Let's get this out of the way. **The Grandmaster** isn't about Ip Man, the grandmaster who allegedly trained Bruce Lee. It isn't a martial arts action film. It has far less action than even **Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon**, a film most martial arts fans dismiss as being too artsy. If martial arts is what you are after, look no further than Donnie Yen's **Ip Man** trilogy. **The Grandmaster** is as much action film as **2046** was a science fiction.

The film uses the backdrop of Japanese invasion and martial arts to contrast (1) China's longing to hold on to the past (Ziyi Zhang's Gong Er), (2) abandoning the past and move forward (John Zhang Jin's Ma San), and (3) the middle ground that seeks the discipline and understanding of both sides, and sharing the past with the future generation (Tony Leung's Ip Man).

I am a great fan of Kar-wai Wong, one of few successful poetic Asian directors working today. His films are often disjointed and thus hard to follow, but you will be immediately rewarded with rich visuals and sounds. And most importantly, many of his films stay with you for days, as you process the film and appreciate its complexity and subtleties.

The film is filled with amazing performances, most notably Ziyi Zhang who really surprised me. I was never a big fan of her work, but her performance is sophisticated and understated. Music is also quite atmospheric, most effective being rework of Ennio Morricone's music from **Once Upon a Time in America** and **How I Learned to Love Women**.

Finally, there's cinematography. It starts wobbly with over styled and frankly overrated fight scene that reminded me of **The Matrix Revolutions**, and in a bad way. Just as soon as I was ready to give up, Gong Er enters and the film takes a whole new turn visually. From then on, the cinematography becomes confident, showcasing the very best of Kar-Wai Wong.

My favorite scene is the last meet between Gong Er and Ip Man. Set against Ennio Morricone's music, the dialog and performances are simply electrifying.