2/5
Wong Kar-Wai's The Grandmaster is an overwhelming disappointment. It tells the story of legendary fighter Ip Man, whose only claim to fame seems to be that he was Bruce Lee's teacher (which is how they advertise the movie to get you interested in it, then never mention it again any time ever). Wong's filmic lyricism seems like a perfect fit for the acrobatic beauty of martial arts, but here--as in his previous "action" movie Ashes of Time--it feels overbearing and clunky. Wong slows down fight scenes shot at normal FPS, so we get to see them as choppy, blurry messes. If only he had filmed them in a high shutter speed to begin with, we would have been able to enjoy some of the most beautiful, crisp fight scenes in recent memory. But no, he ruins it.
If that weren't enough, the fighting is less than half the movie, and midway through the movie the mood switches from action to romance without telling anybody. However, the love story is between a married man and a lover instead of the man and his wife. I guess that part could have been interesting if it weren't presented in such a banal and trite manner. But it was. There's not much to say about this movie. Avoid it. Trust me.
IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1462900/