Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grandmaster

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Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grandmaster

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Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grandm...

Donnie Yen, Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, Fan Siu-Wong, Xiong Dailin, Darren Shahlavi

International megastar Donnie Yen reprises his iconic role as the real-life kung fu grandmaster Ip Man in this martial arts spectacular. After escaping the Japanese occupation of his hometown of Fo Sh... read more read more...an, China, Ip Man and his family have arrived in Hong Kong, which is living under the iron fist of British colonial rule. Ip wants to support his family by opening up a martial arts academy to teach his unique Wing Chun style. But a corrupt cabal of Hong Kong martial arts masters, led by Hung Chun-nam (the legendary Sammo Hung), refuses to allow Ip to teach until he proves himself - and prove himself he does, in an intense series of fights against the masters showcasing a dazzling variety of martial arts styles, culminating in a highly anticipated brawl between Ip and Hung atop a rickety table. But even after gaining the respect of the masters, Ip's troubles are far from over. Hong Kong under British rule is a world of corruption, and when a Western-style boxer named Taylor "Twister" Milos comes to town to entertain the British upper-class, and insults both Chinese martial arts and the native citizens in a horrifically violent way, Ip must step up and fight for the honor of both his kung fu and the Chinese people. Forced by honor to enter a brutal "King of the Ring" boxing match against Twister, it's East versus West in an amazing, knock-down drag-out fight to the finish, the likes of which have never been seen on-screen before. Presented in the original, un-dubbed and uncut, international version that's been breaking box-office records across Asia, Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grandmaster is a throwback to the golden age of Hong Kong martial arts cinema that will delight kung fu fans and newcomers alike. -- (C) Well Go USA and Variance

Id: 11129502

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Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grandmaster Recent Reviews
  • fb1463751009
    March 9, 2012
    fb1463751009
    The predecessor, "Ip Man", carried a genuinely interesting plot, characters; Ip Man 2 fails to have the same dramatic impact as the first one had but still manages to entertain.
  • sanjurosamurai
    January 4, 2012
    sanjurosamurai
    the plot is recycled, and in comparison to the first the characters are less compelling, the mood less serious, the scope less epic, and the stakes not as high. having said all of that, the first was a masterpiece, so this not measuring up doesnt mean its not great. this was a ... read morefantastic martial arts film. the action was awesome, and it was great to see a few returning characters. a solid sequel.
  • lewiskendell
    August 29, 2011
    lewiskendell
    "I can abide in order to survive, but I won't let him insult Chinese martial arts!"

    Ip Man 2 once again brings much of the amazing martial arts action that I loved in the first movie, but this time around, the story is of a much different tone. Instead of dealing with the brutal... read more circumstances and struggle for survival under the Japanese invasion and occupation of China during the 1930's, it centers around Ip Man and his family after they move to Hong Kong following the events of the first film. There, Ip Man seeks to establish a new martial arts school, but has to deal with the other martial arts masters already in the city.

    The last half of the movie focuses on the British who were in charge in Hong Kong at the time; specifically an arrogant boxer and a cruel officer that have no respect for the Chinese, their ways, or their martial arts. This all leads up to finale where Ip Man defends Chinese honor against the boxer in a match. It's entertaining enough, but the story as a whole just doesn't hold up to the powerful, stirring plot of the original Ip Man.

    Ip Man 2 is a good movie and definitely worth watching, but don't expect it to be better than the first film (it's not). Still if you like more than just surface thrills and smack-downs in your martial arts viewing, you shouldn't hesitate to see this.

    Also worth noting is that along with once again doing the fight choreography, Sammo Hung has a pretty pivotal role as a martial arts master in the film. Good news for fans of the man's acting, as well as his martial arts prowess.
  • hobster1
    July 11, 2011
    hobster1
    The first half follows the teacher as he attempts to turn his fledgling Wing Chun school into a success. In the beginning IP Man struggles and there is drama in his endeavor. This culminates in a scene where Hung Chun-nam, a Hung Ga master, demands that Ip defeat practitioners of... read more all wushu varieties before he can teach in his own school. The conflict leads to a match atop a table where celebrated star Donnie Yen must battle Master Hung himself played by Hong Kong legend Sammo Hung. The hand to hand combat between the enemies justifies the film. It's an exhilarating display. The second half sees former adversaries become allies as they band together to unite against the British, specifically a championship boxer who insults the integrity of the Chinese martial arts community.

    Here's where it gets silly. Iranian-British actor and martial artist Darren Shahlavi plays British boxing champion, Taylor "The Twister" Milos. To call him a ruthless character would be an understatement, and make no mistake, he is a character. He is the model definition of "the heavy". He shows no respect, belittling the very culture of the country he's a guest of. The portrayal is so crude he makes Ivan Drago, the central villain in Rocky IV, seem like a paragon of subtlety and restraint. At this point the plot feels as if it was lifted directly from that mid 80s movie. Chinese nationalism has rarely been this unbridled or obvious. I lost count how many times the British were referred to as "foreign devils" with unabashed contempt.

