Ip Man 3 (2015) User Reviews

elevator scene is unforgettable

[A_Different_Drummer · 8/10 · 11 March 2016]

Yes, I do "get" that the third entry is intended to be more spiritual and more metaphysical and less exploitative.

No problem.

But, that said, there a fight scene in an elevator which will have even the most jaded viewer standing up because of the sheer exhilaration of the moves. And is worth the price of admission.

Just as Matt Damon seems destined to be the ultimate Jason Bourne, fans all over the planet have voted with their wallets and proclaimed Donnie the ultimate Ip Man. He does not disappoint. Cool as ever, I never get tired of watching his punches speed up at the end of a fight (which is how the viewer knows that maybe, possibly, he is getting just a little annoyed.) As a token of my respect for this film, I will not mention the performance of Mike Tyson. Which takes more self-restraint than you realize.

A tiny bit slow here and there, but a wonderful film overall and highly recommended.

It's not a grand finale, but it's alright

[KineticSeoul · 6/10 · 17 March 2016]

Although this finale to this kung fu trilogy is a bit disappointing. Mainly because the narrative with multiple subplots aren't edited very well. Because of the poor pacing, which makes it really forced at times and by the numbers. It's like they came up with a bunch of ideas for subplots and decided to make a movie out of it, unfortunately it isn't mixed together very well. It isn't terrible, but it just doesn't seem all that coherent at times which might cause confusion. The first "Ip Man" movie was inspiring, because it's about standing up for yourself and going up against bullies. The second one was pure kung-fu entertainment and it shows what Ip Man is capable of. This third one tries to bring out something different by making it a more emotional and heartfelt closing. It does get a bit emotional at the end, but for the most part it seemed by the numbers and formulaic. I could also tell for the first time that Donnie Yen is getting old physically. This is a action packed movie, but three fights stands out the most. It's where Ip Man fights the Thai boxer, Mike Tyson and when he fights his Wing Chun rival. The most disappointing part about this movie though is that there is almost no master to disciple relationship between Ip Man and Bruce Lee. It's more like a cameo appearance then anything else. Which I think they did intentionally because they didn't want Bruce Lee to outshine Ip Man because he is suppose to be the star of this movie. I mean let's be honest here, one of the main reason why Ip Man became a popular legend was because he was Bruce Lee's kung-fu master. Overall, this is a alright watch but nothing grand. If there is a 4th Ip Man movie in the future, it should be like the movie "Creed".

6.5/10

Time to make a stand...

[paul_haakonsen · 6/10 · 6 October 2016]

A third delve into the legend of Ip Man. And I will say that they managed to keep the third movie up to level with the previous two movies, and that was an achievement in itself.

The story here revolves around a property developer and his gangsters trying to claim a local school, and Master Ip Man takes it upon himself to stand up to them.

Donnie Yen makes a third and glorious return as Ip Man, and he does so once again with flying colors. He really was cast so well for this particular role, especially because he is capable of combining acting and martial arts with grace.

Similar to the previous two movies, then "Ip Man 3" is loaded with martial arts throughout the course of the movie. And the martial arts in this third movie was done with great skill, it was graceful and visually impressive to look at. It was nicely choreographed and equally so executed by the martial artists on the screen. There are some very memorable martial arts scenes throughout this movie, as there has been in the previous two, but the elevator scene was especially interesting.

The cast in "Ip Man 3" was good, although I personally didn't like that they had Mike Tyson in the movie. Sure he might throw a powerful punch, but he doesn't have acting talent nor much on-screen appeal. So I think they could have fared better with a different cast for the role of Frank.

It was also a nice touch to see a young Bruce Lee make an appearance in the movie, seeking to study with Master Ip Man. And actor Kwok-Kwan Chan did a good job, although it was a bit over-acted in a way. But it was fun, nonetheless.

The 2015 "Ip Man 3" movie is a definite must watch movie if you enjoy martial arts, and especially so if you enjoyed the previous two "Ip Man" movies from 2008 and 2010.

