Long time no see! Let's just jump right in!
Change of plans, though!

IP MAN 3   (2016)
葉問3 (Jip Man Saam)

Directed by     Wilson Yip
Produced by   Raymond Wong
Written by       Edmond Wong, Chan Tai-lee, Jil Leung
Cinematography   Kenny Tse
Action Direction    Yuen Woo-ping
Starring
Donnie Yen
Max Zhang Jin
Lynn Hung
Patrick Tam
Karena Ng
Kent Cheng
Mike Tyson
Tats Lau

To be honest, I'm not sure if I really like the third part enough to consider it a 'great' movie. On the one hand I like that from a narrative point of view the film is superior to the previous installment. There's more story to tell and some of it is told from Ip sifu's wife's point of view. We get to see that she can indeed talk, we see the hardships the life of a martial artist exerts on his family. And YES! he finally spends some time with his family! But only after he learns that she's sick... So Donnie Yen does have a few scenes in which to lay on a bit of acting. On the other hand there's the fights, of which there are tremendously many, and the style of fighting in itself which I have to criticize. The fights are flawless and perfect, but since Sammo Hung is not in charge any longer, they lack that directness and impact that's so typical of his choreographies. With him every punch hurts almost physically and whereas Yuen tends to keep better oversight during extreme melee scenes of, say, 20 plus combatants his fighting choreogaphy is more 'clever'), as opposed to Sammo's down-to-earth style. Yuen Woo-ping is more about the showing off than the kung fu. I miss the physicality, Yuen's style is weightless, there's no gravity but sadly, no gravitas. I don't believe the effects Ip Man's punches and kicks have on the assailants, they don't look powerful enough.
That said, I loved Max Zhang's being in the film. He honours every project he's a part of, and his scenes are a highlight! Tyson, well, his acting's a joke, but his fight is good, great timing and precision.

                               Max Zhang Jin

Ok, a nice, above average Martial Arts film with a dash of tragic and 50's zeitgeist. But I think I'll stay away from further Ip Man movies for the time being...