Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2001)

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  January 8, 2013

  emilkakko

  Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is one big and elegantly assembled romantic epic that aims for the human hearts and scores. It is a example of a film where action meets brains.
  Ang Lee has always been talented when it comes to a human drama and this film is not an exception. Whil... read moree Lee captures some perfectly choreographed sworfights to his camera, the film's beating heart is it's heartbreakingly told romance between it's main characters.
  This film is not just about the action, it is a film that has surprisingly lot to say about human nature itself. Still, tons of credit must be given for famous fight choreographer Yuen Wo Ping whose fighting choreographs are beautiful mix of martial arts and ballet-like movements. I admire highly the amounts of work and detail that Lee and Wo Ping has put to into the films fight sequences. They are nothing short of breathtaking.
  Some people has been critical towards this film's wuxia theme, but like all genres in filmmaking, wuxia is no different from sci-fi, fantasy or horror. It is a genre amongst other. For narrow-minded viewer or perhaps for major part of western audiences wuxia might feel too unfamiliar with it's gravity defying sword battles but i still suggest strongly to keep an open mind and let this film take you in for a one emotionally striking adventure.
  Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is epic and impressive filmmaking. It is also a good example of how to mix melodrama and action perfectly together. Screenplay by Wang Hui Ling, James Schamus and Kuo Jung Tsai is gorgeous piece of writing. It is full of poetic dialogue and finds enough balance between drama, action and romance. Same compliment goes for Peter Pau's fantastic cinematography and Tan Dun's tender and beautiful score featuring cellist Yo-Yo Ma's wailing cello that strikes straight to the human heart and soul.
  Ang Lee has so many interesting underlying themes at work here. There are some serious philosophical questions and huge decisions in life that these characters has to face before the film comes to its devastating end. There are not that many directors who can capture sense of romance, yearning and loss as heartbreakingly as Lee does.
  Lee's filmography is without a doubt full of solid films like The Ice Storm, Hulk and most recently his powerful Life of Pi. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is easily up there amongst his most assured works.

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  February 21, 2012

  spielberg00

  The main problem I have with CROUCHING TIGER is the dubbing. As usual when dubbing between languages, the voice actors' words don't at all match up with the actors' lip movements. But there's an even bigger issue here that I have never seen in a foreign film before: the voice act... read moreing is terrible! Some characters such as Yu Shu Lien are utterly boring to watch because the English dubbing voice was most likely computer-generated; and other warriors make you wonder why the film is so praised because their dialogue is so frivolously delivered.
  
  What brought CROUCHING TIGER out of its hole were the combat sequences. Unlike in other martial arts flicks, the slow-mo shots aren't put to an aggravating overuse, but rather used sparingly and just when we least expect. Not to mention Tan Dun's music, which works well just as well for dramatic scenes (ocarina music) as it does with such intense scenes (full orchestral music).

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  January 19, 2012

  coollala0910

  Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a film that combines beautiful cinematography, romance, and tons of great action sequences. I haven't watched a whole lot of martial arts, or wuxia, films, but Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon makes me want to watch more films in the genr... read moree. Plus, I just started taking Tae Kwon Do classes so I guess that can be considered a requirement.
  
  The plot follows two warriors, Master Li Mu Bai and Yu Shu Lien, who must retrieve the legendary sword, Green Destiny, from the clutches of the notorious thief, Jade Fox. The warriors soon cross paths with Jen Yu, the teenage daughter of a nobleman with a secret. Jen soon finds the warrior in herself and teams up with the two warriors to get the Green Destiny back. There is also a subplot that explores Jen Yu's love life.
  
  Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a well crafted film. It does a good job developing the characters and story and is loaded with eye candy. The stuntwork in this films is incredible and the performances in the cast are great. It's a very stylistic film that includes a lot of substance and the two work out perfectly.
  
  When I sometimes think about martial arts movies, I get images in my head of a clichéd sensei or master giving wise zen quotes. The film avoids that and focuses more on the story than the martial arts. That's how I interpret the movie. This is a film that people interpret differently due to the ending. Trust me. Those final seconds of the movie are going to stick with you. The script is also fine. I love the dialogue during the romantic subplot. When Jen gets her freak on, they give her some pretty sassy dialogue.
  
