There have been about a dozen movies from China about their real-life martial arts hero, Ip Man, whose exploits became a source of pride not only for all kung fu disciplines, but for the nation’s pride in times when foreigners exerted and abused control over its citizens. The best known of these on our side of the ocean is the foursome (soon to be a quintet) starring Donnie Yen in the title role. IP MAN: THE KUNG FU LEGEND is the third production starring Yu-Hang To (a/k/a Dennis To), who somewhat resembles Yen, though shorter on gravitas. Both play their roles with inclusion of Ip Man’s demeanor and Wing Chun fighting style.
https://wellgousa.com/films/ip-man-kung-fu-legend
For genre fans, both franchises follow the icon from his formative years in the early 20th century, and progress through subsequent eras. In this trio, the first entry is 2010’s IP MAN: THE LEGEND IS BORN,covering his youth and training, leading to his having to head up the resistance against the cruelty and corruption of Japanese occupiers. In 2019’s IP MAN: THE KUNG FU MASTER, he’s become a police captain in his home city of Foshan in the mid-20th Century, facing long odds against big-time gangs and another round of Japanese overlords. This 2026 release brings us up to the late 1940s-50s, but it’s the same challenge with different players. The Japanese jerks have been replaced by bossy British bounders, but their contempt for the rights and dignity of the locals remains the same. For reasons I can’t fully understand (but invariably enjoy), the premise of these and others is always – evil outsiders claiming “our martial arts are better than yours, so we’re better than you are…” until Ip Man, or someone like him in other flicks, beats the snot out of the bad guys’ toughest fighter(s).
In each case, foreigners have corrupted the Chinese government, leading to rampant exploitation and other bullying by the invaders, usually with the help of a few coopted quislings. Ip Man endures hardships aplenty before the eventual victory that kept him around for the next film that’s in the hopper. In real life, he lived long enough to mentor a young Brue Lee for a few years in the early 1950s. Lee has openly given Ip Man credit for providing the foundation for the broader range of skills he developed on his own.
As always in both sets of productions, the fight scenes are plentiful and well-choregraphed, with only moderate f/x enhancements. The plots may not have much novelty, but there are some twists to keep the story engaging between action sequences. These films thrive on adrenaline and the satisfying comeuppance the climax always delivers, not suspense. If you’ve already savored Yen’s collection, you won’t be wasting your time by trying.
IP MAN: KUNG FU LEGEND, debuting on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray & DVD July 14 and on Digital August 11 from Well Go USA.
Rating: 2 1/2 out of 4 stars.
Well Go USA Inc.