Ip Man (Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]

Were Yip's film simply a series of set pieces featuring Yen's incredible fighting skills, Ip Man would rank among the best martial arts films of the past three decades; the fight choreography, by Hong Kong legend Sammo Hung and Tony Leung Siu-hung (with consultation by Ip's own son, Ip Chun), offers the same sort of eye-popping, rewind-required fist and footwork that Ip's disciple, Bruce Lee, inspired in the '70s, and Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Tony Jaa displayed in subsequent years; a battle between Ip and 10 black belts, in particular, requires multiple views to absorb the speed and deftness on display. But Ip Man also succeeds as a historical drama inspired by the harsh realities of the Japanese occupation of mainland China, as well as an acting showcase for Yen, who embodies Ip's formidable physical and emotional strengths. The American DVD release of Ip Man from Well Go offers many of the same extras found on the Region 2 UK presentation, including interviews with Yen, Yip, Hung, and most of the cast, plus deleted scenes, an impressive tour of production designer Kenneth Mak's sets and location work, and several brief making-of featurettes. --Paul Gaita