Xiaolongbao! Writing was like mixing wonton soup with soursop

[Top_Dawg_Critic · 7/10 · 21 February 2020]

Was this 2 movies mashed together as one, or did Mike Tyson pay big bucks last minute to be added to the script? The story just didn't make sense. Nevertheless and as always, excellent choreography, directing and acting. I just wish the writing was tighter without the plot and technical issues.

A more deliberate and personal approach to the titular character, it is a proper send off for Ip Man.

[quincytheodore · 7/10 · 26 December 2015]

Donnie Yen is one of the most consistent action stars, having resume that spans decades and while other colossal names such as Jet Li or Jackie Chan has slowed down, he is still going strong. This, ironically, can also work against him since he already has played in two Ip Man films and with more works depicting the famous character, this theme can become overly used. Luckily, Ip Man 3 shifts into a more private direction while still equipped with the lighting speed blows.

The story has multiple subplots, ranging from usual the thug encounter to problems on Ip Man's household. There's still glimpse of the nationalism angle from the first two movies, although fortunately not as prevalent. Use of jingoism has become stale and it'd make a predictable vilified antagonist. This time around the script has more balance and modesty, it's intended to be accessible for wider range of audience.

As far as acting goes, leads Donnie Yen and Lynn Hung perform well. This is a family oriented relationship with drama or romance taking the secondary role. Its use of many subplots, thus a larger number of antagonists, can be distracting at times. Some of the dialogues sound rather too overblown for theatrical effect, although luckily they're not dominant enough to be disrupting.

Ip Man also attracts a certain expectation for fight scenes, one which is sufficiently delivered here. It uses less wire choreography and opts for a faster close quarter combat. The cinematography involved is very precise, showing a vast experience and understanding of clashing fists and spatial awareness for the dance. This makes every encounter unique, from the all-out brawl in the dock, skirmish in small stores or apartments to the occasional high octane duels. A nod goes to the scene with Mike Tyson in its entire fanservice splendor.

The distinct combat choreography, which still looks fast and fresh, will satisfy action fans, yet the humble perspective gives a hearty humane side for the larger-than-life character.

There's nothing greater than the love for the ones around You.

[mihaelvlasici · 7/10 · 25 January 2021]

It is starting to feel a bit like a stretch, however You can't deny this movie is good at what it's doing. Still an enjoyable watch.

Ip Man 3 is a touching ending to the Ip Man Trilogy, a movie with more depth than the previous two

[tiger-lion_eternalenemie · 10/10 · 23 December 2015]

I will try to keep this spoiler free.

Donnie Yen returns for Ip Man 3, and despite being produced by the same team, the theme that is explored... is that much deeper.

Ip Man focuses on "Survival", Ip Man 2 focuses on Everyday Life and Making a Living, while Ip Man 3 focuses on "Life" itself.

The audience will need to pay attention to details to enjoy the movie fully, starting from the first scene, and really understand how the first scene relates to the whole story. So... REMEMBER the first scene! (The Butterfly Scene)

There are subtle hints hidden in the move, be it Bruce Lee's quote of "Be Like Water" or "One-Inch Punch" where viewers really need to pay attention to the story and choreography to understand.

Ip Man 1 and 2 focuses on grounded action, and realistic choreography. Ip Man 3 has that, but added another layer of beauty to the movie, thanks to Yuen Woo Ping(Matrix, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon)'s choreography. The details of every fight scene can be enjoyed and explored.

While many think that Ip Man 3 will be just a martial arts exhibition, but the team managed to bring in a layer of emotion we have not seen in 1 and 2.

Donnie's Ip Man is now a much more grounded, humble and just that neighborhood family guy we all love.

Donnie Yen's performance here is nothing sort of amazing.

Lynn Hung's performance is also outstanding.

All in all, the movie may not please all critics and fans who ONLY loves hard-hitting action, but if you are looking at an Ip Man movie with Great action, great humour and that sense of touch with a love story, then Ip Man 3 is the best in the series.

'IP MAN 2' is a much better movie, but this one isn't bad.

