Review of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) by Michael Y — 25 Jul 2010

This movie was a smash hit and very popular back then, and though I don't hear that much about it now it still has not lost it's touch whenever I watch it. Surely the best film of 2000.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a kick ass movie full of the best choreographed fight scenes I can think of, but this movie is also one of the best love stories I can think of. As a matter of fact, two love stories, both intertwined. This movie is about being true to yourself and following the path you want. One of the characters is a young woman (Ziyi Zhang) who is about to be married by arrangement. But she secretly longs to be free as a fighter and to love another man. The other characters are played by Yun-Fat Chow (who's character reminds me of Gregory Peck if he kicked ass) and Michelle Yeoh, two expert warriors which because of their free lifestyle and honorable code, kept them from being truely happy. All these characters have a lesson to learn about love and life and the end result is absofuckenlutely beautiful.

This movie is so easy to enjoy on so many levels. The cinematography and art direction make this movie look beautiful. The casts preformances bring out a truely touching experience. (One of the few movies where the actors look like they are still acting while fighting) The fight scenes are wonderful and crazy (this was the movie that popularized that flying matial art thing in movies for the new decade) and the music score hits all the right notes when it comes to whats on the screen. This is truely a beautifuly made movie in every way.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is an incredable movie with a beautiful love story mixed in. The bitter-sweet love story will make you cry while the ass kicking violence will keep you on the edge begging for more. That's why this movie was nominated for ten Academy Awards. And won four of them. In my books this is the best movie of 2000 and possibly a few years afterwards.