Sadly, after more than a decade, all amazing things must come to an end. I wish it wasn’t so, but Donnie Yen is putting to rest his portrayal of the legendary martial artist with one last film, Ip Man 4: The Finale. As with the previous three entries, it was directed by Wilson Yip. For those unfamiliar, Ip Man was Chinese martial artist who overcame many obstacles in order to teach Wing Chun. His most famous student was the legendary Bruce Lee. He was known around the world for popularizing that particular style and left a legacy that has lasted for so many years. His story has been told in film and on television, but Yen has embodied him like no other actor has.
After the death of his wife, Master Ip Man (Donnie Yen) is left to raise his son on his own. Struggling to keep some sort of connection with the boy who is lashing out and rebelling, Yip considers sending him to the United States to school. At the same time, he learns that he has a terminal form of cancer and his time is limited. He accepts an invitation from his student Bruce Lee (Danny Kwok-Kwan Chan) to travel to San Francisco to see him fight in an exhibition. He plans on killing two birds with one stone, but things go awry quite quickly upon arrival. Lee has a martial arts school where everyone is welcome, and the head of the Chinese Benevolent Association is upset at the fact he teaching Chinese secrets to the Westerners. At the same time, one of Lee’s students is trying to introduce Chinese Kung Fu into the military, only to be met with stark criticism (and racism) from Gunnery Sergeant Barton Geddes (Scott Adkins). Ip Man finds himself in the middle of all this craziness, and will once again have to fight for the rights of his people, even though he’s nearing the end of his own life.
For a movie that runs less than two hours, it’s pack with all sorts of subplots. There’s a young girl Master Ip befriends, who helps to teach him how to treat his own son. There’s a racist immigration officer trying to deport her dad who hates him. The list goes on and on. This ensures that there’s never a dull moment in the film, and it’s packed full of stories. As convoluted as that can get, each subplot is treated with respect and chock-full of heart. This is partly why these films have always soared above the pack. Yen’s performance has always been subtle, but it’s always been heartfelt and genuine. With such a strong emotional investment, the action scenes become that much more powerful and this film is no exception to that rule. At fifty-six, Yen still rises above those around him. With choreography by the legendary Yuen-Woo Ping (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and The Matrix), each moment is better than the next. The main two styles on display is Karate and Kung Fu and it’s quite impressive to see how the actors use the two styles in battle.
Speaking of battles, martial arts fans will be waiting to see the showdown between Donnie Yen and Scott Adkins. Adkins has been on the scene for a long time now, but over the last five years or so has proven to be part of the dying breed of action stars. He’s still keeping the aesthetic of the ’80s action stars alive while carving out his own impressive legacy. With films like Savage Dog, Avengement, and the Undisputed series, he will be remembered with the likes of Van Damme or Dolph Lundgren. Pitting him against Donnie Yen, who is the last of his generation as well. Guys like Jet Li and Jackie Chan have mostly moved on these types of films, while Yen has not only continued to make them, but has given them such a strong intensity, not just with the action, but story too. He’s still one of the hardest working guys in the business with numerous projects coming out over the next few months, including a remake of the Sammo Hung classic Enter the Fat Dragon and Disney’s live-action remake of Mulan, which also co-stars Jet Li. The fight between Yen and Adkins has that same sort of excitement you might have felt when watching Rocky for the first time. It has the type of bravado that will have you leaping out of your seat and punching and kicking around the house for hours afterward.
Ip Man 4: The Finale will make you laugh, cry, and cheer from beginning to end. Director Wilson Yip has helped to deliver a fitting conclusion to a series that set the bar so high no other films can touch them.
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