A kung-fu revival?

[ASaroch]

I dunno, I've found there's always something violent every few weeks that I pop on my list for a few years now, even if it's a Wong Jing film. Dennis Law is fast becoming the 21st century Wong Jing, Womb Ghosts?

My only concern is this new boom of kung fu films seems to depend on Donnie Yen and only Donnie Yen, bar True Legend.

A new Wong Jing is quite a prospect - especially since the old one is still around - but even then he was responsible for some diamonds in the rough.

[Drunken Master]

When you toss out as many films as Wong Jing the odd one or two are simply by the law of averages going to be worthwhile.

[ASaroch]

On a side note, it's very encouraging to see Ip Man 2 mopping up the competition at the box office in HK. That'll do the revival no harm.

[Phil]

Yet to see it myself, but 'Ip Man 2' seems to have divided critics a lot more than the first one did. Still, looks like 'Ip Man 3' is full steam ahead with Jay Chou being talked about for the role of Bruce Lee.

[Drunken Master]

Most of the criticism I've heard on "Ip Man 2" is about the ammount of nationalism in the second half. I'm looking forward to seeing this purely for the Sammo/Yen dynamic. I really hope all the negative talk is just being blown out of proportion...... but there is no doubting that a chunk of nationalism is currently rife in Chinese movies.

Not too impressed with the idea of Jay Chou playing Bruce Lee either.

[Charlie Parker]

It's a mixed bag, it's less nationalism, more a crass approach to setting up the villains as bad white guys but not even in an amusing Way Of The Dragon type way. A reverse Lethal Weapon 4 approach

The martial arts scenes are good but I lost interest, we've seen it all before. The final boxing match is just crap. If these movies can't go beyond riffing on Fearless for their final act, then the new new wave has peaked already.

Sammo's good as the stern martial art school head and Donnie Yen is his usual reliable self. Simon Yam is unintentionally funny as the guy from Ip Man I after being shot in the head, drooling and stealing meat. I actually don't remember him getting shot

True Legend is much more fun than this.

[ASaroch]

sounds a bit less appealing now... One area that Asia is well behind Hollywood is propaganda - their efforts are a bit clunky in comparison. I just watched 'Iron Man 2' and like every blockbuster it has that subtle 'USA = money,success,glamour,beauty and cool explosions' propaganada that you just take for granted these days, just re-arrange those words where necessary.

I hope the action is at least good in Ip Man 2!

[Charlie Parker]

It has some great action and should entertain enough to the forgetable final bout.

[Charlie Parker]

I'm being too snobbish, it's a retro kung fu film and delivers garish villains as the type of film demands. Gave it another spin and found more to like, bar Simon Yam

[ASaroch]

I'm being too snobbish, it's a retro kung fu film and delivers garish villains as the type of film demands. Gave it another spin and found more to like, bar Simon Yam

at least the Hk public is watching local films - makes a change from seeing 'Transformers 2' pile up the millions and it can't be any worse than that!