Donnie Yen isn't just the Man, he's Ip Man. Hong Kong's most prolific martial arts actor goes for Fearless-type cred in director Wilson Yip's biopic of the legendary Wing Chun master. The film tells the tale of Ip Man (Yen) during the 1930s and 40s, covering his rise to prominence in 1930s Foshan, plus his involvement with the imperialist Japanese . Noted for its many famous kung-fu masters, Foshan comes under siege from surly kung fu master Jin Shan Zhao (Fan Siu-Wong), who's looking to rob Foshan's resident martial arts masters of their fame and face. They're quick to jump to the challenge, and all are quick to lose - that is, all except Ip Man, who seems to have zero ego and is overflowing with serene modesty. Eventually Ip Man is required to accept Jin's challenge, but as one would expect, Ip has no problem knocking Jin down to size. However, when the Japanese invade China, even Ip Man's Wing Chun is of no help.

Or maybe it is. Though Ip Man is billed as a biography of the famed Wing Chun master, it takes massive liberties with actual history. Wilson Yip and Donnie Yen seem to be more concerned with capturing Ip Man's spirit rather than his actual experiences and exploits. Ergo, his refusal to train the Japanese forces has been adapted to the screen as a framework for some physical one-versus-many battles between Ip Man and the Japanese soldiers, all culminating in a one-on-one match between Ip Man and the honorable, though still somewhat evil General Miura (Hiroyuki Ikeuchi). Can Ip Man beat up Miura and restore the honor of the Chinese people? There are currently two sequels in production to Ip Man, so the answer should be pretty obvious.

However, obvious answers can sometimes make for entertaining film, and that's exactly what Ip Man is: entertaining. As a biopic, Ip Man doesn't convince, and is historically inaccurate, not to mention over-the-top in its unflattering portrayal of the Japanese soldiers. However, as an action drama, Ip Man earns its wings, proving rousing and exhilarating, if not sensitive or particularly subtle. Sammo Hung's action direction is top notch, and the one-versus-many beatdowns possess an entertaining and even emotional edge not seen since the days of Fist of Legend. Donnie Yen brings the film to another level; besides being convincing when he's whaling away at everyone in sight, Yen is surprisingly subtle, capturing Ip Man's calm demeanor and also his buried inner emotion. Ip Man may not be the career turning point for Donnie Yen that Fearless was for Jet Li, but it's surely a step in the right direction.