With a standout but subdued performance from Tony Leung and solid direction, it knows how to treat its source. Wong Kar Wai’s “The Grandmaster” is a very thrilling and visually astonishing martial arts film that showcases how far one can push the genre cinematically and viscerally. The action will hold your attention, but halfway into it, you’ll yearn for a little thicker plot to sink your teeth into. While Yip Man remains the star of the film, it ultimately boils down to a parade of fight scenes between fleeting characters. That’s never a good sign when the film constantly introduces new characters that play into the main plot of the film, and aren’t fleshed out enough for us to care. The film lacks in certain character and plot aspects, and I just wish the characters were given a little more depth since they come off as a bit shallow, and at points, completely unlikable. With that, it’s able to transcend most martial arts films with jaw-dropping style, but of course, this came with a bit of a price. If I would pick the film’s strongest point, it’s definitely its ambition to deliver a cinematic experience in every way possible. The cinematography again is demonstrated beautifully amidst all the heart-stopping violence and downpour of heavy rain. It almost elevates Yip Man into an invincible status, as the eye-opening fight sequence displays, which is also pretty damn amazingly choreographed, might I add. While it’s never as emotionally resonant or intruiging as Donnie Yen’s portrayal of the legend in 2008′s “Ip Man”, there’s a very methodical and wise rendition portrayed here. Tony Leung, whom you may recognize from Jet Li’s “Hero”, is the lead here as Yip Man, and holds up well. The cinematography is a work of beauty and wonder, rivalling most Hollywood action films today. To give it a lot of credit, the film is exquisitely shot. It’s partially a biographical pic, but it also touches on other aspects of the Chinese martial arts firm and all the “grandmasters” that competed for the title of the most respected. It tells the story of Yip Man, the legendary martial artist who went on to become head of a large martial arts society, a respected liberator, and of course, the eventual master who trained Bruce Lee. “The Grandmaster” is a martial arts film directed by Wong Kar Wai and stars Tony Leung and Ziyi Zhang. What I got was something more or less on those same lines, but with a few surprises. I’ve been anticipating this film ever since the Matrix-y teaser trailer debut back in 2011, and hoped for a solid dose of action. To be truthful, I’m still trying to piece together what I just saw. I’m gonna keep this one brief since I dare not say anything more about the film to ruin your viewing.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |