The Legend Is Born: Ip Man

Tracing the legend of Bruce Lee's master, Ip Man, back to the beginnings in Foshan, China, Ip Man: Legend is Born tells the true life story of this grandmaster of Wing Chun, played by 2010 World Wushu Champion, Dennis To, and features some of the best martial arts choreography ever captured on screen as well as ranking as one of my top ten martial arts movie of all time and also incorporating what can easily be deemed one of the best five story lines in a martial arts film. This movie has it all -- martial arts training as a disciple, the challenge from different schools (in this case a misnomer, as the challenge actually comes from the Japanese), the defence of Chinese pride against disrespectful foreigners, love, betrayal, intrigue, and an historically accurate spy story thrown in.The story revolves around the lives of two boys, one the son of a rich man and the other an adopted son whom their father had found abandoned in the blind downpour of rain; and as the movie proceeds, they are introduced to the grand master of Wing Chun, Chan Wah Shun, portrayed by Samo Hung in a cameo appearance, who passes away within an extremely short span of time. Then, the story turns to Ip Man leaving Foshan for Hong Kong to pursue tertiary education and sees him defending the Chinese against foreign aggressors, by the way of a British teen who calls the Chinese pigs during a football match, and having challenged the foreigner, who further insults the Chinese by calling them the sick old man of Asia, they engage in a duel that sees Ip Man breaking the foreigners hand, and having taught the British a lesson through that feat, sets the bone straight again. Following this encounter Ip Man's reputation in Hong Kong grows and, searching for medication for his new found friend, the foreigner, Ip enters a Chinese medicine shop where he is challenged and badly humiliated by Leung Bik, played by Ip Chun - the real life son of Ip Man, who had broken away from the traditional school of Wing Chun as founded by his family, thereby, cementing a conflict with his brothers Ng' Chung So and Chen Wa Shun, who are considered the orthodox school of Wing Chun; and, having been so humiliated, accepts Leung Bik as his master and begins training as Leung Bik's disciple. When he returns to Foshan, he demonstrates and proves the superiority of Leung Bik's style over traditional Wing Chun and is punished by his master, played by Yuen Biao, who had taken over the reins from Chan Wah Shun.Meanwhile, the Japanese have challenged Yuen Biao's school, and having been defeated by the Ip Man's adopted brother, who we will later be made to realize was a Japanese agent who had been sent to Foshan as a child to infiltrate Chinese society so that the Japanese could further their imperial ambitions in China, seeks to convince Yuen Biao's school to accept the Japanese as disciples.The movie culminates with Ip's adopted brother finally being made ,by the Japanese, to slaughter everyone at Yuen Biao's school of martial arts, and the climactic battle between the two which is one of the most exhilarating fight sequences you will ever see on film.Highly recommended.

It was perfect. 👍

The immense popularity of the two Ip Man movies, starring Donnie Yen and directed by Wilson Yip, made inevitable a sequel. But this is actually a fanciful prequel, starring charismatic martial arts expert To Yu-hang, also known as Dennis To, as Ip Man (1893-1972), the famous martial artist and teacher of Wing Chun kung fu. As a boy, Ip Man is advised to always focus on what you feel, not what you see. He is obviously gifted and is sent for his studies to Hong Kong. There he receives lessons in Wing Chun techniques from eccentric elderly coach Leung Bik, played by Ip Chun, real-life son of Ip Man. The young man resolves to start his own school of mixed martial arts techniques after graduation. But upon his return, his master (Yuen Biao) is outraged by his student's improvisatory kung fu, which seems to him undisciplined. These issues and personal problems must be put aside, however, due to an invasion by Japanese spies and ninjas: issues of family sacrifice and betrayal so central to HK cinema come to the fore. The climactic sequence with action choreography by Bruce Leung must be seen to be believed. Director Herman Yau masterfully oversees both the narrative arc and the eye-popping combat sequences, which will be thoroughly enjoyed by all fans of martial arts techniques. This combination Blu-Ray and DVD has supplements featuring brief interviews with cast members. In Chinese with English subtitles.

