Review of Wilson Yip's Ip Man (2008)

Why You Should Watch the Film? Donnie Yen, That's Why

There is a lot to like about Ip Man—Chinese director Wilson Yip's biopic of a Wing Chun master starring no less than Donnie Yen. From the actor playing the lead title to the character whose role he portrays, the film is not just a modern wuxia but a lesson in history, politics and culture.

But who is Ip Man, anyway? And why should a film about his life come as significant. Ip Man just happens to be Bruce Lee's teacher and the reason why an otherwise lesser known fighting style known as Wing Chun flourishes in the mainstream. Martial arts aficionados certainly are aware that there are several fighting variants in what is collectively known—though erroneously—in the West as Kung Fu.

Wing Chun is supposed to be a fist style developed for women and its being so must have accounted for the rarity of its practitioners. Moreover, in the olden days, workout DVDs were not yet invented so training was practically handed down from teacher to students. The student-master relationship was strict and not easily established. Masters normally handpicked students, quite unlike nowadays where you can train as soon as you have settled your gym membership. Many masters, in fact, live in seclusion—shooing students away and taking with them in their graves the secret to their lethal skills. There is both a philosophical and practical reason for this though. In the past mastery of the fighting arts was highly valued and for many young men a sure ticket to fame, power or wealth. In the desire to be the best, however, fighters would challenge one another—at times even to the death.

I will not expound on the historical context of Wing Chun. For now it may suffice to mention that as a fighting style whose philosophy centers on economy of movements, Wing Chun is faster and more efficient. You may want to check out the 1994 biopic Wing Chun, starring Michelle Yeoh and—surprise, surprise—Donnie Yen, which is about the woman from whom this lethal fighting fist supposedly started.