  The performances in this movie are excellent. There is not one bad actor in this film. I watched the original Madarin dub. I saw a bit of the English dub and wasn't totally impressed. It dumbed down the acting in my opinion. While I enjoyed Michelle Yeoh and thought Chow Yun Fat was awesome, major kudos go to Zhang Ziyi as Jen. This movie kicked off her career. The only other thing I saw her in was Rush Hour 2 but she's been in many other Asian films after this. Anyways, I just loved her as an actress and also as a crush. She starts off as a curious teen and then becomes a great warrior. I'm a sucker for cat fights and she engages in one of the best in cinematic history.
  
  Also, the cinematography is exceptional. The landscapes are beautiful. It left me speechless and that's all I can say about it. The pacing started to bug me a little in the begining but toward the climax, it works very well. The romance suplot feels like an entirely different movie. It is also well developed throughout and makes an impact on the glouriously filmed final scene. Zhang Ziyi's chemistry with Chen Chang is perfect.
  
  Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a spectacular film with breathtaking cinematography, memorable performances, a thrilling plot, a great romance, and has amazing action sequences. I need to explore more Wuxia films like Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon or Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai. Regarding Seven Samurai, I have an urge to see it but what seems to put me off is it's run time. I'll have to give it a try since it's a widely praised film. If you haven't seen Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, get to it. You will be entralled by this epic.
  
  Thanks for reading my first review of 2012!
  
  "Now give yourself up and find yourself again."

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  December 2, 2011

  cosmo313

  For this film, Ang Lee decided to put his career of making Western period epics on hold and instead make a far Eastern histprically based period epic. That's totally cool by me. The story here is a action packed but also romantic epic concerning several plotlines of love and veng... read moreeance all connected in some way to a very special (downright sacred) sword known as the Green Destiny.
  
  The film is widely known for its stunning visuals and expertly choreographed and executed fight scenes and wire work. I'm kinda on the fence about wire-fu, and like a more realistic type of fight scene, but as longs as it actually serves the story and isn't there solely for the sake of style and flashiness, then I'm totally cool with it. Thankfully, that is the case here, and the gravity bending moves don't actually feel out of place in an otherwise realistic film. This works becuase the way the characters are constructed: we believe their incredible feats to be true because of their supposed mastery of fighting, and also with how the materia lis handled.
  
  This film isn't all just cool action and beautiful cinematography though. There's a real story here, filled with substance and deth, and great themes like gender roles and dealing with societal constraints and the effects they can have. Plus, the two main romances are both really good and nicely contrast one another, and everything going on really comes alive thanks to the terrific performances of the cast. The veteran leads are excellent, but their younger co-star Zhang Ziyi really steals the show here in a flawless performance that really got her career off the ground.
  
  All in all, this is some really tremendous stuff. It was nominated for a ton of Oscars, and ended up (deservedly) winning 4 of them (best original score, best cinematography, best art direction, and best foreign language film). Too bad it couldn't also have walked away with the awards for picture and director as well. Regardless of all that, you should definitely give this one a watch.

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  September 18, 2011

  TheDudeLebowski65

  Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is definitely Ang Lee's greatest work. Forget Brokeback Mountain, this is the Ang Lee film to watch. This is an incredible, visually stunning martial arts film with a powerful, engaging story. The visuals here are stunning and grand. The acting is i... read moremmaculate. This is a grand film with incredible beauty. Watching Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was something surreal. The film was breathtaking, the visuals, action scenes; everything was well crafted. Ang Lee has definitely made his finest picture with this film, and this is an amazing martial arts film. There are plenty of solid performances from the actors here; Ziyi Zhang and Michelle Yeoh are wonderful on-screen. This is an incredible drama film laced with stylish action that delivers never seen before. Ang Lee crafted something different, and the result is a film that is one of the best martial arts films in recent memory. At times, the films slows down, at becomes a bit long, but it all builds up to a wonderful climax. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a wonderful, well acted film. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon will most likely be seen in the years come as one of the best martial arts films ever made. A definite must see film for any fans of the genre.

