Advantages: Great story combining love, hate and revenge Disadvantages: Believe me, i've triedto ook fr them but no luck in finding any...
A brilliant film. The story the actors, and the effects...they were all amazing. I watched this film twice and both times i found it very entertaining and enjoyable. I find it very rare to find a chinee film make it intothe UK cinemas and i normally have to struggle to find any places that sells videos and the rest... But anyway...
The basic plot of the story is when a well-known Wudan warrior (played by Chow Yun Fat) gives up his 400 year old sword ... ...as a new born human being. But things never work that way and when he finds out it's too late to turn back. He gives up his sword to well known guardian of the country and at the same time a powerful governer is visiting. By the sequence of events i thought at first it was the governer who wanted the sword, but as things turnedout it was the governer's daughter who stole the sword for FUN and when she tried to return the sword it was too late things ...
Kinny 07.03.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (DVD)
OK, so the flying isn't realistic, but something tells me that realism wasn't what the creators of this film were looking for. They were looking to create some of the best fight scenes ever, set against the most beautiful backdrops you will have seen, and they did. The story is great too. It's a lot better than the average martial arts film (Student avenges death of master). Even the music in this film is great, I don't think I've seen a scene where ...
PJLR 17.06.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (DVD)
Advantages: Beautiful martial art display Disadvantages: none so far
...theme for his new movie, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.
The story is actually based on a novel by Wang Du Lu. The main leading male actor, Chow Yun Fat, who acts as King Mongkut in Anna and the King, portrays Li Mu Bai, a legendary martial art expert. He has a Green Destiny sword which he asked Yu Shu Lien (portrayed by Michelle Yeoh) to pass on to a friend, and this sword was stolen by Jen (portrayed by Zhang Ziyi). Following that, a lot of misunderstandings ... ...to watch.
Yuen Wooping, the action choreographer for the movie, presents the action flicks using bamboo trees, using different camera angles and showing the flexibility of the young Zhang Ziyi and Michelle Yeoh. The actors and actresses have to run across rooftops, fly in the air with much grace, just like dancing ballet, except with weapons in their hands.
Yuen Wooping is most famous for his piece of action choregraphy in the movie, Matrix where ...
sailormn 09.02.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (DVD)
Advantages: great fight scenes, beautiful look Disadvantages: a bit slow for some peoples tastes
...Loch Ness. Yes Crouching Tiger is a subtitled film but it's also an epic which delivers on a lot of levels. The plot involves a mystic sword that is stolen and starts off a whole chain of events that tests the honour of many characters. Because of it's translation into english you may not grasp the story completely as some of the lines lose their meaning when out into english. Some of quite laughable as well. However there is so much to look at that ... ...dialougue. The look of the film is amazing and should definitely br a front runner for the cinematography oscar come March. Every landscape has ambience and rich colour. The one thing people have highlighted though is the fight scenes which are out of this world. The people involved such as Chow Yung Fat and Michelle Yoeh are trained in martial arts deeply. Everything is fast paced and so intense. It's almost like a well sequenced dance routine. ...
utero 28.01.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (DVD)
Advantages: Some good stunts Disadvantages: Slow pace..
...10 Oscar Nominated Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (CTHD) was a great hype movie like the over boring Charlie’s Angels. The first thing when it got released in Mumbai was to see the movie and went with a very high expectation and what I got was 2 human being flying all over the place. The story centers on the legend Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun Fat), and his attempt to hand over his mystical sword Green Destiny. As ’’lady destiny’’ ... ...who turns out to be Jen Yu (Zhang Ziyi), the daughter a governor.. She is under the mentorship of Jade Fox (Cheng Pei Pei), the villain responsible for the death of Bai’s mentor. Bai and Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh), a childhood buddy and unrequited lovers, tail Jen, without knowing her identity at first, but then trying to underplay it so as not get her in serious trouble, not yet knowing of her relationship with Jade. Apart from this you have ...
asyis 19.04.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (DVD)
I would have to have been deaf not to hear the raving reviews about this movie. But I was not prepared for how breathtakingly beautiful it was going to be. Now, I am a fan of Once Upon a Time in China and a whole host of other chinese/ martial arts movies. I happen to think that the Chinese sword is one of the most beautiful weapons on the face of the planet. So I am undoubtedly biased. But even so this is a wonderful story. It's part fairy-tale, ... ...is also very Chinese - which means the story is refreshingly unpredictable. And I swear, within ten minutes, you will forget it's subtitled. Honour and duty are strong themes throughout the movie - and don't expect a happy ending. Women are portrayed - in keeping with the girl-power theme of the modern age - as effective fighters. At the heart of the story are two threads. A young undisciplined girl is torn between loyalty and her sense of what is ...
