Wonderful fantasy movie - Best film of 2000...

Rating: 10/10 (16 January 2001)

Y2K is perhaps the worst year for movies. There are so many disappointments that I almost gave up watching new release movies and rent older classic movies on DVD and videotape (e.g., Seven Samurai). Pessimistic about going to the theatre to see the movie because it's 'overhyped' and has so much word-of-mouth praise, I came in with low expectation - surprise, surprise..."Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" alone restored my faith in movies.
This movie blew my mind. Astounding visual martial arts choreography and wirework stunts from Yuen Wo Ping, who also contributed to "The Matrix". Flawless structures. Gorgeous cinematography. Excellent pacing and character development. And most importantly, the movie has the mix of fantasy, romance, comedy and drama elements to tell a good story that held my attention for two hours without ever looking at my watch (which I never did).
Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Ziyi Zhang and Chen Chang did the fantastic job of bringing their unique acting skills to excellence in the film, and that should make Hollywood hang its head in shame. Ang Lee has finally crafted the film that do not drag and meander, unlike his previous efforts. Rather he lets the pacing take its place on unfolding the motive and development of lead and supporting characters - even seamlessly transporting to the past involving the relationship of Jen (Ziyi Zhang) and Lo (Chen Chang) which do not halt the film to a grind; instead this give the characters more screentime in background so that we could empathize with them. Divulging the plot is absolutely unnecessary, since the story is as complex as Hayao Miyazaki's animated epic "Mononoke Hime (Princess Mononoke)". It's better to see the movie without knowing what it's about, which should guarantee a fresh and unforgettable movie-going experience.
Kudos to all involved in the making of this now-classic masterpiece, including Lee's longtime screenwriting partner James Schamus who contributed the additional dialogues to the script by Hui-Ling Wang and Kuo Jung Tsai based on the Chinese novel by Du Lu Wang. Yuen Wo Ping should receive the prestigious honorary award for his contribution of stunts to films over the last 30 years. Ang Lee has made a spectacular achievement in his career from a low-budget filmmaker to an internationally renowned director who knows style and substance in film.
"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" should win the Oscars, including Best Picture.