International Film Critique

Use the following format for your international film critique; answers must be typed below the questions and
all questions must appear in full on your final copy. You can use this document as your template. Pay careful
attention to the required number of words for those questions that have them. Failure to follow the
instructions here and on your syllabus will result in a substantially low grade. Minimal answers poorly written
are a D grade or less. Elaboration of points, excellent arguments, and good writing garner higher grades.

Name: Anthony Mejia

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Class period:

Title of Film IP Man

Year of release: 2008
Language of original film:
Director: Wilson Yip
Actors: Donnie Yen,

6) Give a brief plot summary {150-250 words. DO NOT plagiarize from the web!]:
Ip Man was primarily about the struggle in which Ip Man overcame during a terrible time where
conflict was beginning to rise. Based on a true story a young man whose life revolves around
Kung Fu or Wing Chung (the style he uses) he dedicates most of his time to his training. When a
group of outsiders come to their village to dominate the Kung Fu schools Ip Man defeats them
and tries to teach them respect, but they just leave in anger. When the war started things rapidly
got bad and everyone suffered extremely bad and during this time Ip Man and his family
struggled to survive eating only what they could. Ip Man is then forced to search for a job and
works with coal and meets old friend. Several people were given an opportunity to fight for food
by the Japanese in a tournament in which Ip Man originally denies. After discovering that an old
friend is killed in the tournament he decides to get revenge and serve justice to his friends honor.
Ip Man then ends up teaching some people how to defend themselves from bandits. After
defeating and embarrassing the Japanese he is called forward to fight the general in which he
denies and is later forced to fight him in public. Winning the battle with the general sparked a
rebellion among the rest who were watching but Ip Man was shot and wounded after defeating
the general which lead to is fleeing of his home.
7) Analyze the social and philosophical issues the film addresses. Make sure you include the point
of view of the movie, the context of the movie, what audience the movie is targeting, and why.
(i.e. you should address and reflect upon the argument or meaning of the work. This should
be analysis, not just summary of issues in the movie). {at least 500 words}
Honor and respect were two main important values to Ip Man throughout the film in which he
struggled with because doing the right thing can be difficult when violence starts to surround
those who are defenseless. One philosophical issue was deciding what was right and wrong Ip
Man did not want to embarrass or use violence when it was not necessary. Several topics that
were social include negative influences form outsiders, corruption, greed, people suffering during
times of war, and changing as new innovations come about. When people come from different
areas they tend to bring their traditions or customs with them and sometimes that can be bad
when their attitudes are negative and they try to force their ways to others. This causes trouble
for both sides and does not allow for peace to prosper. Corruption occurred when the police
were no longer in control and the government left the people to suffer under the Japanese which
the Japanese took advantage of. Greed occurred when people started to cause trouble within
themselves and as the Japanese took more control and felt like they could treat people any way

