Both of them are great Martial Arts movies set in the period where China was preoccupied by Japan and the main leads have to fight Japanese.
Both movies feature amazing one-man-vs-a-group fights and duels, which manage to be spectacular and raw/realistic. Both have a plot about martial arts schools and China before/during the Sino-Japanese war. Both are unmissable for kung fu fans!
Both films focus on the life of Wing Chun legend Ip Man, but with different styles. Ip Man leans into tight action and emotional clarity, while The Grandmaster is more atmospheric and poetic. If you appreciated one’s deep respect for martial arts philosophy and its portrayal of a stoic, principled master, you’ll likely find something worthwhile in the other.