[Hellmant · 7/10 · 12 April 2016]

'IP MAN 3': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

Martial arts biopic sequel, to 2008's 'IP MAN' and 2010's 'IP MAN 2'. All three films chronicle the life of legendary grandmaster Yip Man (also known as Ip Man); who is famous for introducing the martial art Wing Chun, to China (and the world). This installment was once again directed by Wilson Yip (who also helmed both other movies); and it was written by Edmond Wong, Tai-Li Chan and Lai-yin Leung (Wong and Chan also co-wrote the first two flicks). Donnie Yen also returns to play the title role (for the third time). The movie also features Jin Zhang, Lynn Hung, Mike Tyson and Kwok-Kwan Chan (as Bruce Lee). Chan also played Lee in the 2008 TV series 'THE LEGEND OF BRUCE LEE', and a 2010 film (of the same name). 'IP MAN 3' is definitely not as good as it's predecessor (which many consider even better than the original film), but it is a fun martial arts flick.

The story, this time, deals with a ruthless American property developer, named Frank (Tyson); who's trying to gain control of a Hong Kong school, in 1959, that Ip Man's son attends. Ip (Yen), of course, comes to the school's defense. He also must deal with his wife (Hung) becoming ill, with stomach cancer, and a new Wing Chun grandmaster challenger (Zhang). A young martial arts student, named Bruce Lee (Chan), also wants Ip to train him.

The movie has some pretty impressive martial arts fight scenes; I also especially enjoyed the battle between Donnie Yen and Mike Tyson. Tyson actually makes a good menacing villain; considering he didn't have to say much (that was a very wise move, of the filmmakers). Other than the action, the movie doesn't have a lot to offer; I don't feel like I actually learned much about Ip Man, and the story is kind of a mess. 'IP MAN 2' is a much better movie, but this one isn't bad.

Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://youtu.be/n2qWxeZ0Tck

Ip Man 3 is the most profound of the Ip Man Trilogy, with many details overlooked by General Audiences

[edisonlightinghouse · 10/10 · 25 December 2015]

Let's face it, many of us knew about Ip Man because of Donnie Yen. While there have been many other "Ip Man" movies produced by other film companies, other teams and directors, Peagasus Motion Pictures have declared that these have no relations to Donnie Yen's Ip Man trilogy. The other Ip Man movies have been mediocre at best, in terms of both critical and commercial success.

The truth is the Ip Man trilogy is like the Dark Knight trilogy. While Dark Knight(2008) was so good, people were thinking how Dark Knight Rises(2012) can surpass that, and expectations were Sky-High. Similarly, our expectations of Ip Man 3 is at an all time high, due to the hugely enjoyable Ip Man(2008) and Ip Man 2(2010).

Was the Dark Knight Rises a good movie? Definitely. But when expectations are high, and compared to Dark Knight(2008), people left the cinema disappointed.

This is where the difference comes in, director Wilson Yip and Producer Raymond Wong took a risk. They decided to go for a different direction with Ip Man 3, a stark contrast from Ip Man 1 and 2. Instead of Nationalist Pride, the main focus of Ip Man 3 is human emotion and melodrama. Instead of just realistic fight scenes, Yuen Woo Ping(Iron Monkey, Matrix, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon) was brought in to add "beauty" and "detail" into every fight scene? So what is the result? A beautiful film in its own right, which may spark differences in opinion between people who understood the film, and people who don't.

Fans who are not used to Yuen Woo Ping's style will find the action weaker than Ip Man 1 and 2. But fans who look at details, and understanding of Martial Arts will enjoy Yuen's style much more than Sammo Hung, be it water droplets fading upon reaching the ground, glass causing balloon string to snap, "One-inch punch" finish, we are looking at extreme details and incredible beauty of martial arts, which have NEVER been present in Ip Man 1 and 2.

Director Wilson Yip's way of expressing his ideas in Ip Man 3 is that much deeper than previous films. Be it hinting "Be like water", or the first scene of "Butterfly"(a Chinese mythology of a returning spirit of a love one, key hint to subsequent events in the film), there are many details which ordinary viewers might overlook, but observant viewers will fall in love with the film.

Now, refocusing back on Donnie Yen. Many fans will be watching Ip Man 3 simply because Donnie is back as Ip Man, and to many people... "Donnie Yen IS Ip Man", and there have been voices of boycott of other unrelated Yip Mun films starring other actors.

