Director: Wilson Yip
Year: 2019
Country: Hong Kong/China
Alternate Titles: Yip Man 4
Genre: Kung-Fu
Plot:
Stricken with debilitating news about his cancer, the legendary Ip Man decides the time is right to take to America as a last-ditch effort to find a school for his headstrong son. While there, his former student has upset many of the local governing entities with his decision to allow outsiders to learn Chinese martial arts. As his teachings have bled over into the local Marine Corps base, a soldier decides to use the opportunity to bring the teachings into the regiment training upsetting not only the same community but his superior officer who views it as beneath his skill-set and not worth bothering. As the attempts to push the techniques lead to further political unrest between the two cultures, Ip Man is forced to step in to uphold the virtue of Chinese immigrants in the face of the oppression they’re dealing with at the time.
Review:
For the most part, this one very much feels like the end of an era. From the very beginning, the cancer is discussed as being terminal and irreversible, meaning that there's a deadline for the entire story to play out. With the attitude from his soon also being a major factor as he's approaching adolescent age and starting to be more defiant and rebellious, the idea of getting him into a school to ensure his education carries on successfully manages to provide a fine incentive to the search for a school to raise him. These storyline elements are mixed together with the Jingoistic nature that takes place between the two cultures that eventually turns into a direct stand against the varying disciples. Making the fight between Chinese martial arts tactics and the military's training practices to incorporate the two together as a final stand for their way to be accepted in America is very much in keeping with the spirit and tone of the series and adds to the sense of finality that accompanies the film.
On top of all that, the storyline is quite fun and well-detailed. The idea of bringing everything together in a historical context to the real-life events that were happening in the world at the time this takes place is an impressive feat here. Talking about the controversial nature of Bruce Lee's decision to teach long-secretive native martial arts techniques to foreigners adds a rather immersive retrospective to the real events that were happening in the world at that time. There's a fine added touch with these mixed together with the bias against their way of life that gets brought up throughout here, with the dismissal of their culture simply by being foreigners and favoring the US-based fighting techniques that are seen as superior. The comments about the fighting styles between the two being so outgoingly racist do setup the downfall rather easily which carries far less emotional baggage due to that but it doesn't detract from the sense of pride that comes along as a result.
That the martial arts on display follow suit gives the film plenty of enjoyable, hard-hitting action. This tends to utilize far more realistic action setpieces than previously, relying on combat practices in real-world situations that aren't about the fanciful move-set but more practical defense and overcoming of the opponent. The fights here are blisteringly fast and exceptionally hard-hitting as a result, from the demonstration with the oppressive fighters in the alleyway to the hand-to-hand techniques that they go through in the study that’s eventually interrupted by the Earthquake. The finale meets the usual standard for the series with a series of frenzied, thrilling encounters which are highly enjoyable, full of impressive moves and plenty of uplifting action that matches the emotional heft of the other storyline as the two different battles are given plenty of screentime to enhance the emotional content within them. Overall, there’s quite a lot to like with the film.
Overview: ****/5
A fine and fitting end to the franchise, this one carries an emotional depth that matches the blistering action that’s been at the center of the series from the beginning making this a solid sendoff in many ways. The film is certainly worthwhile for any fans of martial arts efforts or those who’ve enjoyed the series thus far, while only those viewers turned off by the subject matter won’t find much here.
This review was originally published on Asian Movie Pulse and is gratefully reprinted with their cooperation.
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