In the 1950’s, IP Man finds himself clashing with a western boxing organization that threatens the existence of his traditional martial arts school.
I’m only passively familiar with the IP Man films. I can recall spotting multiple releases on store shelves throughout the years, but I never grabbed any of the titles because they all appeared to be sequels to something I hadn’t seen. This year breaks that trend with Well Go USA’s release of Ip Man: Kung Fu Legend. I dove on the opportunity to finally sink my teeth into this martial arts franchise that I’d let slip past me for so many years. Research led me to no less than twelve Ip Man films, as well as a series. Trying to make heads or tales out of the continuity became a chore. The films don’t belong to a singular franchise, but instead exist as multiple franchises about the legendary martial artist who trained such icons as Bruce Lee in his real life. The latest entry from Well Go USA focuses on Ip Man’s attempt to become master of a martial arts school in the 50’s, only for his opportunity to get derailed by meddling westerners who want to demolish the school and make way for a boxing league.
Dennis To plays Ip Man for the fourth time in his career. This may confuse some viewers of the earlier IP Man films, as Dennis To appeared in 2008’s Donnie Yen lead IP Man as Hu Wei and 2010’s IP Man 2 as Cheng Wai-Kei. However, 2010 also saw the release of The Legend Is Born – IP Man, which saw Dennis take on the role for the first time. Since then, Dennis To’s IP Man films have been released in between Donnie Yen’s IP Man releases, creating a head scratching scenario for anyone trying to experience these films in any sort of order. For the sake of simplicity, new viewers should consider this film as a “part 3” for Dennis To, following in the footsteps of The Legend Is Born and 2019’s IP Man: Kung Fu Master. Kung Fu Legend follows Dennis’ third time playing IP Man in the Chinese martial arts comedy, Kung Fu League, where Dennis’ IP Man was confirmed to be an imposter. If your head is spinning, that’s okay. So is mine. Dennis To, the focal point of this film, has played two side characters in Donnie Yen’s IP Man films before becoming an IP Man of his own, while also playing an imposter at least once. That said, Dennis’ performance in IP Man: Kung Fu Legend is an entertaining and simplistic look into the legend of the real man these franchises are based off of.
Director Liming Li returns to the franchise with Kung Fu Legend being his third entry. His previous work with the iconic character includes Dennis To’s IP Man: Kung Fu Master and 2020’s Young IP Man: Crisis Time. Li understands the nuance within film making and balances action, humor, and drama with his approach to filmmaking. Kung Fu Legend is no exception. Though this is my first IP Man film, Li’s approach to it has opened my eyes to a world of movies that I’ve promptly added to my “must see” list. The fight choreography is where the film really shines, and it often makes up for some of the movie’s shortcomings. The story itself isn’t what you might expect, as the movie advertises itself as IP Man versus the world of boxing when it’s really about IP Man being framed for a murder he didn’t commit, which takes him away from his loved ones… Leaving them vulnerable. The story does little to explain most of the setting and pre-established characters, as it assumes the viewer is familiar with earlier titles. Despite that, I was able to watch and enjoy IP Man: Kung Fu Legend as a solitary film. Partially flawed but overall entertaining, it was an inspiring first look into a world I had become completely ignorant toward. With fantastic on-screen chemistry, fight scenes that are guaranteed to entertain, and a whole world to explore beyond the scope of just one movie, IP Man: Kung Fu Legend still manages to entertain those of us who are completely new to the character.
The film’s set designs offer a glimpse of how China looked in the 1950’s while the narrative explores how China functioned. The viewer gets to see the martial arts antics of IP Man, yes, but we also get to see the struggles of everyday people, the threat they faced from Western businessmen, and the sense of honor and justice that was shared within the community. While IP Man: Kung Fu Legend may not be the greatest martial arts film I’ve ever seen, it’s most certainly the most influential. Thanks to Liming Li’s directorial approach and Dennis To’s performance as the lead, I’ve got every reason to explore the rest of the film’s that have been released. For the seasoned IP Man fans, I can only imagine that this film provides a worthwhile stepping stone in the long running series of films. For newcomers, like me, I know that this movie will at least entertain you for the duration of its run time. IP Man: Kung Fu Legend is currently available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-Ray, and DVD. Its digital release is slated for August 11th.