This is a PREQUEL to the Wilson Yip directed 2-part biography of the Wing Chun wizard Ip Man, which starred Donnie Yen, and was choreographed by Sammo Hung ("The Victim") and Tony Leung Siu-Hung ("Bloodmoon"). This film replaces Yen with Dennis To ("Bodyguards and Assassins") and the director's chair is now filled by Herman Yau (the "Troublesome Night" series). After sitting out "Ip Man 2", Tony Leung Siu-Hung is back, teaming with Checkley Sin Kwok-Lam to stage the fights. Several of the cast members from the first two films have different roles in this, including Sammo and Fan Siu Wong ("Story of Ricky").Ip Man is a young teen in the very early 1900s when his father sends him and his adopted brother Tin Chi (Fan Siu Wong) to study Wing Chun with Chan Wah Shun (Hung) in the city of Foshan. When the Master falls terminally ill, he asks Ng Chung So (Yuen Biao, "Dragons Forever") to oversee the school. Man and Tin Chi grow into respectful and dedicated students and Ip Man briefly leaves Foshan for scholastic studies in Hong Kong, where he learns a few amended moves from his deceased master's disgraced former-student Leung Bik (Ip Chan, son of the actual Ip Man). When he returns to Foshan he'll have to deal with jealousy, love, tenacity and the Japanese.This is not a bad movie at all but much of it registers a little flat. Dennis To does an okay job as actor but had little experience prior to this film. I certainly look forward to seeing him in more stuff. Otherwise silly situations and dialogue marr the film's overall presentation but if you were watching for the fights then you shouldn't be too disappointed. Plenty of fast exchanges with minimal wirework that's only used to SLIGHTLY exaggerate a move or recovery and for that I say "thank you!" I must mention that I normally find it excruciating when movies like this show an older gentleman trying to best a young fella but here it actually works. Ip Chan was at least 85 when this film was made. While you wouldn't expect him to single-handedly clean out a bar filled with sailors, his athleticism is nonetheless impressive. It was also nice to see Yuen Biao again as his movie appearances seem to occur with decreasing frequency.The history of Wing Chun seems to be a fascinating subject to Sammo Hung as I've seen 5 movies that attempt to depict the art and he has been involved with all of them. It's assumed that his interest blossomed via his friendship with Bruce Lee, as Mr. Lee was a student of Ip Man. Prior to his work on the "Ip Man" franchise, Hung directed and starred in the non-sequential "Warriors Two" (1978) and "The Prodigal Son" (1981). "Warriors Two" featured Cassanova Wong as the Cashier (or Banker) Wah, the same character depicted by Sammo in this film. "The Prodigal Son" featured Yuen Biao as Leung Chang (played in "Warriors Two by Leung Kar Yan), the man who would go on to teach Cashier Wah. The art before that is a bit of a mystery but it originated from a Shaolin nun who blended the Snake & Crane styles specifically for female student Yim Wing Chun, who went on to marry (and teach) a man whose surname was Leung.The National Arts/Mei Ah/Eleven Arts/Funimation DVD has a very fine widescreen picture with spoken languages available in English or Cantonese. Subtitles only available in English. Special features consist of a "making of" segment and some trailers. This is not a bad film and has better-than-average fights but I'm not sure how heartily I can recommend it. I think it's arguably better than part 2 but inferior to part 1. As much as I historically love Chinese film, this almost gets an extra star just for NOT being wire-fu epic! 3.5 out of 5.2010

Having read mixed reviews about this film, I was unsure quite what to expect. I have seen Ip Man and Ip Man 2, and enjoyed both of those immensely, ranking them amongst my top martial arts films.This is a story about Ip Man's life and I found it to be a very enjoyable watch indeed. The story is an engaging one and the viewer will see a point to every fight that occurs. Whilst not about non-stop fighting action, the plot and characters draw the viewer in, and I found myself deeply moved during certain scenes.A number of the fighting scenes are quite superb, and I found myself replaying a numbers of them several times back-to-back during the film and skipping back to them after I'd finished watching it through the first time.Great story! Engaging characters! Well shot! Some superb fighting!

IP Mans early life from childhood to the 1930's including his first trip to Hong Kong, Mans father was a wealthy businessman who had an adopted son and a real son who were both enrolled and lived at a Wing Chum school ip was about 10 when this happened and he studied diligently and showed great promise, i wont say more as this will give the story line away..but i can say that there is plenty of authentic Ying Chun on displayincluded performances from Sammo Hung & Yuen Biao, and IP mans real life son IP Chun..so this film gets an endorsement from him who is now the lineage holder of authentic Wing Chunand excellent film

Brilliant wing chun film one of the best. Even if it’s not all true. Very good wing chun scenes loved it

Very impressed with the service for the price. The movie itself I think contains better wing chun than the other two though ofcourse it is not as bigger name actors. The only thing I would say is that I think recycling so many of the actors from the first two movies into different characters was a mistake. It was great to see Ip Chun in it as the elderly teacher. Good work all round

As usual no film jargon.Did I like it? = yes.Would I watch it again? = yes.Value for money? = yes.A well made entertaining film with some really clever fight scenes.Dennis To (the star) is not yet of the standard of Donnie Yen (IP Man), but is obviously an up and coming actor in this genre.Would I recommend? = definitely. RJC