Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy (葉問外傳：張天志). 2018. Hong Kong. Directed by Yuen Woo-ping. Action choreography by Yuen Shun-yi. With Max Zhang, Dave Bautista, Liu Yan, Michelle Yeoh, Tony Jaa. DCP courtesy Well Go USA Entertainment. In Cantonese, Mandarin; English subtitles. 107 min.
A spin-off of the Ip Man series, Master Z follows Cheung Tin-chi (Max Zhang), the Wing Chun master defeated by Ip Man, as he tries to leave martial arts behind for a quiet life, only to be drawn into Hong Kong’s criminal underworld in the 1950s. The action choreography combines traditional kung fu with high-impact spectacle, ingeniously turning the film’s richly textured environments into arenas for combat. In a memorable duel, Zhang and Michelle Yeoh circle a bar while carefully balancing a whiskey glass, transforming restraint and precision into suspense. Zhang brings fierce athleticism and vulnerability to Cheung, while Yeoh exudes formidable elegance as a mysterious underworld figure. Thai action superstar Tony Jaa adds another dimension of international martial arts virtuosity. The result is a spirited showcase of Yuen’s enduring inventiveness.