Saturday 06 May 2023 09:34
This historical origin story is the latest to dramatize the life of Wing Chun Master Ip Man. Over the years, the man who mentored Bruce Lee has been portrayed many times, including in Donnie Yen’s hit franchise Ip Man (2008-2019) and Wong Kar-wai’s The Grandmaster.
It seems unlikely to be so highly regarded, as Li Xi Jie and Zhang Zhulin’s film falls far short of that standard. Miu Tse is charismatic as young Ip Man, shown in his early days in Hong Kong where he crosses paths with the villainous British human trafficker Mr. Stark (Sergio De Ieso). Plot-wise, it’s very much like any low-budget action movie you’ve ever seen as the righteous good guys take on the petty, cackling (and often cigar-smoking) bad strangers.
Those hoping to catch a glimpse of the title’s iconic character will be disappointed, as the storyline takes precedence over ornate fight scenes that are entertaining, if a bit empty without a worthwhile story to drive them through.
Tse does his best with what he’s got, having enough presence to overcome flaky dialogue and a film that doesn’t always focus on small details (there’s more than one plot point that
seems to resolve off-screen without warning.)
Still, it’s a good audition for future interpretations of the man. De Ieso’s over-the-top performance can be a blessed relief. Although there is no subtlety, he at least looks like he is having fun.
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