Man: Yip Man (2008)

This was actually a really cool martial arts film. Part of the imdb Modern 250 that I created last year, and one that I found at the library but actually watched over Netflix instant watch.

The film is a biography of "Yip Man," definitely with fictional elements added for dramatic effect. It starts before before World War II and focuses on the time frame of the war while China is occupied by the Japanese. The problem I have with a majority of martial arts films, is that the balance between plot and action is off. Either you go the Akira Kurosawa with a lot of plot, and little action. Or you go the Ong-bak direction where the action is fantastic but the acting and plot are weak.

This film had a really nice balance. The action scenes were spread well, the plot was balanced, and the characters had some depth. The villain wasn't all bad, just his henchmen. Ip Man was Burce Lee's martial arts master in real life, so it is a pretty cool story and worth checking out.

Vote: 8/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1220719/

Share: