Ip Man 2: Legend Of The Grandmaster

One of the highest-grossing films in Hong Kong history, but it doesn't add much to the crowded history of martial-arts movies.

"Ip Man 2" has eye candy to spare. But it is lacking in formalities such as character development and plot coherence, and the stereotyped Brits are straight out of central casting.

Director Wilson Yip keeps the movie moving as fast as the whiplash action.

The film's fight choreography is again handled by the legendary Sammo Hung - he also now has a supporting role and incredibly shot his own fight scenes while recuperating from heart surgery - and that alone makes the film worth checking out.

"Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grand Master" is distinguished by a string of stylishly choreographed martial-arts combat scenes, though barely serviceable in its storytelling.

A redundant if nonetheless occasionally thrilling follow-up bolstered by star Donnie Yen's precision combat skills.

It's a second installment of a film bio of Ip Man, and it's pretty much made-up nonsense, but few will care, as it's also great fun.

The movie is simply an entertaining second chance to see more of this man of character in action.

Ip Man 2 is frankly one of the very best Hong Kong/martial arts movies I've seen in years.

Despite this slackening of narrative urgency, Wilson Yip has duplicated the flawed approach of the earlier movie with striking exactitude.

When Donnie Yen is up there defying gravity and seemingly breaking the sound barrier with his fists, a lot is forgiven.

While the film as a whole is a graceful, yet lethal, dig at chauvinism as well as imperialism, that is no impediment to it also being both an engrossing drama and a dynamic martial-arts flick