The Grandmaster (2013)

I'm a fan of Wong Kar-Wai's films but I reckon that I still prefer Wilson Yip's 2008 version of the Ip Man story. Set amidst the turbulent times in China that saw the end of the rule of Manchu dynasty, the embryonic republic established and then the Japanese invasion, we meet a man (Tony Leung) who lives peacefully in the small town of Foshan until he meets Wing Chun grand master Gong Yutian (Qingxiang Wang) who is looking for a successor. That is the beginning of a journey that will see him become a grand master of the martial art himself, whilst meeting, marrying and surviving! It's a superb looking film but for me just a little too over-stylised. The combat scenes are creatively choreographed but the use of the slowed-down visual effects didn't always work. Leung and the director are clearly on the same wavelength, and the story itself is a fascinating look at the rise of one culture through the wreckage of an ancient one. It's also clear that women too had their place in this society - and it wasn't always where stereotype might assume. A strong contribution from the adept and nimble Ziyi Zhang (Gong Er) demonstrates that well as battle lines between the old and new, the powerful and the aspirational are drawn and a good old dose of ancient tribal warfare sets up a proud story of heritage, loyalty and skill. Though a little soporifically scored at times, this is an enjoyable mix of history with touch of romance and plenty of action, and is well worth a couple of hours.