The Grandmaster Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

The Grandmaster Blu-ray Movie Review

Legends collide in Wong Kar-wai's latest film.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 21, 2014

The Martial Arts film is always a good bet for a truly satisfying cinematic experience. The best the genre has to offer combines heart-stopping action, incredible human skill, a mastery of the technical medium necessary to capture that skill, and the opportunity for deep character analysis considering the mental and physical disciplines associated with martial arts and the conflicts between opponents of both body and mind that follow. Certainly, as with many other genres, the Martial Arts film has seen its low points, pictures that bank entirely on one side of the equation, usually leaving behind the thematic relevance and plot structures necessary to frame the action and give purpose to the skilled maneuvers. The Grandmaster ranks amongst the better of the genre pictures. It's perhaps a little scattered and unfocused in its storytelling, at times, but the film delivers first-rate action, exceptional cinematic rhythm, and complex human relationships set against the backdrop of a dangerous point in Chinese history. The movie, then, embodies all that's good about the genre and is sure to please fans not only of the Martial Arts picture but of human interest and historical dramas, too.

Break the cake.

There are moments when The Grandmaster feels a little too dark, overly stylish, a bit forced, and slightly scattered but those moments are very few and very far between, Director Wong Kar-wai's (Chungking Express) film is beautifully assembled and meticulously photographed. The story of the fabled Ip Man (Tony Leung) -- martial artist extraordinaire and teacher of Bruce Lee -- and his rival Gong Er (Zhang Ziyi) balances narrative, emotional depth, and action with a keen understanding of flow, blending the elements together and both visually and dramatically reinforcing them one with the other, building a cohesive foundation and expanding upon it with every punch, kick, slow motion action shot, whispered exchange, forceful stare, and plot advancement. The period setting, often presented in a golden-bronze and black color scheme, lends a forebodingly dark edge to the film but also one that accentuates the intimate verbal and physical confrontations, as well as the deep character progressions and transitions, that are at the film's center. It's beautifully done, and the fight scenes are equally well developed, each practically a ballet of human agility, martial arts skill, and technical craftsmanship, the latter of which, once or twice, teeters on the edge of "too much" but more often than not comes across as "cool" and "skilled" rather than "cliché" or "exhibitionist." Wong Kar-wai's vision in practically every area gels with the kind of near instant cohesion that masks a few stumbling blocks that are relatively easy to gloss over in favor of the stylish and absorbing whole.

Certainly, the entire film works in an easily identifiable harmony, a harmony that goes well beyond the superficial qualities touched upon above. The film's deep dramatic arcs are reflective in nearly every scene, each understanding glance, and all of the plot-evolving actions and character interactions. Combat, for instance, becomes itself a story-developing element, not through the overt punches and kicks and maneuvers but in the character evolution at play during the interactions that are almost operatic exchanges of ideas and personalities as much as they are raw outward techniques. Gong Er and Ip Man's battles are more about intimate understandings and emotions and less about the outward talent, more about inner discipline and less about pure physical skill. Indeed, the entire movie is shaped by martial arts as metaphor for a broad range of currents, extensions of characters that are understood well beyond knuckles and muscles. The martial arts represent extensions of the soul and expressions of self, of country, of ideals that, here, are better conveyed through martial arts rather than the spoken word.

The film further benefits from disciplined actors that prove not only proficient in martial arts -- they have been impressively trained in the arts -- but in their deep understanding how the characters communicate, how they feel, how they express those feelings more through physical interactions and layered looks and less so through dialogue, particularly in the early and middle parts of the film. Tony Leung is superb as the lead character, blessed not only with the ability to convincingly display the martial arts necessary to sell the character's place in history but also to grow into him, to find the most powerful emotional currents as both he and the world around him evolve in ways within his control and out of his grasp alike. It's a powerful performance, one built as much through nuance as raw skill on the physical side of the ledger. Much the same may be said of Zhang Ziyi's character, one that is similarly disciplined and evolving. The actress proves similarly adept at portraying the character's full spectrum, both on the inside and the outside.