For fans of Donnie Yen, his performance will not disappoint you. His performance as a grounded, highly-skilled martial artist continue to impress, but its his work as a father and as a husband that will stay in our hearts forever. Ip Man is willing to give up his cigarette addiction for his family, and to give up any prestige and reputation for his son(when he was kidnapped) and his wife(to spend more time with her).

Donnie's performance in his movie alone, is capable of leaving audiences in tears in the cinema. His jokes in the films are excellent, while his emotional scenes touch the hearts of every audience.

To sum it all up, Ip Man 3 is the excellent and perhaps perfect ending to the Ip Man trilogy. But one needs to use his/her heart to understand, and use their eyes to observe.. not just the fight scenes, but every emotional scene.

Ip Man 3 has improved dramatically from the previous 2 installments, due to the additional of love stories and humour, besides incredible action by Yuen Woo Ping.

While many is claiming that Ip Man 3 is the best of the trilogy, I will not go so far as that. I personally felt that Ip Man 3 is definitely better than Ip Man 2, and is definitely on par with Ip Man(2008).

Ip Man 3 and its previous 2 installments will definitely become classics, and Ip Man 3 will be a film we still talk about for decades to come, just like the Dark Knight Trilogy.

An Ineffective & Underwhelming Conclusion Of Ip Man Saga.

[CinemaClown · 17 March 2016]

Even though it is no match to the original, the third & final instalment in Wilson Yip's Ip Man series brings some welcome improvements over the second chapter for its action choreography returns to the more grounded state of the first feature yet the movie as a whole fails to offer a compelling story and is muddled with dull subplots.

Set in Hong Kong during the late 1950s, Ip Man 3 follows the legendary Wing Chun grandmaster as his peaceful life is disturbed once again when a group of thugs working for a property developer attempt to acquire the land that belongs to a local school. Meanwhile, another guy with impressive Wing Chun skills quickly rises through the ranks & challenges Ip Man for the title of Grandmaster.

Directed by Wilson Yip, Ip Man 3 does up the action segments without exaggerating it but it fails to duplicate the amazing balance that the original exhibited in all departments from beginning to end. What's even more infuriating is that despite being top-billed in promotional materials, Mike Tyson's character is pretty much sidelined as the plot tries to build up a rivalry between Ip Man & someone nobody gives a damn about.

Another waste of opportunity was the character of Bruce Lee who's present in the movie for only a couple of scenes & serves as comic relief. The drama is exaggerating at times, its humour falls flat for the most part, and the finale is quite boring & predictable despite the exhilarating exhibition of martial arts it has in store. The look & feel of the picture in sync with its predecessors but editing & music aspects fail to enhance the experience.

Coming to the performances, Donnie Yen reprises his role of Ip Man for the last time (possibly) but since the writers failed to give him anything new to work with, his performance is more or less the same as before. Zhang Jin delivers the best work for his character's arc is fully realised & properly defined. Tyson fails to convince as another character but his stand-off with Ip Man is one highlight for sure. Danny Chan as Bruce Lee is under-utilised while Lynn Hun does well as Ip Man's wife.

On an overall scale, Ip Man 3 had all the resources to put up a spectacular action extravaganza but what it packs in the final product is much different from what its trailers promised. While the action choreography is commendable, it unfortunately doesn't amount to much in the end for there isn't anything personal at stake in those sequences. People looking for nothing but simply martial arts action will be enthralled in sufficient doses but other than that, Ip Man 3 is an underwhelming & ineffective conclusion of Wilson Yip's Ip Man saga.

A lesser third film, but still packed with great action

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 27 April 2016]

IP MAN 3 is the belated final instalment of the true story trilogy. It features the famous Wing Chun proponent and his wife in their later years, living quiet lives in Hong Kong until a ruthless property developer earmarks their son's school for demolition, at which point Ip Man steps into the fray to sort things out.

This third movie isn't as good as the two predecessors, but that's not to say it's not entertaining. In fact, it's very entertaining indeed, and filled with the kind of expertly-choreographed action (thanks, Yuen Woo-ping!) that made the first two films so good in the first place. Donnie Yen returns to the role he made his own and once again plays it restrained to great effect.