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  July 20, 2011

  brownman83

  Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a masterful wuxia epic. Ang Lee's film about love, passion, martial arts, and the ability to choose what's right and wrong is a great tale with little flaws. Nominated for 10 Academy Awards, and winning four of them, this film includes an interna... read moretional cast consisting of Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, and Chang Chen. It's currently the highest-grossing foreign language film in the U.S., making $0,o x...-0 gopffkgkgrk128 million domestically, and $213.5 million worldwide. Winning Best Foreign Language film at the Academy Awards, and being nominated for Best Picture, this is one heck of an action ride not to be missed.
  
  The plot to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a real entertaining and original idea. It's about a man named Li Mu Bai (Yun-Fat), a fierce warrior who is planning to end his ways of fighting and give his prized sword, The Green Destiny, to an old friend. Along with him comes a female warrior, by the name Yu Shu Lien (Yeoh), and together they give the sword away. But as they stay at Li Mu Bais friend's house, a governess's daughter is also visiting the town. She goes by the name of Jiao Long (Zhang), and is thought to have no martial arts training or any type of fighting ability at all, and is simply staying in the town for her marriage. But as The Green Destiny is stolen, many secrets unravel, fighting and death is commenced, and the future of one character is tossed in directions which he or she is unable to reach...
  
  The story is quite unlike any other. It is extremely original, and has a lot of action. The martial arts within this film were very suspenseful, fast paced, and thrilling. The choreography for the fighting was phenomenal. I've never seen martial arts such as this. The romance was also a nice addition, and gave to me my favorite character in the film. Speaking of characters, the development of them over the course film was well done. Jiao Long changed the most as the movie went on, for she was such a different character from the beginning than she was at the end. The best part of the plot was, as always, the message it sent. And you'll read about that at the end of the review.
  
  The acting within this film was excellent. Although the dubbing for the film was a bit annoying, and the voice acting was extremely dull at times, there were very good performances by the actors in this film. The best performances were by Chow Yun-Fat and Zhang Ziyi. Yun-Fat portrayed a wise, loving, martial-art monk very well. He gave me goose bumps whenever he fought, for his choreography and swiftness was done very well. Zhang Ziyi deserves props for her performance as an unsure female warrior. Her character is torn between two men; one who she is arranged to marry, and one that she truly loves. She was perfect in one scene where she fights off a mob of near 20-30 men, and after defeating them, doesn't break a sweat. That's what I call entertaining acting
  
  The cinematography and editing were good, as well. I definitely enjoyed the camera work in the chase scene where the characters were jumping on roofs, and I also enjoyed the scene in which Li Mu Bai and Jiao Long battle in the trees. The special effects were superb. I tried looking for a glitch or a flaw in the flying or jumping they did, but I couldn't, and it was all well done. The score is a piece of art. It was very relaxing and brought an Asian film throughout the whole film. There is a well use of bongos and bamboo instruments within the score. It just keeps it all very traditional and Chinese.
  
  The directing for this film was at its very best. Ang Lee was an excellent director, and would later go on to win a directing award for Brokeback Mountain. Surprised? Me too. I found it very interesting that after directing such a Chinese/Mandarin/Japanese epic, he made a romantic drama set in the West. It just shows how diverse of a filmmaker he is.
  
  In the end, this film is a real fun film. It was slow paced at parts, though, taking away the feeling that you were watching a martial arts film. But it got faster when you get towards the end. I haven't seen much foreign films, but this has to be my favorite. I've never seen a foreign movie directed, written, acted, and choreographed so well. The message it sends out is so meaningful, as well. It tells how you should always make your own path in life, but never think you have too much control over it, or you'll lose it all. It's such an intense message for such an intense film. At last, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, is the best wuxia, best foreign, and one of the finest films I have ever seen.
  
  Please, if you still don't understand why I gave this film an 80%, please visit this link below:
  
  http://www.rottentomatoes.com/user/935623/blogs/?id=703501

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  April 8, 2011

  jmj26

  Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a beautifully crafted, touching and exciting martial arts flick that balances its emotions with great skill. The floaty special effects can seem old-fashioned today but its still a spectacle to behold and is proudly engraved in its Chinese herita... read morege.
  
