The Ip Man film series, starring Donnie Yen, tells the story of Ip Man, Bruce Lee’s martial arts teacher. The films are known for their action-packed fight scenes and exploration of themes such as honor, cultural identity, and the struggle against oppression. However, parents should be aware of certain content elements before allowing their children to watch these movies.
Ip Man Statue at the Hong Kong Avenue of Comic Stars
Age Rating and Content Overview
The TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board rating indicates that “this program is specifically designed to be viewed by adults and therefore may be unsuitable for children under 17.”
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the content found in the Ip Man movies:
Violence
The Ip Man movies contain frequent and intense fight scenes. Martial arts are done with great respect to traditional styles although some wire work is used to assist the actors with the difficult acrobatic moves.
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- Many punches and kicks land, with bloody wounds and broken bones shown in a few instances.
- Characters are thrown through windows and into furniture.
- We see several different styles of martial arts practiced in this film, all of which involves punching, kicking and throwing.
- A man uses nunchucks and a metal bar when he starts to lose a fight.
- A karate practitioner breaks several stone slabs using his wrist.
Here are some specific examples:
- In one scene, a man is kicked in the leg twice, and we hear a crunch as he cries out in pain (his leg has been broken and we see him in a hospital bed later).
- Several teen boys grab a teen girl, slam her face into a fence (we see a bloody cut), and hold her while another teen girl slaps her in the face repeatedly and then cuts her hair off.
- Two men fight and one is thrown to the mat where the other punches him repeatedly in quick succession before stomping on his head; one is struck in the ribs and thrown to the mat (we hear a crunch).
Fight Scene from Ip Man
Language
- The films contain some strong language.
- There are uses of the s-word (although English subtitles show four).
- We also hear seven uses of “a**,” four of “h**l,” three of “b***h” and one of “a**hole.”
- There are several racial slurs referring to Chinese people, including “yellow monkey” and “Chinese savages.”
Nudity
- A topless woman is seen briefly in the background of a scene, and we see her bare breasts and abdomen.
Thematic Elements
- The films explore themes of racial prejudice and discrimination. Americans repeatedly discriminate against Chinese people, believing many of them to be criminals.
- There are scenes depicting historical events, such as the Second Sino-Japanese War, which may be disturbing for some viewers.
Second Sino-Japanese War
Specific Examples from "Ip Man 4: The Finale"
Ip Man 4: The Finale, directed by Wilson Yip, continues the themes and content found in the previous films. In this installment, Ip Man travels to San Francisco in the 1960s and encounters anti-Chinese bigotry. The Kids-In-Mind.com evaluation includes a glimpse of a topless woman, many fight scenes with bloody wounds and broken bones, and some strong language and name-calling.
Here are some specific instances:
- Two men fight, and many punches and kicks land before one man is kicked in the leg twice and we hear a crunch as he cries out in pain (his leg has been broken and we see him in a hospital bed later).
- Several teen boys grab a teen girl, slam her face into a fence (we see a bloody cut), and hold her while another teen girl slaps her in the face repeatedly and then cuts her hair off.
- A man hits another man in the face with his elbow, he kicks several others and they crash through a window and into furniture, a man’s arm is broken (we hear a crunch), several other men and a woman are kicked and thrown and we see them with bloody faces and bruises.
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Positive Aspects
Despite the content concerns, the Ip Man films also have positive aspects:
- Ip Man is portrayed as an all-around good guy, who loves kung fu for its discipline and artistry, not just for fighting.
- The films explore themes of cultural understanding and standing up against injustice.
- Many lines of dialogue are spoken in Cantonese and Mandarin with English subtitles, offering exposure to different languages and cultures.
Conclusion
The Ip Man movies offer a compelling blend of action, history, and cultural exploration. However, parents should carefully consider the violence, language, and thematic elements before deciding whether these films are appropriate for their children.