A fitting conclusion to Donnie Yen's 11 year run as "the guy who taught Bruce Lee (Wing Chun Gung Fu)". Ip Man, a prolific cigarette smoker, discovers he has head and neck cancer, and decides he must make plans for his rebellious teenage sons future, possibly by sending him to America for schooling and hopefully to keep him out of trouble.
However, this is 1960's America, and, there are still plenty of "you ain't from around here, are ya boy?" folks taking up usable air and living space. Thus, to be "approved" for inclusion to all the "good schools" one has to kiss the ring of the local Chinese Benevolent Association, who will then write a letter vouching that you aren't a thug or reprobate. Problem is, an upstart teacher named Bruce Lee has been teaching non-Chinese students his version of Wing Chun, (later becoming Jeet Kune Do)and even daring to write pamphlets in English, teaching foreigners it's secrets. So Ip Man will only get his recommendation letter if he helps them put the kibosh on his former students teaching endeavors. Man refuses, and tests of martial arts prowess ensue.
Bruce has also been entering the local Martial arts tournaments, which at the time were dominated by Japanese Karate style arts, and, as he has been showing the superiority of Chinese Kung Fu styles, all the Chuck Norris wannabe's are convinced it is a set up all and fake. Yes, there was a bit of showmanship and hype involved, but for those who think Bruce's fights were straight out of a cartoon or video game, I suggest you do your homework before commenting on what you know little about.
The tournament footage was pretty much a shot for shot match for archival film that still exists. and Bruce OFTEN had to deal with challengers and hired guns who would show up on the street or, like the scene in the movie, while he was dining out, and, he never backed down from a fight, until he finally realized he was fighting his own ego, and, like Ip Man, had nothing to prove unless you forced the issue. He was THAT fast and THAT skilled. (Camera operators would later complain that they had to have Bruce SLOW DOWN his movements, because the camera couldn't capture them) Yes, the fights in this movie are stylized and choreographed, as they are in ALL martial arts movies, especially in Chinese cinema. But the essence and tactics are accurately portrayed.
The head of the benevolent association's daughter attends the local "good school" but is bullied and harassed by a young Karen in training, aptly named Becky, and after the daughter upstages her in a cheerleading tryout, gets her churlish boyfriend and several of his friends to attack her, beat her and, then humiliate her by cutting off her hair while the boys hold her against a fence. (I thought it was going to get MUCH darker, but, thankfully it didn't) Ip Man shows up and gives the miscreants the spankings they deserve, and in the fray, Becky cuts herself in the face with her own scissors. He escorts the daughter home, and is promptly accused of using her rescue to get his recommendation letter. Another prowess battle ensues, interrupted by an earthquake. Meanwhile Becky tearfully lies to her Mom, telling that she was attacked by the daughter, who cut her face.
One of Bruce's students is a Staff Sgt in the Marine Corps, who feels Kung Fu would be a useful skill for his troops to have. However the Base Gunny (menacingly played by Scott Adkins), is a racist who oddly has embraced Karate, yet ridicules and harasses his Asian, Black, and Chinese troops. He forces the student to fight him and being larger and better trained, he easily defeats him. He then sends his henchman, er, instructor to teach the Chinese that their stupid art has no place in his Marine Corps, so, they go to disrupt the local festival and challenge any weak azz kung fu masters to fight him. The Masters make a valiant effort, but they are pretty much out of their league until, you guessed it, Ip Ip Hooray, IP Man delivers a well deserved azz whoopin.
However, storm clouds are still brewing as the Marine Instructor is being patched up, and the Drill instructor takes umbrage at his attack dog being monkey stomped by "inferior" Chinese Kung Fu, and, Beckys father, the local INS honcho, rushes home at his wife's urging, and is told to get rid of the "savage Chinese" who hurt their (bitch) baby.
D.I. Geddes romps into the Benevolent association and opens a can o whoop azz on ALL the Masters, while Becky's Dad arrests her father, and plans to deport all the Chinese association members.
Can Ip Man save the day one last time????
