The outcome of this encounter is one of the few moments in which action and emotion coalesce explosively. The absolute standout is a duel at Cheung Lok headquarters involving Cheung, Fu, Kit, and a saber-wielding Kwan. Wire work is obvious much of the time but it hardly diminishes the impact. Highlights of the fists-and-feet engagements include Cheung kicking butt while bouncing between neon signs with the agility of Spider-Man. Production designers Raymond Chan and Ko Cheuk-lam construct a gloriously fake replica of Wan Chai’s famous Bar Street district for Cheung and new buddy Fu to face down Kit and his endless supply of goons. The film’s design and action elements move into overdrive after Kit torches Cheung’s shop and Linda offers shelter to Cheung and Fung at Golden Bar, a glitzy hot spot run by her honest brother, Fu (Nasson). Cheung’s noble action brings him into conflict with Kit (Kevin Cheng), a drug-dealing dirtbag whose cool and calm sister, Kwan (Yeoh), heads up the Cheung Lok triad and wants to go legit. Naturally, that can only be a temporary situation, and it’s not long before Cheung comes to the rescue of opium-addicted bar girl Nana (Chrissie Chau) and her bestie Linda (Liu Wan, delightful). As with “Ip Man 3,” there’s virtually no information about Cheung’s professional past or personal history, such as how he became a single parent.ĭespite his skimpily defined character, Zhang hits the mark as a likable guy who’s trying to put violence behind him and lay inner demons to rest. Tired of being a hired heavy for a scuzzy crook (Yuen Wah), Cheung announces he’s finished with fighting and just wants to open a general store and be a good dad to bright-eyed son Fung (Henry Zhang). In the meantime, writers Edmond Wong and Chan Tai-lee pick up where their “Ip Man 3” screenplay left off, introducing Cheung Tin-chi (Zhang) as a formidable Wing Chun exponent who challenged Ip Man for top-dog status and lost out in a duel staged behind closed doors. It will be interesting to see whether Ip Man fatigue will set in or if the series will enjoy even greater international success with a story rumored to feature Bruce Lee’s character more prominently than previous installments have. Following hot on the heels of this film is “Ip Man 4,” the latest chapter in the Wilson Yip-directed, Donnie Yen-starring series that’s scheduled for domestic release in July. Since 2008, no fewer than seven Ip Man-related features have been released, including Wong Kar-wai’s “The Grandmaster” (2013).

Ip man the legacy