Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Wong Kar Wai, THE GRANDMASTER is an epic
action feature inspired by the life and times of the legendary kung fu
master, Ip Man.
The story spans the tumultuous Republican era that followed the fall of
China’s last dynasty, a time of chaos, division and war that was also
the golden age of Chinese martial arts.
Filmed in a range of stunning locations that include the snow-swept
landscapes of Northeast China and the subtropical South, THE GRANDMASTER
features virtuoso performances by some of the greatest stars of
contemporary Asian cinema, including Tony Leung and Ziyi Zhang.
By Angie Han
It feels like we’ve been waiting forever for Wong Kar Wai‘s The
Grandmaster, but next month our patience will finally be rewarded. To
prepare us for the martial arts epic’s release, The Weinstein Co. has
released a new full-length U.S. trailer.
Tony Leung leads the cast as Ip Man, who’s probably best known in the
U.S. as the guy who trained Bruce Lee. In the 1930s, when The
Grandmaster begins, he’s a happily married man practicing the Wing Chun
kung fu form in southern China. He’s challenged to a fight by a martial
arts master from the north (Wang Qingxiang), and then later by the man’s
daughter (Zhang Ziyi).
The trailer starts out with the same rain-soaked scene we’ve enjoyed in
other trailers, but quickly moves on to other, equally dramatic scenes.
There’s no dialogue at all, lest the appearance of subtitles turn off American moviegoers. At least the voiceover isn’t as annoying
this time around. Wong hasn’t done much in the martial arts genre, but
he seems to acquit himself nicely. There’s lots of exciting action,
choreographed beautifully by the Yuen Woo Ping, but Wong hasn’t lost the
moody introspection that marks his other works.
The Grandmaster opens August 23rd.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Spammers, stay out. Only political and video game discussion here.