A breath of fresh air

Rating: 10/10 (7 January 2001)

Crouching Tiger. is the latest film from director Ang Lee (Sense and Sensibility, Ride with the Devil). This is yet another example of the diversity of this talented director, who is surely as open minded as the Coen brothers when it comes to their scope for possibilities in film.
Presented in its original Mandarin language, with English subtitles, this film presents a bold statement for how much more open-minded cinemagoers are becoming. It's a pleasure to see so many people going to see this; purely justification for the risks Lee took.
The film is set in early 19th century China, which is presented here in all its mystical and mythical glory, including a fantastic image of the splendours of Beijing (here presented as Peking as befits the time period). Chow Yun-fat plays Li Mu Bai, an expert swordsman and master of the martial art style of Wudan. He has long spent time in meditative reflection, but has come to realise that something, or someone has been missing from his life. That someone is Yu Shu Lien (played here with enormous dignity by Michelle Yeoh). He returns to her to tell her that he is giving up his sword, the Green Destiny, a mysterious jade sword four hundred years old. He entrusts her to take it with her to give to an old friend in Peking. While in Peking, the sword is stolen by a thief in the middle of the night.
You realise at this stage in the film that it has been moving at a relatively slow pace, because suddenly it bursts into action, with a tremendous chase across the rooftops, and (literally) up the walls of Peking. I've no wish to reveal much more of the film, as it's best left to discover its hidden secrets for yourself, and behold the wonders of a master director at work.
The performances by all involved are superb, Chow Yun-fat's Li, has a calm well being to his character, with a burning inner desire. Yeoh's Yu, has a spark of danger to her character, while being protective of Li and the Wudan ways. However, best of all is the performance by 21-year old Ziyi Zhang, as the evocative Governor's daughter Jen Yu. She has a gentle beauty, which disguises her internal rage, where she is split between two destinies - which will she choose?
The film is presented straight-faced, which I found refreshing, with little seeds of humour planted sparingly throughout the film. China has never looked better on film, with its lush mountain environments coming to the fore, and presenting an unspoken character within which all the legends are based. The music also presents an emotional quality often missing from films these days, mixing a sophisticated Western orchestration, with the fragile melodies of traditional China.
The film mixes strong characterisation and narrative with explosive scenes of breath-taking and at times jaw-dropping action. If there are similarities to the action in the Wachowski brother's seminal SF movie The Matrix, this is because the same choreographer was used in both films, although to a much greater and expansive use in Crouching Tiger.
This film deserves to be seen by as many as possible - hopefully by people who can be open minded to watch a film which operates on at least two levels, rather than your standard action fare.