they wanted to. During the time of war everything changed people were no longer able to live
their normal lives and they had to sacrifice their homes, wealth, and lifestyles. Many had to take
on new jobs which payed less and many families were left in hunger. Guns had a major
influence in this time period because who ever had them had more power and it is difficult to
give someone a fighting chance when lives can be easily ended. Fear is takes the place of hope
and people are then forced to follow new rules and laws. A film demonstrates the hardships that
were faced and changes that occurred. The film shows how outsiders care so little for people
who are different or at least share different cultures. Power can be abused as the majority group
can decide how things should go. The audience targeted may be people who are interested in
the past because they get a chance to see history and how people struggled during htat time
period. The meaning of the work was to highlight the life of Ip Man because he lived his life in a
righteous way and he inspired many through his talent or his way of life. He used kung fu to
teach others and discipline them in times of chaos. The movie was about a man who caused a
revolution by causing a spark into the heart of Foshan is home.
8) What is your response to the message of the film? Why do you respond this way? Show that you
are thinking about your own thinking here and the biases/assumptions about the world you bring
to your viewing. Did the film change the way you view the subject? Why, or why not? {at least
250 words}
It was a well told story of how things changed in a certain amount of time and how Ip man went
through the experience. I enjoyed the film because at first it had a positive tone where people
joked and had fun but it times of war everything got depressing. I did not know much about this
subject only that japan had invaded and that was it. From watching this film I learned more about
how people lived and their view points on life before and after the Japanese invaded. I can
imagine how things come about but by not being there or seeing it I really have no idea what
truly happens. A current example would be the struggle in the Middle East where people are
suffering because of the rebellion that has occurred. Lots of refugees and still many people who
cannot leave because of whatever reason. In can imagine their struggles but the realization may
be far worse recently a man named Victor Marx is over there filming and taking about helping
people over there. This film did change my view about a couple things such as how people still
care for values even during times of crisis. And a single person can make a difference but he
needs to be known first otherwise people will not understand the significance of the moment. Or
they will not care as much if he is not known. A strange concept that humans like to follow
people who are well known or famous but would not follow the same person if they were not.
9) What cultural differences did you notice in the film (philosophical outlook, humor, architecture,
customs, clothes, cities, weather, food, music, dancing, lifestyles, etc.)? What did you learn
about history, economics or politics? (There are always differences; look for them). {at least 250
words}
Clothing was a major difference with the culture such as robes that they wore and other
traditional wardrobe. In the movies it showed a scene where they ate together and they had a
buffet type where all the meal cooked was placed at the center of the table and they were able to
pick and choose. Community was very close where rumors were able to spread fast and
everyone is known by their family and trade. There were also lots of decorations all around in the
buildings with a variety of patterns. Lots of plants all around the home and outside around the
yard. Women have great influence in the realm of the house and the home. Humor is quite often
used when trying not to offend someone or when making a situation less comfortable. Honor
was a major value for them and towards their familys name. War is always devastating for both
sides and creates complete chaos. During economic crisis poor people tend to suffer first and

the most. Then it slowly begins to go on to the next level. In times of trouble people do not
always help one another because it becomes difficult to care for themselves. Politics is normally
always corrupt to a certain degree, depending on the level of power from outside influence. Two
different cultures were shown both had flaws in respect but valued honor very much among the
well-disciplined. Only cars shown were owned by the government and guns were also carried by
people in uniforms.
10) What techniques did the filmmaker use that were different from what you see in the films you
normally watch? Think about lighting, dialogue, atmosphere, setting, music, and how the filmmaker
might play upon your own biases, etc.{150 words}
Music was used to show comic relief and intense moments in the film, the use of music created
the mood for the viewer. The setting was Foshan the home of Ip Man where everything occurred
and at the end he was forced to leave in order to survive made the scene more dramatic
because he had to leave his old life. Fighting was important because each time it occurred it
represented power and respect. Who was better and why, unfortunately it is a matter of pride
and something as humans we cannot let go. There were a lot of scenes where the main
character was not in and they showed things that happened to the people he cared for when he
was not around. These were his reason to act and time to take action like when wife got sick or
his friend was killed. These moments justified his actions and were the main principles of his life
the things that valued to him. For example pride was never important so he never boasted or
took his fame serious but he never lost a fight because it mattered to him.
10) Discuss how what you saw in the film relates to one of the assigned readings or class
discussions we have had. Be specific! {150 words}
One thing that I noticed was the role the woman and man had were similar to those in our
discussions. The wife did not work but did cook, care for the child, and managed the house. In her
home she was the boss, in most of the fights that took place in their home Ip Man needed approval
of his wife first. As for the man he was to support finically and to protect them from whatever was to
come. Their society was not much different from now when it came to gender roles. Another
concept we talked in class was that the people in this world are not all that different. With life in a
day we discussed how many of us share the same values. The Japanese general had a similar
respect towards Ip Man as many others did, he possibly even feared he so he publicly wanted to
fight him to prove his worth. Something we still do today in sports such as boxing and UFC or MMA.
11) Why do you think I assign an international film?
I think we had to watch an international film because it is outside of our normal lives, it is
something new for the majority of us who only know simply of what is around us. Watching
something foreign forces our minds to think of other situations that we may not beware of
because our knowledge is typically limited to our surroundings.