IP MAN 3 isn't perfect by any means. There's a little too much family background stuff, including a sub-plot that all but dominates the last quarter of the movie, making it slow when it should be exciting. I can understand its importance, but it feels out of place in what is in all other respects a straightforward fight flick. Still, there's so much great action elsewhere that it's hard to complain, and the spectacle of seeing Yen going up against Mike Tyson is impossible to resist.

Great movie overall!

[facebookspammed123 · 10/10 · 24 January 2016]

To those of you asking where the second child is, this story is actually correct. The elder son is 12 years older than the younger one and was continuing his studies back in Foshan at the time.

I personally enjoyed this movie a lot, great themes, awesome morals, great story line, and I love the comedy in this movie as well. Very cheeky, but cute comedy. The fight scenes were great as well, loved every minute of it. You can actually feel emotion from the movie. They really did a good job of not only incorporating the true story of Ip Man, but also making sure to keep it a movie, not a documentary.

Awesome job done by Donnie Yen, Mike Tyson, and their director, Wilson Yip.

Everybody Wing Chun tonight

[badboomsxy · 7/10 · 27 July 2021]

Great choreography! Fight scenes are pretty intense, but some of the extras were punching air or looking right at the camera. Translation isn't perfect. I noticed the same pink mini cooper in 3 different scenes. Mike Tyson has some immersion breaking cantonese voiceovers and there's a kid that cries a lot. Not as good as the first 2, but a must if you're doing the series. Watch the spinoff afterwards.

Boring movie and a predictable simple story

[RoseRosenthal · 1/10 · 15 January 2016]

Like other Chinese movies, you see the beginning and know the ending. A hero representing the Chinese martial arts have to fight against other fighters and he always wins (like a superman).

I expected a better movie but I was aware that I had wasted my time to come to theatre to see it. It seems that the director never wants to change their mind to bring this kind of movie goes out of Asia. The main character faces to fighters from low level to high level (level 1 - 2 - 3 - 5). The way he lives looks like the way of a perfect person that no one else could be better! And that's all about kung fu Chinese movies of all time.

Not sure how this movie could come up to 8.0 (1k reviews) but I guess that 1k Chinese users tried to vote it up :)

Most of it is forced and artificial...Still a good watch though

[thenekassyni · 6/10 · 10 March 2016]

I felt the movie was too forced and artificial in many cases, especially the scenes with Tyson. This is entirely because of Tyson's poor acting ability and the mix of English/Chinese dialogues.

The franchise has gone Hollywood in the sense that it no longer resembles the factual history of Yip Man himself. The first and second did a much better job with respect to the time period and the economic hardship of its time. Having said that it is still a movie to enjoy because Donnie Yen is fantastic as Yip Man and it joy to watch fight.

The limited introduction of Bruce Lee is an odd bag. The timing is just wrong for his age. He began his apprentice under Yip in 1957. Yip would have been 64 years old, which is rightly so. Remember Bruce have come to American and attended school. He is still young but not that young. The actor that plays him looks very much like Bruce. Makes me miss Bruce all that much more actually. I believe he has played Bruce in another Chinese movie a while back as well, hence the part.

Since the movie is not an actual telling of the story it goes without saying that the romance between him and his wife is mostly made up. This artificial injection does not appeal to me at all. I rather have the story of the hardship and the struggles that Yip went through including the abandonment of his wife. The Grandmaster played by Tony Leung is a more accurate telling of his marriage.

This franchise series also does not include Yip's eventual career as a police officer until his late years, nor does it include his exit from practicing and teaching except, of course, until Bruce Lee.

I best end it here with the fictional dramatization. It is a movie made for the mainstream rather then a documentary. Lastly it is a good movie just for the fight scenes, especially the one at the end. Enjoy.

Perfunctory, derivative and cliché, but who cares when some of the fight scenes are so awesome

[ctowyi · 6/10 · 24 December 2015]

Perfunctory story, derivative plot, cliché characters, but who cares. When I stepped into a cinema showing Ip Man (the 5th movie), we only want to see Ip Man go mano a mano against bad guys the size of mountains.

I like Ip Man, the man. He is a simple man with even simpler needs. His moral compass never wavers and points true north. He is our oriental superhero.