    The 10 minute table fight sequence notwithstanding, there is little that's distinctive in this sequel. That's surprising given the legacy of this fascinating leader in martial arts. This was, however, a huge money-maker in China so look for Ip Man 3: The Teaching of Bruce Lee. Yes, that movie title may be a joke, but anyone familiar with Ip Man's life will appreciate the humor. Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung are of course a marvel in their combat scenes. If that's all you crave, you will not be disappointed. Their adversarial chemistry is exciting. I only wish the script could have been a bit less predictable.
  • itsjustme2004
    May 29, 2011
    itsjustme2004
    Ok. I LOVED LOVED the first film. This one isn't quite as memorable, BUT I still found it enjoyable. Plus, Donnie Yen is just the bomb. Perhaps if I had never seen the first one, maybe I wouldn't judge this one so harshly. Donnie Yen is excellent in his portrayal, just like in th... read moree first film. The fights are also excellent. For some reason, though, the storyline just didn't quite make it for me. The VERY last scene was cool, though. Very cool!
  • allan913
    May 13, 2011
    allan913
    It's possibly the greatest martial arts action film i have ever seen, and I've seen some amazing martial arts films. It's mind-blowing and spectacular action entertainment that you will never forget. It's exhilarating, thrilling and absolutely unforgettable. A masterpiece of the ... read moregenre. An instant classic. A complete knockout of amazing and eye-popping action sequences and stunts. This is 100% pure wow of an entertainment ride. An incredible movie. It's an awe-inspiring epic with adrenaline-charged action with attitude. Donny Yen gives yet another brilliant performance, you cant your eyes off him whether it's his electric star-power or or astonishing martial arts skills.
  • DrZeek
    May 2, 2011
    DrZeek
    While the first film managed to be what I called the "Life is Beautiful of Martial Arts movies", the sequel is also very solid in a Rocky sort of way.
  • deano
    December 19, 2010
    deano
    Incredible Hong Kong action film. Great to see Donnie Yen returns as the titular kung fu grandmaster in this sequel, with Wilson Yip reassuming his directorial duties and, most importantly, Sammo Hung back in his role as action director, and also as a main character. This story p... read moreicks up from where the first movie left off.
    Any scene in the film featuring Hung is gold. In fact, the sole reason to see Ip Man 2 is for Hung's match with Yen. If you've seen S.P.L.: Killzone, then you already have an idea of how epic a match between these two can be.
    I see this story is nothing new to write home about; it's basically the Hong Kong version of Rocky IV, with Yen is equivalent to Sylvester Stallone's iconic character, and a very buffed-up Darren Shahlavi playing a British boxer which is the equivalent of Dolph Lundgren's Ivan Drago character. However the direction and the fight scenes are executed so masterfully that it makes the story easy to relate to.
    In the final scene, I was surprised to see a child actor who plays as a superstar martial artist who first met the master and wanted to teach Wing Chun - it's true because of Ip Man's biopic - you'll see when you watch it.
  • skactopus
    October 10, 2010
    skactopus
    Simply put, Wilson Yip's continuation of the Ip Man biopic is a smashing success.

    The very beginning provides a quick refresher from the first film and the story can more or less stand alone, but viewing the first installment is still a wise decision.

    The 1 hour 45 minute

    ... read mores is a constant shift between action and drama, which makes it move without the feeling of much drag. The dramatic scenes move the story along to setup the action, while the new characters don't have a whole lot of buildup to become highly likable.

    The action is fantastic because Donnie Yen and the Wing chun style of martial arts is a perfect combination; therefore, even though the outcomes of the fights are predictable, they are still appealing to the eyes. Sammo Hung's choreography even makes Chinese martial arts versus Western boxing a blast to watch.

    There is some good acting all around. Donnie Yen is the perfect casting choice for Ip Man. Xioaming Huang and Sammo Hung are the more notable supporting characters.

    In the end, Ip Man 2 has got enough martial arts action to satisfy. Check it out.
  • kpn666
    June 12, 2010
    kpn666
    The sequel to the mega smash, the story continues as Ip Man and his family migrate to Hong Kong to start a new life. Opening a new school, Ip Man begins to realise that things are done differently in Hong Kong, causing friction with the other local schools, and in particular Mast... read moreer Hong. After passing their tests, though refusing to pay bribes and kickbacks as deemed by the martial arts community, Ip Man and his students face tough challenges as they try to train and study their art. But soon, the entire chinese martial arts world will unite as sadistic boxer, promoted by a corrupt Police commander, who belittles the proud Chinese and kills Master Hong in the ring. With Master Hong's last words of pride and honor for the chinese people on his mind, Ip Man decides to once again fight to the death against a brutal and oppressive enemy, to which the likes he has never faced before.

    Obviously, as the old adage goes, the sequel is usually never as good as the original, and of course this is so. But it was still nevertheless a quality work and enjoyable movie, despite stretching the truth about the real history of Ip Man, but of course, its a movie.

    Hong Kong films are now of the highest quality, especially periodic movies like this, with wonderful sets, costumes and quality acting. recent movies, like Ip Man, Bodyguards and Assassins and the epic Warlords serve to reinforce the point that HK films are no longer cheap budget flicks but now top range productions which do rival and beat Hollywood easy, usually in Asia.

    The cast of course is some of the golden boys of HK including Donnie Yen, Sammo Hung and guest star Simon Yam, and backed up by impressive youngsters with acting and martial skills as well. Its great that vetran and HK legend Sammo was the action coordinator, though this may have not been his very best work, but it surely rates highly. I guess we have to thank the director and production cast for making the sequel with quality and vibrance and made sure the storytelling didn't lapse and movie flowed along seamlessly. It is really an embodiment on the character of Ip Man, a peaceful and humble man by nature, who is surrounded by violence from time to time, though fighting for his beliefs, pride and people.

    And of course, most would be asking.... where's Bruce Lee? Well, of course, the movie isn't about Bruce, but you will see him at the end. :P

    An enjoyable movie, but I strongly suggest those who havn't seen Ip Man 1, to watch that first, they certainly don't know what they are missing.
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