By Robert McElligott
A film about Bruce Lee’s teacher was released in 2008, and it is one the best things to happen to kung fu film since Jackie Chan started drinking.
Ip Man is the name of a martial artist living in China while the Japanese were occupying in World War II. The film is really almost two films; the first being a Chinese Disney flick, kind of uplifting like The Mighty Ducks. It’s all about how nice Ip Man is, and he really is very nice.
Then it abruptly becomes seriously brutal when the Japanese show up. Ip Man snaps a guy’s femur, chokes some folks, and basically disintegrates people with punches. He beats the hell out of what seems to be the entire Japanese army, all the way up to the general.
No one beats him up; no one even comes close. And the best part: he survives and gets away with only one little bullet wound. He later starts a martial arts school and teaches little Bruce Lee to destroy.
I’ve seen so many kung fu films, high and low budgets, mainstream and underground, and this is one of the best and most entertaining I’ve watched.