Psychgirl 05.02.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (DVD)
This is a great film!! It is so different from the usual mush that we have to see. It is bright and colourful, full of movement and charm; tenderness and compassion and amazing action.
Subtitles films were never my forte but halfway through this I don't even think I noticed them. You just read as if you were listening and you get so carried away with the whole ambience of the film, they almost become part of the background.
The story revolves around ... ...loves, each sad yet quite beautiful (and I rarely use that word to describe love)and a great deal of mysticism and magic. Buddhist-type far eastern magic albeit but its magic just the same.
The action scenes (you will probably have heard, if nothing else)are excellent. A trifle unbelievable but the whole film is a fairy story anyway and they simply add to the enjoyment. The direction is imaginative; the scenery is impressive and the characters are ...
rvb13 04.06.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (DVD)
Advantages: special effects, good and thoughtful development of characters, impressive Disadvantages: no sequel as yet...
I watched this film when it came out in Malaysia during the summer. Many ppl thought that it would belong to the martial arts genre...however, ppl who have watched this would consider it to be partly martial arts, partly drama and partly legendary - kinda like the Once Upon A Time In China films. The story stars Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh as well as a new Chinese actress, whose name escapes my mind at this minute. Typical, eh?! The plot centres ... ...used by Chow Yun Fat's character. Please forgive me if my details are inaccurate - it's been some time since I last watched it. Besides, I mustn't reveal the whole storyline otherwise you won't want to watch it any more. :)
The actors and actresses in this film have been picked specially and they all give spectacular performances. Don't just take my word for it - check it out for yourself. Michelle Yeoh and Chow Yun Fat (both acclaimed actor and ...
lovebutterfly 12.11.2000
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (DVD)
Advantages: Enjoyable Disadvantages: In Chinnese (if thats how you spell it!)
Anyone who says violence never sold anything, see this film and you'll be coverted. I've never thought of violence as romantic, or particulary wanted to see it, but this film leaves you begging for more. Amazingly corygoraphed using mouth watering timeing, even if you lose the complicated story line, you long for the Kung-Foo. I won't give too much away, except for an important tip: REMEMBER, while your caught up in the seductive violence, to listen ... ...the words, unless you understand Chinnese, read the subtitles. In my personal experience, sevral times during this film the fight scenes are so spectacular that you can completely forget about the words. But that didn't make any difference to my enjoyment of the film. I recomend this film to all those who enjoy Kung-foo movies, all thoses who dont and even Pacifests. If you dont agree with violence, think of it as an elegant ballet in Chinnese. Unfortunately ...
dimondstorm 09.02.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (DVD)
Advantages: Drama and action woven together in the best way possible. Disadvantages: Absolutely none!
This movie is utterly breathtaking! A sumptuous visual feast that feeds your soul as well as your eyes. Ang Lee skilfully weaves the best elements of traditional Chinese cinema with a Hollywood-like budget and serves up what will surely become the most successful foreign language film of all time (mark my words!).
What a joy too in finding a film that gives women such strong, defined and central roles. Look out Hollywood - this film is out to show ... ...is looking decidedly worn around the edges.
Beautiful settings, lavish costumes, vivid colours, spectacular action scenes and powerful on-screen relationships all combine to transcend this movie above it's contemporaries.
If you're after some good old-fashioned storytelling that will have you shedding the odd tear, both though laughter and sorrow, then you can't go wrong with this film.
One thing though, when you sit down to watch it, make sure ...
grahamgibson 05.02.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (DVD)
Advantages: Good Film with Good Effects, Epic, Oscar winning film, Disadvantages: -
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, one of the films directed by Ang Lee.
This movie is an epic!
IT is a martial arts movies with the characters played by Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Zi Yi, Chang Chen, and Chow Yun Fat. Zi Yi plays as a evil martial arts women. She looks like a normal unique person, but at times in the movie she is played as an bad person. She first meets Michelle, which Michelle gets friendly with her and she shows Zi the sword.
Zi Yi then ... ...stuff for her. She steals the sword of Chow Yun. They fight to get the sword etc..
The basic moral of the film is that dont trust anyone. Michelle trusted Zhang, but then she went to steal their sword.