In Ip Man 3, I find myself unspooling the entire story from the first frame. There is nothing new here - another secret society comes a whacking, another gongfu dude comes a knocking and wants to better Ip Man. I found myself going on auto-pilot but somewhere in the middle, a super awesome fight scene in an elevator and my movie suddenly appeared. A simple gesture, a reassuring look, the silent communication and trust between a husband and his wife. The heart and soul of the movie appeared and it beat all the way to the end. The simple love story was well portrayed but it treaded on thin ice with a lot of preachy dialogue. But really, what do I know, the Malay lady sitting to me was crying softly away.

haven't felt this way about a martial artist since the GOAT jackie chan

[FeastMode · 7/10 · 26 June 2019]

Not only do i see donnie yen as super talented, both as a fighter and as an actor, but i have basically grown to love him. he's charismatic and likable. and especially in this role, he exemplifies the proper human being in so many ways. i look up to this fictional character.

on to the movie... the fight scenes continue to be elite, lots of cool new innovative moves and great ways of directing the fight scenes. the story was decent. there were some questionable parts, but overall very enjoyable with an emotional punch. (2 viewings, 7/6/2020)

'Ip Man 3' goes for the heart as much as the the jugular in an exciting and unexpectedly moving finish

[moviexclusive · 8/10 · 24 December 2015]

Five years and more than a few false starts later, Donnie Yen reprises his iconic role as the revered Wing Chun grandmaster Ip Man. Despite an epilogue in 'Ip Man 2' teasing the appearance of Bruce Lee in this immediate sequel, those expecting the legendary movie star to make more than a glorified cameo will undoubtedly be disappointed; whether because of copyright reasons or otherwise, Danny Chan (who first made good of his physical resemblance to the late Lee in the TV series 'The Legend of Bruce Lee') only appears twice in the whole film – once, at the start to ask Ip Man to be his master and twice, in the middle to teach Ip Man to dance cha-cha in exchange for some kung fu training.

Instead, 'Ip Man 3' finds the titular Master Ip rise up to protect the principal, staff and children (including his own younger son Ip Chun) of an elementary school from a ruthless property developer Frank (Mike Tyson), while preserving his own reputation under challenge from an aggressive fellow practitioner Cheung Tin Chi (Max Zhang). Besides the much touted mano-a-mano fight with Tyson, the former sees Master Ip cross paths with the cocky gangster Ma King Sang (Patrick Tam), an ex-disciple of Master Tin (veteran martial arts actor Bryan Leung Ka-yan) who has no qualms kidnapping children in order to force the principal's hand. The latter however is more Master Ip's antagonist by circumstance than by choice; in order to prove his name in an already crowded field of martial arts masters tacitly competing against each other for name, fame and disciples, Tin Chi touts his technique as the authentic Wing Chun and openly challenges Master Ip to a competition in order to emerge from the latter's long illustrious shadow.

There are at least four good to great fights here – the first at the Western Union shipyard where King Sang and his gang hang out, the second between Master Ip and a Muay Thai kickboxer (played by Simon Kuke of Tony Jaa's stunt team) sent by Frankie to ambush the former, the third between Master Ip and Tyson's Frankie himself, and the last but not least between Master Ip and Tin Chi at the latter's school. Like its predecessors, the best fights here are essentially two- handers between Donnie Yen and a worthy martial arts actor, so it isn't surprising that out of the aforementioned four, it is the latter three that stand out. Of particular note, Yen's duel with Kuke has an added thrill of taking place within the very confined quarters of a lift before moving on to a narrow stairwell; while Yen and Tyson's one-on-one have the added urgency of time (i.e. within three minutes) and Yen's finale with Zhang the added novelty of poles and knives in addition to pure fists.

