Donnie Yen returns as Ip Man in “Ip Man 3,” and the film leans hard on spectacle over substance. The story follows Ip Man as a gang of brutal gangsters led by a crooked property developer targets his school, forcing him to step out of retirement to defend it. The setup is simple and effective, but the execution stretches the runtime far past what the story needs.
Trailer, via Well Go USA Entertainment.
The Story Behind the Screen
Before the film even reached audiences, it became a cultural flashpoint. Kris Storti, the COO of Bruce Lee Enterprises (BLE), said BLE was “justifiably shocked” that the film included a CGI version of Bruce Lee, calling it “completely unauthorized.” Pegasus asserted that Bruce Lee’s brother Robert Lee owned the intellectual property rights, a claim BLE denied. The dispute made headlines before anyone saw the movie.
The Guardian later reported that plans to use a CGI Bruce Lee were dropped, though Lee still appears in the film, played by Danny Chan. Chan had previously portrayed Lee in the 2008 TV series “The Legend of Bruce Lee.” The casting choice kept the character in the story without relying on disputed digital effects.
“To state it in no uncertain terms, BLE intends to seek all remedies available to it to stop Pegasus from including the computer-generated version of Bruce Lee in Ip Man 3.”
That quote captures the stakes behind a simple fight scene. The film’s production history reads like a legal drama as much as a martial arts saga.
The Fight Scenes Carry the Weight
The action sequences remain the strongest element. Yuen Woo-ping’s choreography delivers fast, precise combat that honors the Wing Chun style. The scenes between Ip Man and Cheung Tin-chi, played by Zhang Jin, are sharp and well-staged. The tension between the two masters is the emotional core of the film, even if the plot around them grows thin.
The supporting cast fills out the world without stealing focus. Lynn Hung returns as Ip Man’s wife, and Mike Tyson plays a street fighter and property developer named Frank. Patrick Tam plays Ma King-sang, the local gangster who works for Frank, while Kent Cheng plays Detective Po.
Where It Falls Short
The middle stretch drags. The film spends too long establishing the threat to the school, and the villains feel less like threats and more like excuses to stage fights. The political subplot involving the property developer and the school’s land adds weight but never quite lands.
The film’s ambitions are clear. It wants to honor Ip Man’s legacy while delivering crowd-pleasing action. On paper, that balance sounds perfect. In practice, the balance tilts too far toward spectacle.
Final Word
“Ip Man 3” is a solid entry in the franchise, best enjoyed for its action sequences rather than its plot. The fight scenes are worth the price of admission, but the story surrounding them loses focus. It’s a film that respects its audience physically but not always intellectually.
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