Parents' Guide to

The Grandmaster

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Beautiful martial arts, some violence, uneven storyline.

Movie PG-13 2013 108 minutes
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What's the Story?

In the 1930s in Foshan, in the southern part of China, there are many martial arts schools. But the best one by far is Ip Man's school of Wing Chun. Challenged by northern master Gong Yutian, Ip Man (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai) responds with a philosophical approach, and he's named the winner. But Gong's daughter, Er (Zhang Ziyi), wishes to reclaim her family's good name and challenges Ip to a fight in which the loser is the first to break the furniture. Ip loses, but the two stay in touch. Later, when the Sino-Japanese War begins, Ip and his family fall into extreme poverty. Ip moves to Hong Kong hoping to become a teacher and meets up with Er there. They seem to have a romantic connection, but they can't act on it.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1):

This review pertains to the U.S. cut, which is about 22 minutes shorter than the international cut and reportedly focuses more on action, sacrificing character content in the bargain. The result is an uneven, somewhat chilly movie, albeit one with some absolutely beautiful fight sequences. The film begins with an almost totally unrelated scene in which Ip Man defeats 20 opponents in the rain at night, and it's breathtaking.

Each of the other fight scenes, especially the one between Ip Man and Gong Er, are highly satisfying. And the powerful, unfulfilled romantic tension between the two characters in the movie's second half is quite lovely, recalling some of director Wong Kar Wai's best work, specifically In the Mood for Love. But perhaps due to the cuts in the story -- or perhaps because of Wong's unique, poetic rhythms -- much of the narrative flow seems flat or even stuck. But the good does outweigh the bad. The related Ip Man (2008) is more fun, if less artistic.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about The Grandmaster's violence. Did the fighting strike you as artistic, violent, or somewhere in between?

  • What does the movie teach viewers about martial arts other than fighting?

  • Does the fact that the main character smokes cigarettes make him less appealing?

Movie Details

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