Guess you'll have to rent the movie to find out. (Spoilers Sweetie!!!....Best River Song voice)
Review by Paladin5150BlockedParent2020-11-25T01:24:40Z— updated 2020-12-09T06:55:43Z
A fitting conclusion to Donnie Yen's 11 year run as "the guy who taught Bruce Lee (Wing Chun Gung Fu)". Ip Man, a prolific cigarette smoker, discovers he has head and neck cancer, and decides he must make plans for his rebellious teenage sons future, possibly by sending him to America for schooling and hopefully to keep him out of trouble.
However, this is 1960's America, and, there are still plenty of "you ain't from around here, are ya boy?" folks taking up usable air and living space. Thus, to be "approved" for inclusion to all the "good schools" one has to kiss the ring of the local Chinese Benevolent Association, who will then write a letter vouching that you aren't a thug or reprobate. Problem is, an upstart teacher named Bruce Lee has been teaching non-Chinese students his version of Wing Chun, (later becoming Jeet Kune Do)and even daring to write pamphlets in English, teaching foreigners it's secrets. So Ip Man will only get his recommendation letter if he helps them put the kibosh on his former students teaching endeavors. Man refuses, and tests of martial arts prowess ensue.
Bruce has also been entering the local Martial arts tournaments, which at the time were dominated by Japanese Karate style arts, and, as he has been showing the superiority of Chinese Kung Fu styles, all the Chuck Norris wannabe's are convinced it is a set up all and fake. Yes, there was a bit of showmanship and hype involved, but for those who think Bruce's fights were straight out of a cartoon or video game, I suggest you do your homework before commenting on what you know little about.
The tournament footage was pretty much a shot for shot match for archival film that still exists. and Bruce OFTEN had to deal with challengers and hired guns who would show up on the street or, like the scene in the movie, while he was dining out, and, he never backed down from a fight, until he finally realized he was fighting his own ego, and, like Ip Man, had nothing to prove unless you forced the issue. He was THAT fast and THAT skilled. (Camera operators would later complain that they had to have Bruce SLOW DOWN his movements, because the camera couldn't capture them) Yes, the fights in this movie are stylized and choreographed, as they are in ALL martial arts movies, especially in Chinese cinema. But the essence and tactics are accurately portrayed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWENCH6xskc&feature=emb_logo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG-E7SuNT1o&feature=emb_rel_pause
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1krf-JEm4Q
Anyway, I digress.....
The head of the benevolent association's daughter attends the local "good school" but is bullied and harassed by a young Karen in training, aptly named Becky, and after the daughter upstages her in a cheerleading tryout, gets her churlish boyfriend and several of his friends to attack her, beat her and, then humiliate her by cutting off her hair while the boys hold her against a fence. (I thought it was going to get MUCH darker, but, thankfully it didn't) Ip Man shows up and gives the miscreants the spankings they deserve, and in the fray, Becky cuts herself in the face with her own scissors. He escorts the daughter home, and is promptly accused of using her rescue to get his recommendation letter. Another prowess battle ensues, interrupted by an earthquake. Meanwhile Becky tearfully lies to her Mom, telling that she was attacked by the daughter, who cut her face.
One of Bruce's students is a Staff Sgt in the Marine Corps, who feels Kung Fu would be a useful skill for his troops to have. However the Base Gunny (menacingly played by Scott Adkins), is a racist who oddly has embraced Karate, yet ridicules and harasses his Asian, Black, and Chinese troops. He forces the student to fight him and being larger and better trained, he easily defeats him. He then sends his henchman, er, instructor to teach the Chinese that their stupid art has no place in his Marine Corps, so, they go to disrupt the local festival and challenge any weak azz kung fu masters to fight him. The Masters make a valiant effort, but they are pretty much out of their league until, you guessed it, Ip Ip Hooray, IP Man delivers a well deserved azz whoopin.
However, storm clouds are still brewing as the Marine Instructor is being patched up, and the Drill instructor takes umbrage at his attack dog being monkey stomped by "inferior" Chinese Kung Fu, and, Beckys father, the local INS honcho, rushes home at his wife's urging, and is told to get rid of the "savage Chinese" who hurt their (bitch) baby.
D.I. Geddes romps into the Benevolent association and opens a can o whoop azz on ALL the Masters, while Becky's Dad arrests her father, and plans to deport all the Chinese association members.
Can Ip Man save the day one last time????
Guess you'll have to rent the movie to find out. (Spoilers Sweetie!!!....Best River Song voice)