THE GRANDMASTERS (YUT DOI JUNG SI) after director Wong Kar Wai's 14 years of production finally was released yesterday in the Mainland. Ticket sales have been decent as many booked in advance, obviously Wong Kar Wai fans have been starving for a long time. Tony Leung Chiu Wai's martial art scenes have always been the focus. In the film he fought ferociously, completely relying on editing methods to assist and adjust. As for memorable scenes, they seemed to be Wong Kar Wai's salute to his own classic films IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (FA YEUNG NIN WA) and FALLEN ANGELS (DOR LOK TIN SI).
THE GRANDMASTERS since its preparation has flown the martial art action banner. The film is about the life of Wing Chun master Ip Man, but the story actually could not leave "love" as packaging. Wong Kar Wai continued his romantic classic as he depicted the Leung Chiu Wai and Zhang Ziyi's ambiguous relationship in particular detail. Their duel, spinning in the air and exchanging looks nose to nose was the most classic; then their through letter exchanges and clothes buttoning to express their feelings, which were already full of poetic artistry.
The martial art fight scenes were the movie's focus. Wai Jai for the film studied Wing Chun. In the first half his six fight scenes were very convincing without any use of double. Of course he also relied on camera work and editing methods to assist and adjust, making the film even more intense and brilliant.
Zhang Ziyi and Ada Choi Siu Fun's husband Max Zhang Jun's sibling fight at the train station looked the part and fought excitingly. Zhang Jun's action was also a pleasant surprise. Actually with a martial art background Chang Chen fought decently as well but his role was cut. he and Zhang Ziyi's emotional scene was also broken up, weakening his character and made him less attraction than Zhang Jun.
Korean star Song Hye-Kyo as Mrs. Ip Man was pretty and sexy enough, but the role was too light. With only two lines she did not have much chance to perform, but she made up for it with her eyes and expressions; however she and Wai Jai had intimate scenes. She wiped the unbuttoned Wai Jai and showed off her legs as Wai Jai bathed her feet.
The film also had many familiar scenes like reflections of Wong Kar Wai's past work and salutes to them. Wai Jai and Zhang Ziyi locking eyes was like FALLEN ANGELS' Leon Lai Ming and Michelle Reis (Lee Ka Yun)'s love at first sight; Zhang Ziyi's heart to heart with a hole in the wall reminded people of IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE's Wai Jai secret telling at a hole in a tree. Wai Jai washing Song Hye-Kyo's feet was just like his massage for Maggie Cheung Man Yuk in IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE. As for Ip Man changing into a suit and applying gel to his hair reminded people of IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE.
Wong Kar Wai as usual invited different guest stars, this time was no exception with Julian Cheung Chi Lam, Berg Ng Ting Yip, Lo Hoi Pang, Xiao Shenyang, action director Yuen Woo-Ping, Zhao Benshan, Tsui Kam Kong, Lo Mang (Law Mong). Tsui Kam Kong only passed through in one shot and had no line; Cheung Chi Lam had no line but portrayed a Chinese Opera star. Appearing in Donnie Yen Chi Tan's IP MAN 2, Lo Mang was the only actor who was able to take part in THE GRANDMASTERS. Who knew if he confused the audience? The challenging master Lo Mang and thug Xiao Shenyang added humor to balance the film's tension. Veteran actor Lo Hoi Pang's role was not large but his every move was dramatic.
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