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Review

A star rating of 3 out of 5.

The life of Chinese martial arts master Ip Man has already been portrayed many times on the big and small screen, and The Grandmaster marks Wong Kar-Wai's entry into the crowded arena. As you'd expect from the director of the exquisite In the Mood for Love, this interpretation of events captures the golden days of 1930s Foshan in sumptuous detail. The fight scenes don't disappoint either, with Philippe Le Sourd's elegant, Oscar-nominated cinematography enhanced by Yuen Wo Ping's balletic action choreography. However, the yearning attraction between Tony Leung's hero and the enigmatic Zhang Ziyi lacks emotional resonance, while the narrative loses its focus by trying to work in her back story when the action shifts to Hong Kong. This "American edit" of the film is over 20 minutes shy of the original Chinese release, with drastic cuts effectively robbing a third-billed Chen Chang's razor-blade wielding warrior of any importance. Any subtleties in Wong's storytelling are also undone by the intrusive use of explanatory intertitles. Knowing what this film could have been - an epic with crossover appeal to match Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or Hero - makes it slightly frustrating viewing. But the sheer class of the production ensures that it's not entirely ruined by its flaws.

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Credits

Cast

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Ip ManTony Leung (2)
Gong ErZhang Ziyi
The RazorChang Chen
Iron ShoesCung Le
Chan Wah-shunYuen Woo-Ping
Master Gong Baosen, "Gong Yutian"Wang Qingxiang
Mr HungElvis Tsui
Zhang YongchengSong Hye-kyo
Ma SanZhang Jin

Crew

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DirectorWong Kar-Wai

Details

Theatrical distributor
Metrodome
Released on
2014-12-05
Languages
Japanese | Chinese
Guidance
Violence
Available on
DVD and Blu-ray
Formats
Colour
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