Ip Man has a peaceful life with his family in Foshan. Gong Yutian, the person who unifies the marital arts techniques, seeks an heir for his family in Southern China. Meanwhile, Gong Er, the daughter of Gong Yutian, challenges Ip Man for a fight in order to resurrect her family’s glory. Due to the second Sino Japanese war, Ip Man has to vacate Foshan and settle temporarily in Hong Kong, having a hand-to-mouth existence to provide for him and his family. As Ma San kills Gong Yutian, Gong Er chases him seeking redemption.
Language:
Mandarin
Running Time:
130 mins
Rating:
–
Release Date:
10 January 2013
Directed by:
Wong Kar-wai
Produced by:
Ng See-yuen
Megan Ellison
Wong Kar-wai
Written by:
Wong Kar-wai
Zou Jingzhi
Xu Haofeng
Starring:
Tony Leung Chiu-Wai
Zhang Ziyi
Chang Chen
Zhao Benshan
Song Hye-kyo
Wang Qingxiang
Music by:
Shigeru Umebayashi
Stefano Lentini
Shot by:
Philippe Le Sourd
Edited by:
William Chang
Distributed by:
Sil-Metropole Organisation
Bona Film Group

What’s Hot

  • The director Wong Kar-wai, has done a fabulous job of this movie by presenting the traditions and the mannerisms of 1940’s old Kung fu styles that were prevalent in China. The build-up to some scenes have been neatly presented and shot with amazing camera work.
  • A good part of the movie deals with the nuances and skills in each type of Kung fu. The cinematography by Philippe Le Sourd has to be lauded for having shown the tight angles and the covering all the intricate details associated with the art of Kung fu.
  • The lead actors have performed their roles to a T. Tony Leung Chiu-Wai as ‘Ip Man’ and Zhang Ziyi as ‘Gong Er’ need special mention as they have been very mature in portraying their respective roles. They have enacted the action sequences with style, while exhibiting their narrative and expressive sides with relative ease.
  • In the past centuries, some of the Kung fu styles have gone down with the dead. Wong Kar-wai’s story has to be applauded for its genuine effort at depicting this with outstanding accuracy and attention to detail.

What’s Not

  • The average viewer will find it too difficult to relate to the various styles of the martial arts depicted in the movie. Even though the director has put in tons of effort in bringing out the nuances in each variation of these arts, one has to be well versed with it in order to entirely appreciate what is being shown.

Badges

Verdict

Verdict Stamp

The Grandmaster is a visually marvelous movie with a spectacular story, which pulls out a wonderful exhibition of the 1940’s Chinese Kung fu and various forms of the martial art. Though it might be strenuous for an average viewer to appreciate the mastery being showcased, the story makes up for that with some stunning cinematography.