Review of Ip Man: The Final Fight

There is something hypnotic, mystifying and dignified about watching how a true Master lives life day to day, and the real power of this film is precisely and absolutely about that dignity. Anthony Wong is excellent and, with a single exception, the direction and pacing is excellent also. Ironically, the sole flaw in the film is the final fight scene where a geriatric Ip Man does his "final" battle with a local thug. And that is the key to this film. It takes the better part of two hours to get to this point. If, by the time you do get there, you have not yet connected with the movie, and you are hoping to get a rush from the fight, you will be sadly disappointed. Not that the fight is badly done, simply that it is not well done. There is a difference, especially in Asian films where a good fight can make or break a film. Given the pace of Ip Man 3, given the age of the main character, the final battle should have consisted of a smaller number of moves done with greater clarity and intent. Instead, with no warning, the director finds his inner SHAW BROTHER and the final fight is paced quickly, with flash cuts, and even a downpour from the heavens to confuse an already confused scene. On the other hand, if, by the time you get to the "final battle," you have already come to appreciate the film for what it really is, the final fight will be merely the icing on the cake. And a tasty cake at that.