2025.09.28 – Sifu José C. Casimiro and Ip Man 4 The Finale

Summary

Ip Man 4: The Finale is a 2019 martial arts film directed by Wilson Yip and starring Donnie Yen. A promotional email highlighted the movie alongside the name Sifu José C. Casimiro, presenting it as the last entry in the saga. The film depicts Ip Man’s later years, combining themes of family, cultural conflict, and martial honor, and achieved significant global box office success.

Context and Scope

This account covers two main elements: the promotional material for Ip Man 4: The Finale mentioning Sifu José C. Casimiro and the film itself. It includes the details of the email and its marketing phrasing, followed by a comprehensive review of the film’s production, plot, cast, reception, controversies, and legacy.

Exhaustive Narrative of Facts

Promotional Email and Artifacts

The promotional message introduced Ip Man 4: The Finale as “the last of the Ip Man saga.” It prominently featured the name Sifu José C. Casimiro alongside repeated mentions of the film’s title. Calls to action included “Watch in app,” “Watch now,” “Get the app for a better viewing experience,” and “Get app.” Technical remnants of template formatting appeared, such as “endif.” The footer contained a physical address in San Francisco, California, and a link to manage email settings.

Research on Ip Man 4: The Finale

The film was produced as a Hong Kong–China collaboration. Filming took place from April to July 2018, and the release occurred on 20 December 2019 in China and Hong Kong, followed by a limited U.S. release on 25 December 2019. The runtime is 105 minutes. The dialogue includes Cantonese, Mandarin, and English.

Donnie Yen stars as Ip Man, while Wu Yue plays Wan Zonghua, Vanness Wu portrays Hartman Wu, Scott Adkins appears as Barton Geddes, and Danny Chan takes the role of Bruce Lee. Supporting characters include Ip Ching, Fat Bo, and Liang Gen.

The plot begins in 1964 after the death of Ip Man’s wife. He is diagnosed with throat cancer, which is linked to smoking. His son, Ip Ching, is expelled from school, which motivates Ip Man to explore options in the United States. In San Francisco, he visits Bruce Lee, who has opened a Wing Chun school. Ip Man encounters hostility from some members of the Chinese martial arts community opposed to Lee teaching non-Chinese students, as well as racism and discrimination from parts of American society. His central conflict is with U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Barton Geddes, who dismisses the value of Chinese martial arts. The climax features a duel between Ip Man and Geddes. In the end, Ip Man returns to Hong Kong, where he dies in 1972 at the age of 79. The film closes with Bruce Lee paying his respects at Ip Man’s funeral, and onscreen text notes that by 2001 the U.S. Marines officially incorporated Chinese martial arts into their training.

Reception and Controversy

The budget was about 52 million U.S. dollars, and the global gross reached approximately 176 million U.S. dollars. It became one of the highest-grossing Chinese films in markets such as Malaysia and Singapore. On Rotten Tomatoes, it earned an 85% approval rating, while Metacritic gave it a score of 62 out of 100. Critics praised its action choreography and thematic clarity.

Controversy arose during the 2019 Hong Kong protests, when calls for a boycott emerged because of the perceived pro-Beijing positions of Donnie Yen, Danny Chan, and producer Raymond Wong. Analysts have also pointed out that the series dramatizes and fictionalizes elements of Ip Man’s life for cinematic effect.

Legacy and Future

Although Ip Man 4 was marketed as the concluding chapter, on 18 May 2023 a sequel titled Ip Man 5 was announced. The Ip Man series, including spin-offs, has earned more than 420 million U.S. dollars worldwide. The franchise is notable for combining historical elements with fictional storytelling while highlighting martial virtue, national identity, and cultural pride.

Practical Takeaways

• The promotional message connected Sifu José C. Casimiro with the film’s marketing.
• The film was released in 2019 after being shot in 2018 and features multiple languages.
• The story depicts Ip Man’s last years, combining family struggles, cultural tensions, and martial philosophy.
• The global box office performance was strong relative to its budget.
• Praise focused on action and themes, while controversy centered on politics and historical dramatization.
• The saga continued with the announcement of Ip Man 5 in 2023.