The Grandmaster Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Grandmaster generally looks quite good on Blu-ray and shows only a few hiccups along the way. Anchor Bay's 1080p presentation is the beneficiary of what are often striking close-up details, details that reveal the finest skin and fabric textures with ease and with the necessary complexity. However, there are a handful of softer shots scattered throughout, and several instances of faces going noticeably pasty and devoid of detail. Additionally, viewers will note very minor color gradation struggles across shadowy faces in a few spots, as well as a hint of fine blocking alongside the occasional white speckle. Still, light grain helps to accentuate the finest scenes and reinforce what is often a positive film-like texture. Colors are often greatly subdued, with the film favoring shadowy backdrops and foreground elements bathed in a golden-bronze tint. A few scenes escape these limitations and reveal some bright, well-defined colors, notably during a snowy outdoor procession later in the film. Black levels are frequently deep and accurate, drifting towards crush only a fraction of the time. Overall, this is a lightly problematic but nevertheless quality visual presentation that's more often than not highly appealing in every regard.

The Grandmaster Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Grandmaster features a powerful and absorbing Mandarin language DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The track yields deep, powerful notes to open that support a heavy rainfall and hard-hitting martial arts combat. Every drop of rain, every splash and slosh of accumulated water, and all the punches, kicks, and environmental damage merge in a celebration of high end sound, featuring excellent clarity, pure power, and perfect spacing. The track is full and satisfying, with the same attention to musical and action detail spread through the rest of the film, including an epic train platform battle later in the film in which the train rumbles past at a relatively slow speed while the combatants land a number of punches and kicks. The track proves equally impressive in more relaxed scenes, revealing quieter but room-filling and environmentally nuanced ambient effects. Dialogue plays smoothly and evenly from the center. The English language Dolby Digital 5.1 dub track is noticeably less aggressive, lacking not only in volume but authority, clarity, and presence. The native language lossless track is certainly the way to go.

The Grandmaster Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Grandmaster contains only four core supplements, but they include tremendous depth.

• The Grandmaster: From Ip Man to Bruce Lee (HD, 23:01): Cast, crew, martial artists, filmmakers, film critics, and a number of others take an insightful look at the Ip Man-Bruce Lee relationship, the film's plot and setting, crafting the action and choreography, Wong Kar-wai's filmmaking style, actor training, the particulars of photographing various scenes, and more. In English with optional English subtitles.
• A Conversation with Shannon Lee, Daughter of Bruce Lee (HD, 6:55): Lee's daughter shares her father's history with Ip Man, his quarter-caucasian heritage, the film's depiction of martial arts, people's belief that Lee was a "paper tiger," his "East-West" history, and more. In English with optional English subtitles.
• The Grandmaster Behind the Scenes (HD): A seven-part feature in Chinese with English subtitles. Wong Kar Wai's Journey Into Martial Arts (18:10) is a piece in which the director goes back to the early days of the project's origins almost 20 years ago. The piece also examines the modern history of martial arts in China, which ties in with Wong Kar Wais' preparations for crafting the film as he visits various places of interest around China. The supplement also examines actor preparations for their roles. Focus on Fighting Styles (14:24) discusses the four main schools selected for The Grandmaster: Yong Chun, Eight Diagrams Palm, Xing Yi, and Ba Ji. It examines casting and the people who trained the actors in some detail. Next is Recreating Imperial China (6:34), a supplement that focuses on shooting locations and production design. Tony Leung (3:31) and Zhang Ziyi (2:56) focus on the lead actors' contributions, fighting styles, and the characters they portray. Director Wong Kar Wai (2:36) examines the director's style and its translation in The Grandmaster. Finally, What Makes a Martial Artist (2:16) offers a list of attributes that are necessary in becoming a martial arts Grandmaster.
• The Grandmaster According to RZA (HD, 5:23): The Rapper/Producer shares his thoughts on the film. English/English subtitles.

The Grandmaster Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Grandmaster is a fine film, not quite so captivating and complete as Ip Man but certainly a stylish and worthy picture about extraordinary people living in a tumultuous time. It's skillfully crafted and only occasionally structurally disjointed. The production design, action choreography, and photography are excellent. The acting -- both the physical performances and the layered character depth -- is above reproach. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of The Grandmaster features solid video and audio. Extras prove more satisfying than they initially appear. Highly recommended.