Wizard-8 Review of Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy

Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy (2018)

Acceptable overall, but the script should have been better

[6/10 · 28 October 2019]

You don't have to have seen any of the movies in the "Ip Man" series before watching this spin-off movie (though it will help a little.) Regardless of whether you've seen the Ip Man movies or not, those who are into Asian action movies should find this enjoyable enough. The movie looks nice, with solid production values (love those neon signs!), and the fight sequences (particularly the final bout) are pleasing. However, the movie doesn't manage to make it to truly exceptional status, mainly due to the script. The basic story and its various twists and turns will be exceedingly familiar to both Western and Eastern audiences. You'll be ahead of the story (and characters) at every point. Not only that, the story is stretched out to a considerable length, leading to some dull patches and long sections where characters disappear for a long time (such as the hero's son.) As I said, the movie does deliver enough, but it's best to have your expectations lowered, especially if you've seen the much superior Ip Man movies.