Review of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) by Stephanie G — 13 Mar 2010

Though it's been a long time since this film came out, its important is still paramount. Though it has had trouble escaping from the controversy of its debatable target audience, which left many feeling as if it was simply an oriental fantasy film, it was none the less hugely influential in introducing mainstream America to the glorious and visually rich heritage of Asian cinema. Artfully merging action, love, drama and sheer cinematic beauty in breath taking film form, one might accurately describe this film as balletic.

One would be remiss if they did no talk about the action sequences in a film such as CTHD. They are powerful and memorable however because unlike many action films, the memorable fight sequences of CTHD are not simply moments of erotic spectacle where the narrative power is usurped in favor of impressive fighting. Ang Lee treats these moments as physical explorations of the interior worlds of his characters. Such as the boisterous movements of Jun Yu while li Mu Bai languidly moves through the scenes. His continually dedication in this film to the coupling of erotic spectacle with narrative drive make this one of the most exquisitely told films.

By mixing genres and cinematic styles CTHD has always had the potential to be a lasting and memorable film, one I highly recommend watching again or for the first time.