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Review

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Director

Ang Lee

Year

2000

Rating

Reviewed by

a.k.a. Jacinda

Review date

Friday, January 05, 2001

I highly appreciated the work of Ang Lee ever since The Icestorm. When I first heard about this movie I thought it had a very high potential of being good. The day I saw excerpts from the fight scenes it really caught my attention and I was desperate to finally get the chance to see it. Last week I went to the theatre the day it arrived. Memories crept back into my mind: I must have been about twelve when I liked watching old martial arts movies on TV. In times of kung fu fight scenes in every second Hollywood movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is much of a change.

From the instant the movie starts you feel the different rhythm. It's very quiet and the storytelling can be compared to a flow. You'll be captured in a world that seems very different but fascinating. Li (Chow Yun-Fat) and Shu (Michelle Yeoh) are trying to find the person that stole a magical jade sword. These two characters share an unfulfilled love relationship while the daughter of a noble man, Jen Yu (Ziyi Zhang) tries to emancipate from her parents. The wise but weary Li tries to teach her but the young girl rejects his help. Li and Shu have to face their oldest enemy and the outcome of their relationship while Jen finds her true love and her inner self.

There's so much to say about the achievements of this movie. Chow Yun-Fat gives his best performance so far. He portrays Li with wisdom and honor but his eyes keep telling us that he has seen too many terrible things in his life. Michelle Yeoh proofs she's a brilliant dramatic actress. Her showing the pain and the longing for Li will give you some shivers. Besides Zigi Zhang is a true find as she steals most of the scenes. The development of her character Jen is portrayed in a very strong and powerful way.

Moreover the scenery and the photography is the most beautiful I've seen in years. Combined with the atmospheric score the desert romance unfolds beautifully before your eyes. Also the fight scenes will take your breath away. With some movie magic the characters keep flying from roof to roof and from tree to tree. I have never seen anything that could even be compared to it.

There are just so many great aspects of this movie I could keep talking for hours and hours. Lee's Eastern world of warriors, outlaws and princesses is thrilling and beautiful at the same time.

Don't miss this epic which is an instant classic for its genre!

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Other reviews of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000): Groucho