Finally disrupted seven years (since the release of "My blueberry nights" in 2007), the acclaimed master of silent Chinese cinema. Bright picture appeared, back in February, opening the Berlin Film Festival in 2013, where, incidentally, he was chairman of the jury Carvalho. Work on the film "Grand Master" lasted more than 5 years, a little less time spent on training actors kung fu. Despite the fact that the director does not speak Chinese martial arts, the strength of his admiration for their hard work and enough to imagine the fights in the film at the highest level. But first things first.
In the biopic genre Wong Kar-wai is to be expected not even going to be laid. Although the central theme of the story stated the life story of Ip Man, the great master of martial arts, the film has references to specific time periods and frames, stylized chronicle of war-torn China. "Grand Master" and far from the films in the style of kung fu in their usual sense, though fighting and blood in it enough. As recognizable features karvaevskogo style.
It is these copyrights recognizable signs facilitate immersion in the art space of the film with his usual modern viewer picture quality, but rather an alien theme. Especially for someone who had not only did not know about the differences between northern and southern kung fu school, about mono and mixed fighting style, but even about Ip Man, and that he was the teacher of Bruce Lee, heard for the first time. Lesson philosophy of Chinese martial arts, heavily laced with wise sayings masters proved fascinating, and this is just one layer of the film.
Ip Man (Tony Leung Chiu Wai), a successful 40-year-old kung fu fighter, takes the post of head of the already aging martial arts school, defeating him in a mental duel. Er Hong (Zhang Ziyi), the daughter of the leader and heir of a unique tribal fighting style "64 palm", does not want to humbly step aside and in a fight with Yip Man flexing its muscles and wins. So are placed in places of figures, as if on a chessboard.
Further moves will be made, but at some point will be beaten out from under the feet of the field itself - war, betrayal, needs - and leave a holistic and deep characters in limbo with no connection with time and reality. Someone like Yip, will be able to find support and move his way, someone like Hong Er, despite the fact that their moral duty is done, in this world there is no place.
Stunning beauty shots in the "great masters" (blood, coloring raindrops, fluffy snow, footage in slow motion) this time belong to Philippe Le Surdu. Their perfection they push happening on the screen from the depths of glamor, which were to remain collaborations Wong Carvey and Christopher Doyle. So not obvious beauty transformed into an aesthetically perfect and quite versatile fabric. Most likely, and this is also not the only choice as the main character of Yip Man, who is very well known in China, affected the incredible success of the rolling pattern. "Grand Master" has become the most watchable film director of all time.
In a multilayer film plot, very Karvaevskom and epic, there are "sick" for the director points: expats in Hong Kong, sad love story of China, a code of honor, steadfast rules, resistance characters, the passage of time. Although the plot stated theme of kung fu and a biography of one of the masters, in fact all of these thoughts (in the outline or completely finished) sound on the same volume level. You also can not say that the film is only about Ip Man. Originally it was even going to roll under the title "The Great Masters" that it would be more correct. These fighters kung fu humble enough and wise enough to recognize other strong warriors, and in the film some real masters.
Wong Kar-wai, with due reverence treated as individuals forged nature of the characters as strong as their palms during a fight, and to the philosophy of kung fu. He comments on his work on the "Grand Master": "In one scene we see a young man who looks out the window of the school kung fu just out of curiosity. It could have been me in my youth. Yes, and in fact it's me - the director of satisfying his curiosity. This journey was incredibly fun, there are so many levels of branches. I wish it lasted longer "(" Grand Master - a generosity and magnanimity "//" Cinema Art ». №3. 2013).
All missed Karvan, and watch "Grand Master" was extremely curious. But with all the elegance and diversity of this film if he falls into this most plans, and incorporate it into itself entirely fails. No one an engaging atmosphere and a certain naivety that previously helped to perceive and even more twisted design director.
And this feeling will not write off even the lack of cultural codes encrypted in the "great masters" - Karvan film adapted for foreign audiences, and it is in this version he's a go. In his last work, the director allegedly carried out the idea of his character from "Mood for Love" and instead of love, went to write a book about martial arts.