In Sammo Hung's place, it is the hugely respected Yuen Wo-ping who is taking over as action director here, and the latter opts for less showy set-pieces that lack the sheer adrenaline rush of those in the first two movies but nonetheless are note-worthy for being grounded in realism. Yes, there is no equivalent of the tabletop fight between Yen and Hung in 'Ip Man 2', which though thrilling to watch was also criticised for being too heavily reliant on wirework and a suspension of disbelief; rather, Yuen assembles a supporting cast with actual kung fu abilities and talent – if not brute force (we're talking about you, Tyson) – to spar with Yen and leaves the rest up to the performers' speed, agility, strength and skill. If there was the ambition of topping the earlier films, there is no hint of that here, and we suspect those who are just here for the action will probably come off a tad disappointed that there is no one standout moment of utter exhilaration that defines the entire movie.

Yet 'Ip Man 3' is all the better for not trying to better its own predecessors; instead, it finds its own rhythm by being a touching portrayal of marital love and devotion between Master Ip and his wife Cheung Wing Sing (Lynn Xiong). More than the earlier films, Wing Sing's supporting role is especially poignant here, as her character discovers from a persistent pain in her abdomen that she is in the late stages of cancer. A good part of the middle act of 'Ip Man 3' is composed of intimate scenes between Master Ip and Wing Sing as they struggle to come to terms with the latter's frailty and impending fate, and what emerges in these quieter moments is a touching portrait of Ip Man's profound love for his wife above all else, retreating into seclusion from the wider martial arts fraternity even as his reputation is on the line so as to be by her bedside day after day.

As always, it is Yen who anchors the film from start to finish with his nuanced portrayal of Master Ip. A passionate speech he makes to Kent Cheng's Sergeant 'Fatty' Po about not bowing to his corrupt Western superior would have sounded sanctimonious if not for Yen's expert under-playing; but more than his character's dignity or honour this time round, Yen depiction of Master Ip's equanimity amidst his grief at his wife's debilitating state is especially moving.

That is no small measure credit to its director Wilson Yip as well as its trio of writers (namely, producer Raymond Wong's son Edmond Wong, Chan Tai-li and Leung Lai-yin), who nicely balance the action- oriented setpieces with a solid and grounded character study built upon the personal real-life struggles of their titular character. Oh yes, it may not boast the most incredible fight scenes of the trilogy, but in spirit and in tone, it is a beautiful and fitting conclusion to quite possibly the most outstanding martial arts series of recent time.

Something different...

[Thanos_Alfie · 7/10 · 20 April 2020]

"Yip Man 3" is a Biography - Drama movie and the third movie of the Yip Man saga in which we watch Ip Man defending some locals from a gangster group which want to take a local school by force.

If you have already watched the two previous Yip Man movies then I believe that you will be disappointed by it. In my opinion "Yip Man 3" is a very good movie with many hidden details laying all over it but it's very different from the previous two movies and this is its disadvantage. Many people expected it to be just another Yip Man movie in which there will by many fights and nothing more. Well, this movie is something more than this and it would be better for you to be prepared for it before watching it.

Very beautiful and captures true value of life.

[jweeraka · 8/10 · 17 June 2016]

What a lovely and meaningful movie. This movie emphasize why martial art is important, to defend but not to offense. And it also highlights the true meaning of love, not leaving thy lover when she needs us most and spending your last moments with the person you love and willing to give yourself for your loved one is the true meaning of love. And one of the most remarkable trait is that respect one other and accept defeat with equal favour. Perhaps this may easily be one of my favourite movies of all time. Donnie Yen portraits ancient Grandmaster YIP perfectly without any doubt he captures Mater Yip's Kindness and Generosity.

Two or even more completely separate movies mushed together

[Vartiainen · 6/10 · 3 October 2021]

The third installment in the Ip Man franchise brings back Donnie Yen as the eponymous master of Wing Chun. This time he has to deal with an unscrupulous property developer and, as an almost completely separate story element, a threat against his legitimacy as a practitioner of Wing Chun style of kung fu. Oh, and Bruce Lee also makes an appearance. Because why not.

Taken separately, each of these story elements seem fine. It's a bit odd to see Mike Tyson of all people face off against Donnie Yen, but I'm down with it. A rival Wing Chun practitioner would also be something interesting to focus on. As would Ip Man's relationship with his most well-known and arguably greatest student.

Instead we get all three and it feels disjointed. None of these elements are given enough room to shine and some of them are dropped towards the end so that the movie can focus on the other. Which makes the viewer think: "Wait? That's it? That's the resolution to that conflict?"

