Interview/Writing: French Film
Ye Wen used three tricks: ear-pinching, nose-pinching, and butt-slapping to drive away a few American middle school gangsters who bullied Wan Ruonan, the daughter of Master Wan.
Ye Wen competed at Master Wan's house. From all-out efforts to one-handed duels, he was beaten to pieces on the spot, and it was hard to tell the winner. Suddenly, there was an earthquake in San Francisco, the two great masters hid under the table in embarrassment, and the contest ended.
In the final confrontation between Ip Man and the American officer, his left arm and ribs were severely injured. The immobilized Ip Man was almost killed. In a critical situation, he had to lift his leg and kick his crotch, kicking two feet in a row, turning the battle situation, and finally using the index He stabbed the opponent in the throat and won outright - Ye Wen used his most forbidden kill in the past.
This was Ip Man's most injured episode, and in the end, head and neck cancer took his life.
Although the story pattern is too similar to the second episode, the villains have the same racist faces, and even some characters have ambiguous logic (yes, I am talking about Wu Jianhao), but "Ip Man 4" is still passable in my opinion, just above The three fight scenes mentioned are the triple identities that have never been upgraded in this series - elders, mortals, and warriors with killing skills.
Or in the future, kung fu movies will come to an end, but at this moment of farewell, we can still see him making breakthroughs in such traditional and old themes.
An hour before the film's premiere, the first director briefly interviewed star and executive producer Donnie Yen.
He said he was finally free.
A superstar born in the era of co-productions bid farewell to his "character of fame".
No matter how many flaws the movie still has, Donnie Yen has let it go. He can finally unload the burden and return to the pattern of "Slaying the Wolf" and "Fuse" at that time.
He said that the next "Rage" will be very good, basically the best kind of good fashion action film career.
Action fans will still wait for Donnie Yen, otherwise, who would work hard in documentary combat? Look at "Big Brother", which had such a bad reputation last year. The two fight scenes he dedicated in the film still amaze other colleagues in recent years. .
I have known Zidan for 9 years, and I understand the sense of freedom he has now. The "Tucao Conference" is also on, and "Ip Man" has also ended. I really turned over the old stories.
And he has never extinguished his anger towards action movies.
01. End, perfect
First Director: When "Ip Man" was released in 2008, it happened to be the peak period of mainland-Hong Kong co-productions. Before that, there were no stars in co-productions until you became popular. But now, this era is slowly coming to an end, and it just happened to be the moment when "Ip Man 4" ended. Do you feel emotional?
Donnie Yen: I don't think this is anything. Life has its ups and downs.
Before "Ip Man", I had some very long working experience. After successfully shaping this character in the first episode, it really made everyone like kung fu movies again, and it also brought the whole craze of Chinese martial arts. As an actor, I must be very happy. But at the same time, I feel that this IP is also slightly over-consumed.
I shot four episodes myself, but others shot more Ip Man, and there are also TV series, prequels, side stories, Zuo Chuan and Right Chuan... Everyone has not protected this IP well, and of course this is not something we can control. I think I can only take the series that we shoot every two and a half, three years and make it the best it can be.
So in the end, I was relieved, really.
You also know my previous works. I used to like to shoot fashion action movies. We made it, we made 4 episodes. But as an actor, I don't want to be stereotyped in this role.
I'm Donnie Yen, and my previous film "Slaying the Wolf" was pretty good, and everyone liked it. After "Ip Man", there are still many characters to be explored, and they are relieved, and I hope to draw a perfect ending.
First Director: Usually the perfect full stop is hard to draw.
Donnie Yen: This is our goal and the height we have always wanted to reach. I believe we are getting closer and closer to this height.
Why? Because from our Hong Kong to Malaysia, to Singapore, Foshan, and even the screening in Xi'an yesterday (December 18), the reaction of ordinary people after watching it basically met our expectations.
First Director: Did you ever think about how the fourth episode would end?
Donnie Yen: When I was filming the third episode, I had already announced that I would not be filming, and I continued to develop other projects.
But basically, when I go to every corner of the world, everyone asks if you want to play Ye Wen again, and when?
After several years of deliberation, director Wilson Yip approached us and said we could make another episode. As I said just now, I also hope to find a node where I can say "goodbye" to the kung fu movie. I think "Ip Man 4" is a very good ending.
First Director: After "Ip Man" ended, I felt that it was difficult for Hong Kong movies to have kung fu films of the same level.
Donnie Yen: First of all, kung fu films themselves are difficult to make. You have to have a background in Chinese martial arts. Foreigners don't have a background in Chinese martial arts. Even if there is, it is useless, he still needs to have Chinese culture, Chinese feelings, and acting skills, only then can he have the opportunity to make a good kung fu film.
Of course, because of the drive of "Ip Man", there are various kung fu films on the market, but everyone doesn't recognize them. Because it is very difficult to photograph, right? So almost there, it's time to wrap up.
02. Look at the "story" with a historical perspective, you will definitely be picky
First Director: In the last paragraph of life, what was the predicament of Master Ye?
Donnie Yen: This was handled by Director Yip Weixin. I didn't feel any pressure at all. I said if you want to do it, I'll do it again. It's all up to him.
