The Plot Is Jen!

Rating: 10/10 (12 February 2001)

Not all films are plot-driven. The CTHD is character-driven. The plot of CTHD is JEN! The whole film is about the choices she made and the impact her decisions had on others. That's the core of the film. It doesn't follow Western narrative. It's based on a Chinese wuxia novel. Chinese wuxia novels are always character-driven, with tons of subplots. They don't follow the Western literature structure with one central plot.
Plus, Ang Lee was using the visuals to tell the story. Why would you close your eyes? Of course you lost a lot if you did that. The visuals in this film are as important as the dialogue because the characters often communicated with eyes and gestures.
Another thing, this is not a martial arts film! This is a drama about people who happened to be martial artists. If non-stop action is what you want, stick with Jackie Chan. CTHD is not for you.