  The film focuses on the fates of two women in dire straits, both due to inner conflicts and outer hindrances. Yui Hsui Lien (Michelle Yeoh) is a veteran martial artist, callused and experienced yet unfulfilled in a profound matter. That matter is love, since due to her duty she has restrained all feelings of affection to her partner, Li Mu Bai (Yun-Fat Chow), who is also in love with her. Meanwhile, Jen (Ziyi Zhang) is already arranged to be married to a man she barely knows. She is of an aristocratic family and in accordance to the period, she has no choice in the matter. She looks into more forbidden arts to have some control over her life and it leads to a life of thievery and delinquency. Once Li Mu Bai's legendary sword is stolen by the mysterious Jade Fox, the paths of these two women will cross and it will change their future forever.
  
  It's hard to quite pinpoint what Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon really is: a romance in ancient times or a full-blown martial arts film. That's also what makes it a cut above the norm. It knows how to pace itself and look at the impetus of the characters' actions and analyzes their emotions. Yui puts her duty above anything else, sacrificing personal happiness to keep the world order. In contrast, Jen is very forward-driven by her own wants and needs, yet is in part vindicated by the cruel machinations her family crafts for her. She never even has the chance to freely love, though her prison is not professional, but congenital.
  
  The romantic strifes of the characters is juxtaposed with fierce combat with a large arsenal of weapons. The main characters are also bestowed with the ability to basically float between each step, so when there are chase scenes in the film it's mostly just the characters flying around languishly. This effect is created with wires and is quite archaic at this point in time. The fight choreography is fantastic, being both fast-paced and creative, but the wires are used very often. Since the film never bothers to explain how (not just scientifically, just overall) they do this, it contrasts immensely with the otherwise realistic and down-to-the-earth narrative and environment. It borders on the silly and is the film's greatest fault.
  
  Ang Lee's direction is, however, without a fault. His wire-controlled fights aren't technically impressive but he implements the Chinese setting perfectly. Beauty is everywhere and the sets variously compliment the action. One particularly memorable scene is a two-story scuffle in a bar which leads to its ultimate destruction. There is also some stunning scenery, grand mountain landscapes and waterfalls, and even a vast desert where the film goes slightly western. It's aesthetically pleasing and striking, utilizing cultural aspects to their greatest effects.
  
  The film both succeeds in terms of romance and action, and is highly recommended for any fan of either. It only falters in staying true to its setting. It constructs its realism impeccably, so when the wires come into effect, it rocks the foundation a bit and leaves you almost sneering at the execution. However, it's not anything that stops the film from being an exhilirating, heart-felt adventure of epic scale and a feat for its director Ang Lee.

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  January 30, 2011

  Raajay

  One of the best movies... ever.

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  January 27, 2011

  ScoopOnline

  This is a Poweful and very touching Movie. I wonder how do they manage those "flying" fight Scenes. Like 2 Butterflies fighting. lol

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  January 2, 2011

  sanjurosamurai

  after my first viewing in quite some time im reminded of this films brilliance. absolutely devastating choreography, a wonderful story, and awe inspiring art direction and cinematography. one of the best martial arts pictures ever filmed.

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• Yun-Fat Chow as Li Mu Bai
• Ziyi Zhang as Jen
• Michelle Yeoh as Yui Hsui Lien
• Chen Chang as Lo
• Zheng Pei-Pei
• Sihung Lung as Sir Te
• Pei-pei Cheng as Jade Fox
• De Ming Wang
• Peng Zhang Li

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

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• • Sir Te: When it comes to emotions, even great heroes can be idiots.
• • Sir Te: When will this end? They take it, they put it back, they take it again. My home is turning into a warehouse.
• • Yui Hsui Lien: Mr. Wong, I have lost my travelers checks.
• • Li Mu Bai: A sword by itself rules nothing. It only comes alive in skilled hands.
• • Li Mu Bai: I would rather be a ghost drifting by your side as a condemned soul than enter heaven without you... because of your love, I will never be a lonely spirit

• Which actress has starred in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Memoirs of a Geisha, and Rush hour 2?  Answer »
• Which of these films was NOT directed by Yimou Zhang?  Answer »
• What 2000 action starred the following actors and actresses? Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen, Lung Chung, Chen Pei Pei   Answer »
• what is the forign language film to be nominated for more than 9 academy awards?  Answer »

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