The Movie
Where the original Ip Man took us through the war years with the legendary martial artist (and future trainer of young Bruce Lee), Ip Man 2 follows our hero (Donnie Yen) as he settles with his family in Hong Kong in 1949. It's a colorful place to say the least: Money is tight, the police (a combination of British and local forces) are corrupt, and no one is allowed to teach kung fu without the approval of the local boss (the always-great Sammo Hung).
We're introduced to the violent, fascinating world of martial arts clubs and--this being a Chinese action epic--Ip Man must fight in his style of Wing Chun in order to gain his peers' respect. Although based on a real person, he is a classic cinematic ass-kicker who would rather not fight, but who ultimately takes on a loud-mouthed Western boxer publicly in order to defend the honor of his people.
Despite some kung fu clichés, Ip Man 2 is a surprisingly engrossing tale with spectacular action, ending with an unexpected cameo of sorts.
The Picture
Ip Man 2 boasts an extremely high bitrate, often flirting with the 40Mbps mark. The 2.4:1 movie was shot on film and so some grain is present, but not always detectable in a given scene. I noted some unfortunate strobing in panning shots but in general the image is quite clean and stable. Colors are exquisite, with fine detail preserved and blacks that are enjoyably nuanced.
The Sound
The disc defaults to Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 so that's what I went with, but we also have Mandarin and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 options. Music in particular has been aggressively mixed into the rears, with a pleasing fullness. There are some modest effects during the big fight sequences, voices around us in the crowds, and some general sounds of period Hong Kong.
There's strong resonance when a ring announcer speaks into his microphone, multichannel applause with a rare discrete clap or later the clicking of cameras at a press conference. So it's mostly-good, with better-than-good moments.
The Extras
The only bonus on Platter One in this "2 Disc Collector's Edition" is a general "Making of," about 18 minutes, in tolerable HD. Disc Two is a standard-definition DVD, with brief glimpses "Behind the Sets" (the challenges of filming key scenes) and a shooting diary of the production. There are also nine minutes of deleted scenes, and extensive interviews with the director and nearly a dozen of the actors. Almost everything here is in Chinese with English subtitles.
Final Thoughts
A sure-fire must-see for any fan of the first Ip Man wanting to know more, or for anyone seeking another terrifically produced period action-drama from China, Ip Man 2 is a winner, with solid HD picture and sound, and a fine if not overly compelling allotment of extras.
Product Details
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