If you’re a fan of any of the Ip Man movies starring Donnie Chen, then The Grandmaster of Kung Fu is an easy watch with a similar ethos to other martial arts titles like this. Of course, The Grandmaster movie was made for Chinese streamers, is low-budget, and is far less streamlined narratively, but it will still do the trick if you need a Kung Fu or Huo Yuanjia movie fix. It’s a violent Qing Dynasty Martial arts movie and you should watch it.
This time the battle is between the Japanese military and the Chinese city residents of Tianjin. Early on there is a distinct clash of wills as the Japanese claim to be the best at martial arts. Because they rule over the Tianjin people, there is a clear uneven playing field. The Japanese military doesn’t play fair, has machine guns, and in this story, likes to get their hands dirty.
The Grandmaster of Kung Fu
The Grandmaster movie is set towards the back end of the Qing Dynasty. The role of hero and all-around nice guy is played by the excellent Dennis To. Also known as Du Yuhang, Ip Man fans might remember him as the younger version of the original Ip Man who grew up to be played by Donnie Chen. To was also brought back to reprise his role in more of the Ip Man franchise. Dennis To can be seen as the young Ip Man in Ip Man 2, The Legend is Born: Ip Man and Ip Man Kung Fu Master. In real life, Dennis To is the former world Wushu champion, he won in 1999 at the age of 19.
Like many films of this ilk, The Grandmaster of Kung Fu ultimately portrays the Japanese and their desire to occupy China. In this case, martial arts act as the accelerant between Japanese Kung Fu schools, the antagonist, and Chinese schools which act as the protagonist. The Japanese military provokes a tournament where the winner keeps a stronghold over the schools for martial arts in Tianjin and the loser has to close them all and leave the city.
Best KungFu Movies
Director Cheng Siyu uses his limited budget to highlight the fight scenes. The choreography is strong and extremely entertaining. The Grandmaster of Kung Fu was originally released in China in 2019 to streaming platforms. It’s easy to see that much of this film’s purpose is to give as much as it can. There is plenty of heroic sentiment, as well as, great story arcs between the good and bad. Add to that some impressive traditional hand-to-hand combat and sword fights and you’ve got yourself a good time.
The Grandmaster of Kung Fu movie is rated
3.5 Dennis To smiles like Donnie Chen out of 5
The Grandmaster of Kung Fu Cast and Director
- Director
- Cheng Si-Yu (Land Shark and Fist of Fury: Soul)
- Stars
- Yang Feng
- Yu-Hang To
- Mei Xue
- Yu-Hang To (Ip Man, Kung Fu League, 1911)
- Gao Xuemei, Yang Yongfeng, Li Ruoxi, and Zhuang Han.
The Grandmaster 2023 Language
Country of Origin: China. Language spoken: Mandarin. If you don’t speak Mandarin, that’s okay, there are always subtitles.
KungFu Movie Streaming
The Grandmaster of Kung Fu is available on Digital, Blu-ray™ & DVD on January 31, 2023, from Well Go USA Entertainment. The action movie title will also be Available to Stream on Hi-YAH! from November 24th, 2022. For more options on where to watch check the link below.
The Grandmaster of Kung Fu 2023 is streaming on:
The Grandmaster of Kung Fu
Director: Cheng Si-Yu
Date Created: 2023-01-23 17:08
3.5
