You have to go into this one realizing this is a MOVIE...not a biopic, not a "based on actual events", not even "loosely based on actual events". This is a scripted story; the writers have taken the life of a true martial arts legend - Ip Man, the founder of the current Wing Chun art - and have built somewhat of a dynasty around his name ONLY. If you can watch this with that understanding, it ranks as a great martial arts movie. Again, as was _Ip Man 2_ this seems to parallel the Rocky Balboa character in the American _Rocky_ movies. It has its tearjerker moments, it even has its moments where you want to smack Donnie Yen/Ip Man for ignoring his wife the way he did, but again, it's a STORY. And as a story, I personally thought it was great. The fight scene with Mike Tyson was good but in reality, it was a good thing Tyson only insisted on three minutes; I don't see how, with the size and difference in power, Ip Man could have stood much longer...unless he had just pulled out all the stops and gone in for a kill. Tyson's power was just too awesome. I would like to have seen more, and was pretty disappointed in how they brought it to such an abrupt stop, but whatever. The final fight scene was amazingly intense, well worth sitting through the rest of the movie for. Additionally, the fight scene with the Thai fighter was incredibly intense, also. I give this one an "8" simply because - as a movie - it was exceptional...but remember, you HAVE to watch this as just another martial arts movie, and not something that actually happened.

This was a great or big and fantastic movie series.
i'm big fan of mr. Donnie yen.
so i like that movie series.
it's a complete Action or Biography movie.

> It gets closer to the legend's personal life.

A few movies about Yip Man were made in the past, but Donnie Yen's 2008 version rewrote the history. Because the craze about martial arts in the last two decades and of course digital world made it to reach every corner of the world. Followed by a sequel and its massive hit, then came many unofficial versions to this series that set in a different timeline of the martial art legend's life.

With this movie, the narration gets lots closer to tell the personal life of Yip Man. But in the first half, like the previous two films, focused on the social issue. Yip Man is fighting for the children's education, when a real estate tycoon plans to replace the school building to a commercial complex. That's it, later the story begins to take us to the random events like a man who's hungry for the best fighter in the town title who end up challenging Yip Man to face him. From there, it's all about Yip Man and his ill wife where the movie switches from action mode to sentimental.

That's not what we expected from a man who's famous for his martial art. Surprisingly, this different approach in storytelling was refreshing. Saving school, the clash for the title and ill wife, so the overall movie was like had three episodes and each dealt on a different motive. Being a biopic and also a martial art movie, it exploited the theme fairly.

I can't say Mike Tyson's acting was so good because it was weird him to speak Cantonese. He was in a minor role, but his presence was a big boost for the movie. If we see him in an action movie, then we all know what to expect and it did not fail to fulfill our wish.

> "There's nothing more important than the love of those by your side."

The stunts were not as good as the previous two films and they were too short as well, but technically looked so perfect, especially locking horns between Tyson and Donnie Yen was like head-to-head confrontation between Hollywood and Hong Kong. The other reason to shorten stunts in the movie was to get closer to the legend's personal life. After the survival and fighting the foreign forces, now the time to focus on his own life issues.

The first two films were breathtaking, no one can doubt that. I don't know why it took so long for this third movie, but it still worked. Yet not the best in the trilogy, but remained very close to them with unlike storyline and action sequences. I was disappointed for not continuing from where it ended in the 2nd part. I mean the story has a clean flow, but not what I expected, like, I wanted Bruce Lee and the grand-master coming together.

Actually, I never expected the third installment, I considered it was one of the best duologies you could find in world cinema. But I'm happy they made this one and I'm very much sure there will be fourth. So at least I can expect the Bruce Lee's part in the Yip Man's life story. I was waiting for that from a very long and I believe it won't let me down this time. All the above, I'm looking for the official announcement.

7½/10

This was a really great sequel to the first two as I thought it developed all of the characters perfectly with Donnie Yen (Ip Man) still being the perfect casting for this role and though I do feel the stories are really overblown to what the true stories were, I feel like Master Ip would be very happy with this mans portrayal of him. Also, this film develops the character played by Lynn Hung (Cheung Wing-sing) who is Ip Mans wife and makes you feel a lot more emotion for this character and I really liked that.

The action is phenomenal as usual in this film with flawless choreography and with the addition of Zhang Jin (Cheung Tin-chi) who is playing Ip Mans younger equal, I found the films fight sequences more competitive as both characters try to one-up each other in any scene they are in together and I cannot wait to see this new character in more films. I also found that Mike Tyson (Frank) was alright in this film as he didn't really need to show any acting chops and he kinda just plays himself, the scene with him and Ip Man has to be my favourite as it shows two different fight techniques against each other.

I do feel that the film kind of ends abruptly, but all of the Ip Man films so far kinda end the same way and I am used to that. Anyone who is a fan of this franchise will love this film for sure and just remember SUBS OVER DUBS!!!!!!