Review of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) by Gareth H — 24 May 2012

'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' is one of those movies you just have to see at least once.. martial arts/ foreign films/ Asian movie fan or not. While it wasn't my favorite movie of all time, I really enjoyed this two hour epic and the feats of martial art goodness it delivers. I was impressed with the quality of the movie, with the acting, with the sequences, with the action, with the directing, sheesh with the entire movie itself--But I don't think it is flawless.

~No spoilers included in this review.~.

First off the critics, the reviews, the knowledge does not lie. This movie has done its research, taken the time, and orchestrated a masterpiece with Lee at the helm and an amazing cast including Chow and Yeoh. I really like the look and the feel of the movie above all else. The way the scenes were constructed, the traditional costumes, the entire landscape really made me feel apart of the movie, a definite +1 for anyone looking to love a foreign film. And while we are on the topic of sticking with a movie, the action never lets us down.

Action action action action, we cannot get enough if it these days. With the help of Yuen Woo Ping the action, while at times feeling a bit unreal, makes us dive deeper into the lore of the film itself. Long fight sequences, multiple weapon uses, fun interactive battles, high flying acrobats and so much more are what 'Crouching Tiger' does best.

I felt let down though with the plot aspect. People rave and crave about the story and how it is second to none--but truthfully I felt like I was given a red herring and told to just pay attention to everything but the story. Some parts were long and drawn out, others were completely left out and yet there was the addition of a whole subplot or flashback that seemed so out of place it was shocking. But this is me ranting, I enjoyed the basic story the basic Green Destiny mainline and had fun watching Li Mu Bai and Yui Hsui Lien find out the truth behind love. Aww.

Watch this film. I'm not sure how else to phrase it. It's that good.

4 crouching tiger, hidden dragon stars out of 5!