Ip Man 2 (, also known as Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grandmaster) is a 2010 Hong Kong biographical martial arts film loosely based on the life of Ip Man, a grandmaster of the martial art Wing Chun. A sequel to the 2008 film Ip Man, Ip Man 2 was directed by Wilson Yip and stars Donnie Yen, who reprises the leading role. Continuing after the events of the earlier film, the sequel centres on Ip's early life in British Hong Kong. He attempts to propagate his discipline of Wing Chun, but faces rivalry from other practitioners, including the local master of Hung Ga martial arts, Hung Chun-nam (Sammo Hung), and later the British boxing champion Taylor "The Twister" Miller (Darren Shahlavi).
Producer Raymond Wong first announced a sequel before Ip Man theatrical release in December 2008. For Ip Man 2, the filmmakers intended to focus on the relationship between Ip and his most famed disciple, Bruce Lee. However, they were unable to finalize film rights with Lee's descendants and decided to briefly portray Lee as a child. Principal photography for Ip Man 2 began in August 2009 and concluded in November; filming took place inside a studio located in Shanghai. For the sequel, Yip aimed to create a more dramatic martial arts film in terms of story and characterization; Wong's son, screenwriter Edmond Wong, wanted the film to explore the treatment of Hong Kongers during the colonial era and Western perceptions of Chinese martial arts.
Ip Man 2 is the second film in the "Ip Man" film series. It premiered in Beijing on 21 April 2010, and was released in Hong Kong on 29 April 2010. The film met with positive reviews, with particular praise for the film's storytelling and Sammo Hung's martial arts choreography. The film grossed over HK$13 million on its opening weekend, immediately surpassing Ip Man opening weekend gross. During its theatrical run, Ip Man 2 brought in over HK$43 million domestically, and its domestic theatrical gross made it the highest grossing Hong Kong film released during the first half of 2010. In total, Ip Man 2 grossed an estimated US$49 million worldwide. This amount does not include successful DVD sales all over United States, Asia and Europe.
Plot Wing Chun master Ip Man and his family move to Hong Kong in 1949 after escaping from Japanese-occupied Foshan. In 1950, Ip attempts to open a school to propagate his art, as well as make a living during the difficult times, but struggles to attract students due to his lack of reputation in the city. One day, a young man named Wong Shun Leung appears and promptly challenges Ip to a fight, but is easily defeated. Wong storms off and returns later with a gang of his friends, but Ip easily trounces them as well. Stunned and impressed by Ip's skills, Wong and his friends become Ip's first students, bringing more disciples to help the school thrive. That night, Ip heads to the market to buy food, but sees some shop owners trying to stop a man from stealing their food. Recognising the man as his friend Chow Ching-chuen, Ip intervenes and pays for the food. However, Chow does not recognise him, and his son Yau reveals that his father was shot by the Japanese soldiers for helping Ip, resulting in Chow's current mentally-impaired state.
Wong is later confronted by some thuggish Hung Ga students while posting promotional posters for Ip's school. One of them, Kei, challenges Wong to a fight and loses, but his vengeful friends take Wong hostage and demand a ransom from Ip. Ip goes to the local wet market as directed, but the meeting ends in a confrontation with a growing mob of Hung Ga students. Fighting their way outside and hopelessly outnumbered, Ip and Wong are rescued by Jin Shanzhao, a former bandit and ex-rival of Ip, who comes to their aid with his own gang.
The students' master and head of the coalition of Hong Kong's martial arts clubs, Hung Chun-nam, arrives to break up the fight. Ip introduces himself, and Hung informs him that before setting up a school, he needs to partake in a ceremony to test his worth. Ip, Wong, and Jin are subsequently arrested by Fatso, a Chinese RHKPF detective, for disturbing the peace, but are later released on bail. Hung and Fatso secretly meet with Superintendent Wallace, a corrupt British senior officer, to deliver protection money collected from both the local shops and martial art schools.
Ip attends the ceremony and handily defeats his first two opponents, before battling the last challenger, Hung, to a draw. Ip is allowed to keep running his school in exchange for paying protection fees, but he declines to do so. In response, Hung has his students loiter in front of the Wing Chun school and harass prospective students, resulting in a street brawl between them and Ip's disciples. Ip is thus forced by his landlady to leave the property he leased for his school; the disciples resort to training in the local park.
Ip confronts Hung, who blames him for the recent events since he refused to pay, while Ip criticizes Hung's management of his students and subservience to the foreigners. Hung insists that he is doing what he must and decides to finish off his earlier duel with Ip. Hung's son suddenly appears during this encounter, and Ip stops Hung from accidentally kicking the boy, while also suggesting that he prioritize spending time with his family over their dispute, and his counsel earns him Hung's respect. Ip leaves, and the next day, Hung gives him and his students free tickets to a martial arts exhibition arranged by Wallace and Fatso.
