Very worthwhile, but not truly great

Rating: 7/10 (5 February 2001)

I went to see "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" knowing little about the film other than that it had received consistently glowing reviews. That being said, I suspect my expectations may have been cast a bit too high.
What makes this film wonderful -- though some aficionados may consider it a drawbrack -- is its versatility. Ang Lee brings experienced cinematography, understanding of dramatic construction and solid film-making to the martial arts genre, with mostly splendid results.
There are times, however, where this blend showed signs of weakness; suspension of disbelief was sorely challenged by several flying sequences not supported well either by the storyline nor by the rather paltry special-effects budget. Additionally, the silliness of a few sequences (including the bar scene paying homage to old Westerns) seemed out of place.
It is not the best martial arts film ever, but the choreography is fantastic (that the choreographer also worked on The Matrix comes as no surprise). It's not the most unique or complex storyline, but the characters and plot are unquestionably richer than standard action fare.
All in all, it's a worthwhile watch for any type of moviegoer, but a few issues here and there keep this film just a notch below greatness: 8/10.