The Grandmaster

Welcome to another episode of Lights....Camera....Popcorn!

Today's review is The Grandmaster.

Directed by Wong Kar Wai.

Written by Wong Kar Wai , Jingzhi Zou & Haofeng Xu.

Screen Story by Wong Kar Wai.

Martial Arts Choreography by Yuen Woo Ping.

Review #230

MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for violence, some smoking, brief drug use and language.

Run Time: 109 min

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Cast

Tony Leung Chiu Wai...Ip Man

Ziyi Zhang...Gong Er

Hye-kyo Song...Cheung Wing-sing (Zhang Yongcheng)

Cung Le...Tiexieqi

Chen Chang...The Razor Yixiantian

Woo-ping Yuen...Chan Wah-shun (Chen Huashun)

Jin Zhang...Ma San

Benshan Zhao...Ding Lianshan

Bruce Lee. Need I say more? The man was a living legend. However it wasn't his spectacular physical skills that made him the legend he is today. It was his unique and revolutionary philosophy that changed the world of martial arts as we know it today. His defiance of adhering to traditional techniques and styles turned the man into a god. Why is this important in a review of The Grandmaster? Because the film revolves around the man who had the distinction of being Lee's first martial arts teacher.

Hi name was Ip man.

Like so many heroes of martial arts cinema, Wong Fei Hung & Beggar Su are two classic examples. Ip Man has been given the movie treatment. Several films have been made starring different actors playing the father of Wing Chun. The most famous was Donnie Yen Ji Dan in what has been hailed as the closest adaptation of Ip's life story. With a few embellishments thrown in of course. The popularity of Yen's Ip Man film and subsequent sequel, the legend of the man became an obsession in China and the country became flooded with Ip Man films. The lot of these films were just hooking on to Ip's name and drawing power. Ironically similar to the Bruce Lee clones that sprung up after his death. Now comes the latest Ip Man film and the first to get a nationwide release courtesy of The Weinstein Company.

Was it a good idea? Yes and No. Yes it was a good idea to bring a martial arts film to the US with a national release.

This film wasn't the right one.

Plot

The story of martial-arts master Ip Man, the man who trained Bruce Lee. 

The biggest problem with The Grandmaster is it suffers from a severe identity crisis. The narrative is so disjointed that midway between acts 2 and 3 you are watching 2 different films. This isn't a bad thing if handled properly. It isn't here. The film establishes Ip Man as the focal point then for some odd reason the focus shifts to Gong Er's storyline. Her connection to Ip Man is very limited so the need to completely change the story to finish her plot is unwise and takes away from what the film spent the first half trying to establish.

The dynamic between the two characters was compelling and intriguing. Just not for this film. Because the film changes direction like this, the title is very misleading. You walk in thinking that you're watching a film about the man who revolutionized Wing Chun and instead you get bits and pieces that don't fit the puzzle. It truly is a shame because there were some great moments leading up to the change over. Some of them were deeply rooted story arcs but for the most part they were action related.

Which is of course why you're seeing this film in the first place right?

The fights were choreographed by no pun intended The Grandmaster himself Sifu Yuen Woo Ping. Most of you know him from The Matrix Trilogy or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Woo Ping has been in the game for over 40 years as a choreographer and director. His work and resume is unparalleled. He also launched the careers of 3 of the genre's greatest talents.

Jackie Chan in Drunken Master.

Jet Li in Fist of Legend.

And Donnie Yen Ji Dan in Drunken Tai Chi.

There is no one better and his name attached to this film already made this a must watch for me. Despite the script problems the action was going to be a highlight.

Until it wasn't.

I realize I just spent the last few segments genuflecting at the altar of Yuen Woo Ping and rightfully so. However, even the best in the world can have an off day. I know that sounds impossible but the choreography in The Grandmaster at times looked and felt dare I say pedestrian. One of the characteristics of Woo Ping's choreography is intricacy and signature moves. The Grandmaster fights were more raw and uninhibited which was an odd choice considering the film takes place in a time where martial arts were the primary classifications for the people. The film made a conscious choice to showcase the fact that the style you practiced was considered a badge of honor. Insulting said style met with severe consequences in the form of a challenge. Sometimes to the death. This was the world The Grandmaster was in and in order for that world to be properly depicted, the various styles of martial arts exhibited in the film needed to be attended to in explicit detail.

 That wasn't always the case here. 

Take for example the photo above. This is a pic from one of the better fight sequences in the film. Ip Man had been chosen by all the top masters in the South to represent them in a challenge by the grandmaster of the North. To properly vet Ip Man's skills he goes through a gauntlet of matches with several of the Southern masters. This scene was very reminiscent of Bruce Lee's famous pagoda fight in Game of Death. Ip Man takes on one master, defeats them and moves on to the next one. The point is Ip Man is going against masters using different styles. This was an opportunity to showcase those styles used against him and how they fared against Ip Man's Wing Chun.

That opportunity was missed.

What took place instead was a hyper kinetic display of action that was fun to watch but not as specific as it should have been. What makes Yuen Woo Ping stand out among his peers as a choreographer is his UNMATCHED knowledge of ALL the martial arts. He's done it before and this scene was his chance to shine and for some reason the impact wasn't there. This I think was by design by director Wong Kar Wai who's a very stylish and visual director. This being his second martial arts film ever directing, you can tell what's was missing when the fights were taking place. Wong clearly went with the S.O.S method there was more substance than in other films that applied this method.

Just not enough.

The legend of Ip Man will live on forever and as long as movies are made his story will be continue to be told. The Grandmaster is not the worst of the lot but it didn't do enough to get itself out of the disappointing category. I think a real big problem is how all of these Ip Man film's round out. They all mention that he eventually teaches Bruce Lee. How bout showing that? Just picture after 2 hours of watching this remarkable man struggle during a martial arts civil war in addition to the Japanese invasion and occupation of China, see this tiny kid walk into his school and begin his path to becoming the GREATEST martial artist the world has ever and will EVER see again.

A fitting conclusion don't you think?

On the 5 star scale. The Grandmaster gets 2 stars with a "Netflix It!" recommendation.

That's a wrap for today.

Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"

"D"