At the exhibition, the various martial arts schools seek to promote themselves, and by extension, Chinese culture. However, Wallace's guest, fraudulent boxer Taylor "The Twister" Miller whom Wallace labels as a world champion, openly insults and assaults the students, causing a brawl that the masters try to quell. Hung demands that Twister apologize for his behaviour; in response, Twister challenges him to a fight, saying that he will apologize if Hung wins. At first, Hung's wide range of skills and techniques give him the edge; however, most of his counterattacks have little effect on the younger and fitter Twister, and he is slowly worn down by the boxer's sheer power. Ip tries to persuade Hung to concede, but the old man refuses, and even stops Ip from throwing in the towel himself. In the final round, Hung has an asthma attack, allowing Twister to gain the upper hand, and Hung is eventually beaten to death against the ropes.
News of Hung's death spreads throughout the city, enraging the Chinese populace. Wallace's superior officer reprimands him over the recent events; incensed, Wallace arrests and tortures Ip's friend, newspaper editor Leung Kan, for publishing the news; Fatso intervenes and releases him with no charges. This results to Wallace taking these matters in his own hands by staging a press conference where he lies that Hung's death was an accident which angers the crowd. Twister's coach announces that, in order to clear his name, he will accept a challenge from any Chinese martial artist. However, Twister openly continues to disrespect the Chinese and boasts that none of them have the courage to face him. Ip arrives and challenges Twister to a fight, while Fatso secretly meets with Kan and offers him compromising information on Wallace. As his pregnant wife goes into labor, Ip prepares for his match with Twister.
Due to his unfamiliarity with Western boxing, Ip is initially at a severe disadvantage, allowing Twister to knock him down several times. However, he gradually manages to use his Wing Chun techniques and superior speed to even the odds. During the match, Wallace and his allies attempt to rig the match in Twister's favor, refusing to penalize him for an illegal hit and issuing a ruling that Ip cannot use kicking attacks or he will be disqualified. After seeing visions of Hung and remembering his own advice to focus on weakening Twister instead of trading blows with him, Ip switches up his strategy, crippling Twister's arms and eventually managing to beat him into unconsciousness with a series of strikes to the head and ears. While the Chinese celebrate, Wallace is arrested by his superiors for corruption, perjury, obstruction of justice, collusion and abuse of power, with Fatso having informed them of this.
Ip addresses the audience, stating his wish for everyone to respect each other despite the differences between their race, culture, or status. Both the Western and Chinese audiences give him a standing ovation, while Twister's manager leaves the arena in both dissatisfaction and disgust. Ip goes home to his family, and meets his newborn son, Ip Ching. Sometime later, Yau introduces his master to a boy named Bruce Lee, who wishes to learn Wing Chun in order to beat up people he doesn't like. An amused Ip smiles and simply tells him to come back when he has grown up.
Cast Main Donnie Yen as Ip Man (葉問), the sole practitioner of the martial art Wing Chun. He arrives in Hong Kong with his family during the 1940s to settle there and set up a Wing Chun school. Sammo Hung as Hung Chun-nam (洪震南), an aging Hung Ga master who has asthma. As head of Hong Kong's martial arts society, he initially clashes with Ip, but later befriends him. He dies in a fight with Twister while trying to defend the honor of his fellow masters. Huang Xiaoming as Wong Leung (黃梁), Ip Man's first student. This character is based on Wong Shun Leung (a Chinese martial artist from Hong Kong who studied wing chun kung fu under Ip Man). Lynn Hung as Cheung Wing-sing (張永成), Ip Man's wife. Simon Yam as Chow Ching-chuen (周清泉), Ip Man's friend, who was responsible for smuggling him and his family into Hong Kong. He roams the streets of Hong Kong as a ragged beggar after a Japanese bullet left him with permanent brain damage, with only his loyal son to protect him. Darren Shahlavi as Taylor "The Twister" Miller, an extremely arrogant and racist British boxer fraudulently forged as a world champion. His Chinese nickname is "Whirlwind" (龍捲風). His arrogance results in his defeat at the hands of Ip Man.
Supporting Li Chak as Ip Chun, Ip Man's son. Ashton Chen as Tsui Sai-Cheong, one of Ip Man's students. Kent Cheng as Fatso (肥波), a Chinese Detective police officer under Superintendent Wallace, helping him manage his protection racket in Hong Kong. He is also Hung Chun-nam's close friend. Disgusted with Wallace's racism, he later arranges for him to be arrested for corruption. Dennis To as Cheng Wai-kei (鄭偉基), a gang leader and loyal student of Hung Chun-nam. Ngo Ka-nin as Leung Kan (梁根), the chief editor of Hong Kong's leading news agency who looks after Ip Man since their families came from the same village. He later helps Fatso expose Wallace by supplying information about his corruption to the British authorities after falling victim to Wallace's torture. Louis Fan as Kam Shan-Chau (金山找), a martial artist and reformed outlaw who befriends Ip Man, having established his own small school in Hong Kong. Carlson Cheng as Chow Kwong-yiu (周光耀), Chow Ching-chuen's son. He takes care of his disabled father while working at Leung Kan's news agency. Lo Mang as Master Law (羅師傅), a Monkey Kung Fu master. Fung Hark-On as Master Cheng (鄭師傅), a Baguazhang master. Brian Burrell as Emcee, the host and translator of the final match. Jean Favie as Judge who changes the rules of Ip Man's match against Twister under his coach's orders. Christian Bachini as Twister supporter. Stefan Morawietz as Twister's coach who was behind changing the rules of Ip Man's match.