The Grandmaster
Seen it?2013 | 130 min | Action, Drama, History
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It earned strong reviews (78% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it drew serious awards attention. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for action fans and history buffs. If you loved Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story or Batman Begins, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Exciting.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 10 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG-13. Probably too much for younger kids.
- It's in Chinese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
The fall of China's last dynasty, a time of chaos, division and war, is the golden age of Chinese martial arts. Legendary kung fu master Ip Man, who will eventually train Bruce Lee, finds his peaceful life interrupted by vengeance.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
78% on Rotten Tomatoes, 73 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.6 out of 10
- AwardsStrong
24 wins and 15 nominations from smaller awards and festivals
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$64 million worldwide on a $39 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 145K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story Saturday SpecialAnother martial arts historical drama, and a Saturday Special.
Batman Begins Saturday SpecialAnother martial arts drama, and a Saturday Special.
Birth of the Dragon
Monday Morning MaybeAnother martial arts action film. Fair warning: it's a Monday Morning Maybe.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny
Weeknight WatchAnother martial arts action film, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
47 Ronin Monday Morning MaybeAnother martial arts drama. Fair warning: it's a Monday Morning Maybe.
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Cast & crew
Directed by Wong Kar-wai
- Tony Leung Chiu-waiIp Man
- Zhang ZiyiGong Er
- Chang ChenRazor
- Zhao BenshanDing Lianshan
- Xiao ShenyangSan Jiang Shui
- Song Hye-kyoZhang Yongcheng
- Wang QingxiangMaster Gong Yutian
- Max ZhangMa San
- Shang TielongJiang
- Song TaoGong Er Di Zi