I was a litte wary of this film and approached it, like many film-goers I suspect, with a few preconceptions, having seen the trailers. Before I go any further, I'd like to tell you all that I was wrong, and I'd advise against judging the film on the trailers you may have seen.
The story of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is fairly mystical, quite violent and strangely gentle. It tells the tales of a swordfighting warrior, his friend / lover and the daughter of a powerful Governor. From the start, I could tell that the film had Buddhist leanings - perhaps a Buddhist may appreciate this film and the parallels I think it tries to draw more than anyone else. I can only speak from a non-Buddhist point of view, but I do have an understanding of the religion. Anyway, on with the opinion...
This is an opinion on the film, rather that a synopsis on the plot and characters, so I'm not going to go into those aspects. To discuss those aspects in detail would take far more study than is allowed for here - after all, you all want to know whether the film is worth seeing, not what the story is, right..?
OK, very briefly then - It involves the characters mentioned above, the the theft of a sacred sword and a little revenge thrown into the melting pot. There is an awful lot going on, and I'm not going to attempt explaining that here.
The acting, as far as I can tell, was excellent. The film is in Chinese with English subtitles, so if that's not your scene, steer well clear. The dialogue probably loses an awful lot in translation, but even so, is quite powerful and moving. Everyone will, I'm sure, know about the incredible fight scenes in this - and they are absolutely spectacular. There is a little bit of artistic license with these, though, as the fighters seem to develop the ability to fly - hmmm. See past this, though, and the fights become almost like a dance - especially with a drumming sequence playing along to the fights, adding a lot of depth and feeling.
Scenery and locations are truly breathtaking, as are the fights. We are treated to a visual feast of sprawling forests, arid deserts and even Peking city as it was, thousands of years ago.
This film is, to be honest, very difficult to describe in words. It is, without a doubt, shrouded in mysticism. What struck me most about the film, though, was the depth at which it could be taken - at a spiritual level, a moral level and just at face-value. To those of you who may already have seen the film - Was the sword a symbol of power and control, or did it represent the evil inside us? Those of you who haven't seen it may be a little confused; to you I would simply say - go watch the film.
It's not the best action film ever, nor the most touching romance - it combines many aspects to bring you a truly awesome viewing experience, and one which will leave you stunned for days. There is so much more to say about this film, but rather than rattle on and bore you all, I will simply say this - take the time to watch it. You'll be treated to a Chinese-style spectacle. Think I'm exaggerating? See for yourself.
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Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragonis so many things: an historical epic on a grand scale, an ... more
Asian martial-arts flick with both great effectsandfantastic fighting (choreographed byThe Matrix's guru Yuen Wo Ping), a story of magic, revenge and power played w...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragonis so many things: an historical epic on a grand scale, an ... more
Asian martial-arts flick with both great effectsandfantastic fighting (choreographed byThe Matrix's guru Yuen Wo Ping), a story of magic, revenge and power played w...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Amazing martial arts fighting sequences (choreographed by Yuen wo Ping - The Matrix) ... more
stunning special effects action adventure and romance have made Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon the most talked about movie of the year. Martial arts masters Li Mu B...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
In the most-talked about movie of the year, Director Ang Lee (Sense and Sensibility) ... more
brings together a breathtaking combination of high-flying action (choreographed by Yeun Wo Ping - The Matrix) and stunning visual effects, woven around a story of humo...
Advantages: Beautiful shots; excellent performances; fantastic fight scenes Disadvantages: Incredible? Felt like quite a long film - perhaps too long? Some may not like the subtitles
![Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon [DVD] [2001]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78543493.jpg "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon [DVD] [2001]")
Jan 24th, 2001
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