10 years ago today, almost a year after its incredibly successful release in China, American audiences finally had their theatrical premiere of Wilson Yip’s martial arts drama, Ip Man 2.
While this follow-up to 2008’s Ip Man was originally intended to tell the story of legendary martial artist Ip Man training Bruce Lee, the idea was shelved due to rights issues. But this didn’t stop Yip’s determination to create a more characterized, story-driven drama within the martial arts genre.
To convey such a story, the sound team had to think of the martial arts sonically rather than physically. In today’s clip, you can hear how every movement is accompanied with an over-the-top, dramatic sound. Slow whooshes and quick, hard hits draw the audience in and make these characters feel superhuman. Take a listen.