It's not a bad film. The fight scenes are still superb and Donnie Yen shines in the lead role. I also like that the film explores his relationship with his wife a bit more. That storyline evoked the most feelings in me out of all four or more of them.

If you've liked the previous two, you'll probably like this one just fine, but it's easily my least favourite of the three.

I hope that i've got to see another Donnie yen's "Ip Man" movie again...

[billiejeans26 · 10/10 · 27 December 2015]

When i watch "IP MAN 3", i could feel the emotional from the film itself. However, they portray Bruce lee character only for a short period of time. Unfortunately, the master-student relationships didn't make the story wider enough. But it is still entertaining, beautiful and dramatically as well. One of the interesting thing is "Donnie Yen VS Mike Tyson". The fighting sequence was extremely phenomenon. But the battle only lasts for 3 minutes and it's too short for me to watch this intensive battle. Finally the ending, It's sad when i heard in one of the scene the doctor said that she only has 6 months to live. I watch it and i couldn't speak. it was like OMG I'm so sorry to hear that. But what can i say, This is what life is all about...

That's all i wanna say for now, I really hope you guys to enjoy this movie for the last time. cause this is the final installment of Donnie Yen's Ip man series. I want to remind it: when you guys watch it we were not thinking about the action only. There are still a lot of things that we can learn about life in this movie.

Great wing chun film. Fails on drama, for an American audience. Still worth seeing.

[jramza-1 · 6/10 · 30 April 2016]

The movie had some of the greatest wing chun fight sequences I've ever seen, which were extremely well-choreographed and believable (except that most people could never receive the blows these characters take, and survive, let alone keep fighting). However, the dramatic sequences were heavy and frequent, slowing the pace of the movie to make it downright laborious (requiring fast forwarding for the sake of two teen aged boys who, like myself, could not appreciate the dramatic acting by Chinese actors who were rather poorly overdubbed in English). The movie is definitely worth renting, if you have an interest in martial arts films. It's just so well done. But be ready to fast forward ;-)

Come for the action. That's about it.

[tiailds · 5/10 · 11 April 2016]

I was hyped about this one. The previous 2 were great, and wanted to see more.

"Was it interesting?" The story wasn't as good as the earlier films.

1 out of 3 "Was it memorable?" The fight scenes were good as usual. The "cameo" was a tad strange.

2 out of 3.

"Was it entertaining?" The character development slowed everything down. The plot didn't have any urgency.

1.5 out of 3.

Starting with 1 (because the British say so), 1 + 1 + 2 + 1.5 = 5.5 The ending was disappointing so I'd say a 5. I'm not sure if they were implying another sequel, but I doubt there will be.

"The world doesn't belong to the rich, or even the powerful, but to those of pure heart."

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 14 February 2019]

I've seen the first two 'Ip Man' films with Donnie Chen in the title role, so with that said, this story felt like more of the same. What I mean is, there's an antagonist set up to challenge the Wing Chun master, and the fighting eventually involves a street brawl in which Ip Man takes on a veritable crowd of martial artists without too much of a problem. That takes realism right out of the story for me, as the mechanics of something like that are well nigh impossible. Interestingly, Ip Man has two principle foes in the story, a thug who terrorizes the local school with his band of rowdies, and an aspiring Wing Chun master who wants to prove his superiority over Ip Man. The first is dispatched rather handily by his own boss, portrayed by former boxer Mike Tyson in a role in which he seems a bit out of his element. What's somewhat different in this story is the focus on Ip Man's personal life and relationship with his wife and son. When he learns of Madame Ip's (Lynn Xiong ) cancer, Ip Man retreats from his duties at the school and spends more quality time with her, ignoring a challenge match with Cheung Tin-chi (Jin Zhang). The most impressive physical confrontation in the picture for me was the broad-knife fight between Ip man and Cheung, brought on by Madame Ip's secretly placed message to Cheung's son. It was convincingly well choreographed and looked incredibly dangerous, if in fact real weapons were being used. The picture ends on a somber note with the death of Madame Ip succumbing to her disease, thereby inserting some pathos to the career of the man recognized as the Master of Wing Chun style.