Du Yuhang in The Grandmaster Of Kung Fu. Courtesy of WellGo USA
For fans of Chinese martial arts movies, The Grandmaster Of Kung Fu offers a variation on a very familiar theme. Set in the early 20th century while Japan is occupying much of China, national pride for both seems to hinge on whether kung fu is superior to karate, and the question will be determined in a winner-take-all match.
The invaders strive and scheme to assert dominance by demoralizing the local fighters and, consequently, the populace. The Chinese must win to keep their martial arts schools open to maintain its cultural identity despite the occupation. This premise has been recycled a zillion times ever since the Hong Kong action boom of the 1970s, often incorporating historic heroes like Ip Man or Wong Fei Hung. Western viewers will primarily associate Donnie Yen with the former, and Jet Li with the latter.
For fans of Chinese martial arts movies, The Grandmaster Of Kung Fu offers a variation on a very familiar theme. Set in the early 20th century while Japan is occupying much of China, national pride for both seems to hinge on whether kung fu is superior to karate, and the question will be determined in a winner-take-all match.
The invaders strive and scheme to assert dominance by demoralizing the local fighters and, consequently, the populace. The Chinese must win to keep their martial arts schools open to maintain its cultural identity despite the occupation. This premise has been recycled a zillion times ever since the Hong Kong action boom of the 1970s, often incorporating historic heroes like Ip Man or Wong Fei Hung. Western viewers will primarily associate Donnie Yen with the former, and Jet Li with the latter.
- 1/31/2023
- by Mark Glass
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.