Ip Man 4: The Finale

Since its inception a decade ago, the Ip Man series (including the latest expansion Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy) constantly fluctuated between action-packed battle scenes and dull plots. Granted, the storyline of these movies, like that of musicals, seems to be a purposefully flimsy clothes line around which the director can hang the funniest events; nobody expects to discover significant drama interspersed between the flurry of kicks and punches.

But the major writer Edmond Wong - who has worked on every edition of Ip man - specializes in tediously complex writing, often including many stories and antagonists that never intersect in a fulfilling manner (unlike Ip's fists and the bad guys' torsos).

It is thus highly ironic that the Ip Man 4: The Finale concludes the parent franchise with a film that is somewhat mediocre in terms of kung fu but extremely effective in filling time between set plays. The highs are lower, while the lows are higher. Everything is palatable. Coupled with its critical success, Ip Man 4: The Finale is one of the best underdog movies of all time.

Year of Release: 2019

Stars: Donnie Yen, Scott Adkins

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%