Ip Man himself is a standard martial arts hero. Stoic and respectful to a fault, he nonetheless jumps into action when he sees his country, and its people, threatened. Yen plays everything straight and sincere, and is a capable enough actor that, even though Ip Man is the most talented martial artist present, his uncertainty feels real. So while the film is piling up ass-kickings, Yen is convincing as a man who really is employing the last resort. You don’t have to be a martial arts fan to appreciate the surprising depth of Yen’s performance, but it certainly helps. [B-]