Roaringly likable Hong Kong crowd-pleaser biopic about martial arts master Ip Man (aka Yip Man) and his stand against the Japanese after they invaded China in 1937 and destroyed lives by the millions. Lead actor/face-kicker Donnie Yen has screen charisma for miles as the nicest guy in the world who can also brutally beat up ten guys at once and make it look easy. Yen is the classic Eastern humble man who faces off against a pack of loudmouths and soundly wipes the arrogant look off their faces as he’s kicking their asses all over the room. That’s the big theme here. It’s an historical film, a proud Chinese flag-waver, sumptuously produced, but what makes this movie’s appeal explode across borders is its FURIOUS hatred of bullies. There is no glory in overpowering the weak. That’s why Yen’s Ip Man is reluctant to fully utilize his fighting genius until pushed to the edge. When he does, it’s beautiful stuff, breakneck action that leans more toward the “realistic” school of Kung Fu choreography than gravity-defying fantasies (though there is some of that here). Best part: When Ip Man takes on a sword-wielding wannabe cock-of-the-block while armed only with a feather duster and still beats the pants off of him. It sums up the whole movie. The big talker is almost always weaker than he says. It’s the mild-mannered, unassuming guy that you’ve got to worry about.