Review of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) by Daniel K — 17 Aug 2010

4: This is one of the pictures that I saw during High School that helped me fall in love with the cinema. I vividly recall seeing it twice at the Lagoon Cinema in Minneapolis to packed houses (it was a limited release and that was the first theater that had it).

As far as I can recall, it was the first film to use rope work in this way. It transported the viewer off into a magical, bewildering, and beautiful world. It made the planet seem larger than it is, if that's possible.

The locations and manner in which it is shot makes practically every moment mind blowing. There are few things as tranquil and graceful as the fight amongst the swaying green bamboo. I actually prefer House of Flying Daggers, but this came first and had a much greater impact on my film going development.

This was at a point in my life where I was just discovering the cinema for myself, despite the fact that I'd been going to and loving films all of my life (like Ben-Hur, Star Wars, Snow White, Robin Hood, Swiss Family Robinson, independent/foreign films at the U or M Film Festival with my parents, various random rentals, etc).

Coming back to the picture after a few years, and especially seeing it for the first time on Blu-Ray, has helped me fall in love with it all over again. The performances are top notch, the casting spot on, the dialogue wonderfully engaging and fitting, the story compelling, the photography breathtaking, the score practically imperceptible, etc.

Chow Yun Fat gives a nuanced and very commanding performance, while Zhang Ziyi practically melts the screen. It's a wonderful action/romance/adventure/samurai/historical costume drama that won't be showing any signs of age anytime soon.

Ang Lee has made some pretty spectacular films when one also considers Sense and Sensibility, Brokeback Mountain, The Wedding Banquet, and Eat Drink Man Woman. Lust, Caution, Taking Woodstock, and Ride with the Devil aren't bad either.

This is #2 on my list behind Sense and Sensibility.