When the Academy Award nominations are announced I was surprised to know that this one got 10 nominations in the foriegn film category , so I immediately took a cassete and watched it and it didn’t let me down as it was a memorable one.
The spectacular scenery is an appropriate backdrop to the movie’s mythical tale. It’s about a renowned warrior, Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat), who’s dedicated his life to avenging the murder of his Wudan master, slain by a notorious fighter named Jade Fox (Cheng Pei-pei). But just like everyone else, Li Mu Bai feels retirement coming on (translation: He’s wary of all the fighting, killing, and bloodshed) and so, supported by the you-can-look-but-you-can’t touch love of his life, Yu (Michelle Yeoh), he surrenders his famous sword, the Green Destiny, to a trusted friend, Sir Te (Sihung Lung). Just when Li Mu Bai thought he could trek over to Club Med, ancient Beijing-style, a mystery thief steals the 300+ year-old sword, forcing him to embrace the life of a warrior again. And so the epic begins.
An epic filled with action, adventure, romance, conflict, drama, and mystique that sucks you in from beginning till end. There are several subplots that come together to tell one, big, unforgettable tale.
The hallmark of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is its standout action sequences, of which there are five or six (depending on how you count). All of them are eye-popping and spectacularly choreographed with special effects being used to enhance the natural athleticism of the participants. The best of these sequences is an amazing rooftop chase that has two characters relentlessly pursuing one another from one side of Beijing to the other, using a Peter Pan-like ability to almost fly. It’s beautifully filmed, perfectly composed, and thrilling from start to finish. Another segment worth mentioning is a battle in the treetops, where the opponents leap from branch to branch as they do battle.
This movie is one of the year’s most complete, and exhilarating, motion picture experiences.