First Director: During the third episode, you once made a theme plan, saying that the first episode was "survival", the second episode was "life", and the third episode was "life". This episode is to be defined. what should it be?
Donnie Yen: "You can go anywhere as long as you have confidence", this is the line and the proposition of this episode.
Because the whole story is that Ye Wen went to the United States to look for Bruce Lee to do business, and found that the Chinese were treated unequally in the local area. He also had a bad situation. He was sick, and he felt a new experience. Re-experience and bring out information to the audience.
First Director: It seems that Master Ye has not aged too much?
Donnie Yen: Wilson Ye thought about it and asked if I wanted to play a very old Ye Wen, but he said he didn't want it.
Because after all, we are creating a hero, if the hero is old, the audience will feel uncomfortable, so to a certain extent, we beautify him.
I will also play my old state, and even tie a lot of gray hair and some wrinkles, but this is not a documentary after all.
Because he is indeed a historical figure, has indeed existed, and is indeed Bruce Lee's master. So everyone has a tendency to restore history in this person. Has he done this or that?
But our Ip Man is not a character that is really based on the prototype, because... our series is very successful, and everyone will wonder, is Ye Man's life so legendary? In fact, in the first episode, everyone didn't know who Ye Wen was. Frankly speaking, we also used the relationship of "Bruce Bruce's master" in the first episode.
First Director: Actually, he has never been to the United States.
Donnie Yen: If you watch this drama with the perspective of restoring history, you will not be able to watch it. You will definitely be picky. Has this happened? This has not happened either.
Ip Man didn't have the "I want to fight ten" in the first episode, and then won the sweet potato, and he didn't have a round table fight with Sammo Hung, which he never did in the ring. This is a story.
First Director: Speaking of fighting scenes, what was the style of American soldiers in the 1970s this time? It’s not quite the same as modern military combat, isn’t it?
Donnie Yen: Actually, "Ip Man" is good in action, not only because of its design, but because it drives emotions. The audience will think that Master Ye is about to make a move, and when he makes a move, you will be emotionally high. That's the reason.
Frankly speaking, it is the interpretation of this character and the emotions of the story that drive the feelings of the character's actions. Your director has moved the audience's emotions, and everyone feels strong in whatever you play.
First Director: In the past two years, many blockbuster films have a nationalist sentiment. "Ip Man" has been there from the first episode to the present, and it happens that "Ip Man 4" has reached its limit.
Donnie Yen: I think this is a good thing. Nationalism, many commercial films in the United States are also nationalistic and Americanism, so it is no problem for our Chinese films to shoot this theme. As long as it gets the balance of the audience in business, I think the main theme is fine, as long as everyone likes to watch it.
First Director: This time, I also bumped into "Star Wars 9". You are also a member of the "Star Wars" universe, which is quite a coincidence, but "Star Wars 9" has a very bad reputation.
Donnie Yen: Maybe the Force is on my side, haha, I won't comment anymore. My relationship with Disney is also very good, they are also my old friends, and we have "Mulan" after us.
I am a complete Disney movie fan myself, and I basically support every one of their movies. Needless to say, it is a very high-quality and conscientious company.
03. "Rage" is my coolest fashion action movie
First Director: I just saw that "Fat Dragon Crossing the River" is finalized, but I'm looking forward to your "Rage" even more.
Donnie Yen: "Rage" is a very powerful drama, and that drama path is something I really want to explore.
First Director: What kind of movie do you think "Rage" will be when it comes out? Will it refresh your previous fashion action movies?
Donnie Yen: It's the best fashion action movie I've ever made, it should be.
First Director: Is it better than Fuse? Better than "Slaying the Wolf"?
Donnie Yen: To a certain extent, it is different. You said that purely in martial arts, it is difficult to compare.
At the time of "Slaying the Wolf" and "Fuse", I embodied MMA mixed fighting in the film, which no one had done at that time, and the rhythm and attention of the whole film were distributed in the action, as if I was shooting a fighting textbook, Action textbook.
"Rage" will definitely create new heights in martial arts, but it is a whole thing, whether in terms of performance, story or gunfight, it is my best police and gangster film in years.
First Director: Is there a movie that can match the target? Can "Disc Image Heavy" match the standard?
Donnie Yen: I think it's better than The Bourne Bourne.
First Director: That's amazing! !
Donnie Yen: Yes. I really think it's very good, it's really my most satisfying fashion film in recent years.
First Director: Can it lead the action trend like "Fuse"?
Donnie Yen: It's hard to speculate. But you say police and gangster movies, I think this movie is already...
First Director: Are you at the top?
Donnie Yen: I don't dare to say the top, anyway, I am very excited, I want to share this film with you sooner.
First Director: Is the video game adaptation of "Blood Rogue" still available after "Rage"?
Donnie Yen: Yes, because I participated in the first part of this game and developed it together with them. It should be confirmed by the end of the year, and I hope it will come out next year.
The background is Hong Kong, but the story, he can go anywhere, he can go to Brazil, he can go to any other place, anyway, it is a cop and gangster with a very dangling commercial element, the kind of Hollywood movie with big speeding cars, I will go to those movies direction to do it.
*This article is the original of the first director, reprinting requires permission.
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