The film overall is quite a good one. I have seen better movies. It is bit like the Matrix with their flying powers they have to fly.
This Kung Fu film has to be the best one yet. It is a fun movie to watch with its stunning effects. This is a original ...
fromthedarkside 03.06.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (DVD)
Advantages: Utterly absorbing Disadvantages: subtitles may put some off
Last night I went to see 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon', thinking I was going to see a martial arts film set in contemporary New York with English-speaking Chinese actors. It was a delight to discovery all my preconceptions were totally, utterly, wrong. This is a mesmeric film, beautifully shot, superbly performed and totally absorbing.
Although the plot seemed to dart all over the place, I suggest that confusion felt as a result of this is not ... ...follows an Eastern approach to story-telling, rather than a linear, Western one.
The film covers many traditional elements of Chinese / Far Eastern mythologyand philosophy. Strongly grounded in Buddhism and the coda of the honourable warrior, the film recounts the story of a Wudan warrior who has to reclaim his sword, stolen by a corrupted wannabe.
A key feature of the film is the romance and the oriental concept that the purest form of love is ...
Medusa 04.03.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (DVD)
Advantages: Visually stunning, superb acting Disadvantages: Only on in selected cinemas
I went to see this brilliant film only this weekend. I am still in awe. After much searching of local cineams to watch this marvellous film I finally tracked it down, playing at a small 100 seater cinema some 45 miles away from my house. However this film more than makes up for this journey. Storyline will appeal to everyone, bit of a love story, bit of a thriller, bit of an action movie. The subtitles were clear and expertly translated (from what ... ...moves were the best I have seen, far better than the Matrix. Chow Yun Fat acted superbly and you almost forget he's normally so different in films such as the Replacement Killers. Ang Lee has directed his finest work yet. It is a real shame that even though this film has been rated as the highest taking "non-English" film since Life is Beautiful, it is only available in small film noir cinemas or in the bigger cinemas if you life in a city (which ...
fluffyk 06.02.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (DVD)
Advantages: fantasy, magic, romance, pain and fighting too Disadvantages: makes every other film look drab and dull
I'd been waiting for this film since I missed it at the London Film Fesitval, hungry. And it opened, and I went, and it was not what I expected and I loved it so much I straight back in and saw it again.
I love kung fu films, and especially the Hong Kong ones, as wonderfully foreign as the Chinese and slicker. I expected the film to have even better production values and suffer a little Hollywooding in balance - and the reviews and hype had me salivating. ... ...in soul enlarging landscapes and fucking marvelous, luscious, sweet watermelon juicey, whirlwinding leg spin into head to head arm striking and blocking via utterly preposterous flying to weapon fantasia and Green Destiny worship fight scenes; and it's the women doing the fighting (until Yun-fat gets involved and adds his classic old master style to the proceedings)This is such a 21st century film. I went for a heavy fix of fantasy and I got it, ...
Gervase 12.01.2001 (20.01.2001)
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (DVD)
Advantages: Scenery, effects Disadvantages: subtitles, story
It's the worst thing in the world - person after person tells you how brilliant a movie is to the point where anything less than Schindler's List or Casablanca proves to be a disappointment. I reckon that's what happened me here, as I left the cinema largely unsatisfied.
First the good points - the scenery is amazing and the special effects are awesome. (People walk on air and on water in very convincing fashion.) The fight scenes (all with old-fashioned ... ...hand-to-hand combat scenes, so again, probably another reason for personal disappointment. I found the sub-titles hard going. In most cases, I get used to sub-titles after 15 minutes, but throughout this film it was a constant effort to read the words, then equate it to what was happening.
Though the acting is faultless, Taiwanese expression is minimal and hard to get used to.
I found the story to be a bit twee as well.
All just my opinion - the ...
ildamiano 01.02.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (DVD)
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...
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...
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
Martial Arts - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Bruce Lee, Sho Kosugi, James Ryan, Jim Kelly, Jimmy Wang Yu, Bolo Yeung, Christopher Lee
Production Year: 1991 - Martial Arts - Director: Tsui Hark - Original Language: Cantonese - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Donnie Yen, Jet Lee, Rosamund Kwan, Yuen Biao, Mok Sui Chung
Production Year: 2003 - Martial Arts - Director: Paul Hunter - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Seann William Scott, James King, Karel Roden
Production Year: 1985 - Martial Arts - Director: Cory Yuen - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Kurt McKinney, J.W. Fails, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Kathie Sileno, Peter 'Sugarfoot' Cunningham