The Grandmaster

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The Grandmaster

PG-13

Released Aug 23, 2013

2h 10m

Biography

Drama

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78%

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139 Reviews

59%

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10,000+ Ratings

The fall of China's last dynasty, a time of chaos, division and war, is the golden age of Chinese martial arts. Legendary kung fu master Ip Man, who will eventually train Bruce Lee, finds his peaceful life interrupted by vengeance.

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Critics Consensus

Though its storytelling is a tad muddled, Wong Kar Wai's The Grandmaster still exhibits the auteur's stylistic flourishes in gorgeous cinematography and explosive action set pieces.

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J. Hoberman

ARTINFO.com

The Grandmaster strikes me as Wong's strongest film since In the Mood for Love and surprisingly credible as an exercise in kung fu stylistics as well as temps perdu.

Feb 25, 2019

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Mark Kermode

Observer (UK)

The Grandmaster interweaves themes of ancient loyalty and modern betrayal around a narrative predicated upon the interplay between the differing schools, traditions and movements of myriad martial arts disciplines.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 7, 2014

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Vadim Rizov

Sight & Sound

Each punch, kick and impact is captured cleanly and coherently, Wong serving the spectacle of a big brawl rather than resisting its adrenalised charms.

Dec 5, 2014

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

With a penchant for moody music, colorful imagery, decorated interiors, and splendidly unique cinematography, Kar-wai brings those talents to a totally new genre for him with The Grandmaster.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 14, 2024

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Yuen Wo Ping provides the choreography, which Wong turns into something more like a dance on screen. To Wong, the power of the movement is not just in its effect upon a rival fighter but in the way the man moves through the world.

Aug 19, 2023

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Iván Kazi

EscribiendoCine

Captivating. With the absorbing ghost of the biggest export in the history of China: Bruce Lee. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 7/10

Apr 11, 2023

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Leprechaun K

Probably one of my least favorite WKW films. My Blueberry Nights being the absolutely worst. WKW has always preferred style over substance. In this case, Style x Martial Arts wears thin.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/26/25

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Marit Risto F

Despite all the fighting, I think this is the best film I've ever seen. Unbelievable images. Strong artistic and poetic appeal

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/24

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John A

Wong Kar-Wai doesn't seem so concerned with the truly fascinating historical/character aspects surrounding Ip Man's life however I can't help feverishly fixating on such a masterfully crafted film with CGI-free martial arts action scenes.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/25/23

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Andre G

Beautiful cinematography. Many scenes are like paintings.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/05/23

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Audience Member

Every scene and every primary actor in this movie is amazing. Plus, one of the only films I know that addresses the Japanese occupation of China.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/16/23

Full Review

Steve C

This is Wong's artist take on the Ip Man's story, starring one of his favorite leading man from his other movies. So don't bother comparing it to Donnie Yen's action counterpart series of 4 movies, it's like comparing apples and oranges.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/25/23

Full Review

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Kar-Wai Wong

Director

Tony Leung Chiu Wai

Ip Man

Zhang Ziyi

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Synopsis

The fall of China's last dynasty, a time of chaos, division and war, is the golden age of Chinese martial arts. Legendary kung fu master Ip Man, who will eventually train Bruce Lee, finds his peaceful life interrupted by vengeance.

Director: Kar-Wai Wong
Producer: Jacky Yee Wah Pang
Screenwriter: Zou Jingzhi, Xu Haofeng
Distributor: Weinstein Co.
Rating: PG-13 (Language|Brief Drug Use|Some Smoking|Violence)
Genre: Biography, Drama
Original Language: Chinese
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 23, 2013, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 15, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $6.6M
Runtime: 2h 10m

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