Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
In Chinese Mandarin with English Subtitles

 

Ang Lee's martial arts epic combines two things: one that's distinctly male-oriented; and one distinctly female-oriented. The combination of martial arts for the guys and romantic melodrama for the ladies could have potentially disastrous results. It has never been attempted before in a film with such high aspirations; an epic film with epic battles and epic romance. Lucky for us, the film is an expectations-defying combination that will leave males and females alike breathless and wanting more.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is possibly one of the most purely entertaining films ever commited to film reels. It's a treasure trove of believable romance, well-developed characters, stirring music, beautiful cinematography, and the best martial arts battles ever seen in a film. Director Ang Lee is already an accomplished director whose character based dramas have received accolades around the world. Crouching Tiger not only represents his most ambitious film work, it might possibly be regarded as his best film. It's an incredibly solid piece of work, with the only down time being a slightly overlong recollection of past events. Other than that minor hesitation it's a kinetically super-charged film.

Our main characters, Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun Fat) and Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh), make a complicated, intriguing match. He's a legendary warrior who carries the legendary sword, The Green Destiny. She's a warrior who wishes to settle down, leave the warrior life for a more simple, contemplative style of living. Jen Yu (Zhang Ziyi), on the other hand, yearns for the freedom that will soon be stripped of her because of her impending marriage. She's a free spirit, complicated, untrustworthy, and one of the most gifted fighters master Li Mu Bai has ever seen. He wants to train her in the ways of The Wudan, a spiritual, majestic way to hone your fighting skills.

The plot line follows Jen Yu's attempt to leave her restrictive lifestyle and the intertwining of those who have been affected by her reckless aims. Of course, no great film can survive without numerous subplots, of which Crouching Tiger has many. The biggest involves Li Mu Bai's attempt to avenge the death of his master. Finding the killer, however, isn't the only problem. The fact that the killer is associated with another main character makes things get interesting.

The romance, of which the film makes no secret is second to the martial arts battles, is genuinely affecting. Michelle Yeoh and Chow Yun Fat make believable warriors bonded by experience and their unspoken affection. The romance is remarkably low key, mainly shown by the looks in the eyes of Yeoh or the weaving, lovely dialogue. The manner in which their romance is explained makes the relationship all the more captivating.

The martial arts battles, of which there is no equal, were choreographed by Yuen Wo-Ping, the director behind films like The Legend of Drunken Master and the choreographer of last year's The Matrix. He raises the bar several notches higher with his work here. Each battle, as the story goes on, is progressively more intense, more riotous than the preceeding. Each battle leaves you breathless, but the climactic battle seemingly knocks the wind out of you. The numerous fight's dream-like quality, enhanced by the whisperish padding of feet upon the tops of the buildings or the character's ability to fly throughout the scenery, only add to the numbing effects of their genius. Developing, practicing, and performing such gravity defying feats of balletic martial arts is extraordinary to comprehend.

The stirring, majestic mood of the film is aided by beautiful cinematography by Peter Pau and a sweeping, often haunting score by Tan Dun. Whether utlitizing slow, panoramic shots of the Chinese wilderness or the bustle of a city, the film is a visual masterpiece. Perfectly enhancing the visuals are the sound effects and score, making it a treat for the ear as well.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon has something in it for everyone. Whether your taste be action, romance, beauty, or simply a good story, this film has got it in handfuls. It's a film that demands repeat viewing, not because it's overly complicated or has a twist ending, but because it's so entertaining. Very few films can match the kinetic beauty of Ang Lee's masterpiece.

 

On a scale of 1 to 10 treetop quarrels : 9