Ang Lee's ambitious and breathtaking masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (7 May 2018)

Hollywood seems to be an emotionless company. They simply don't care if a film is good only if it rake's in the cash. This is why there are so many Transformers movies or Pirates of the Caribbean movies because they are economically profitable. That's why whenever Hollywood produces a film like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon it's so satisfying. This was film that took real risks, It's completely spoken in chinese features no famous hollywood actors and is very artistically filmed. Yet it nearly quadrupled its budget and became a massive hit in the united states, and was nominated for 10 academy awards including best picture.
Ang Lee has crafted a film that appeases both those looking for an entertaining experience and those looking for a truly artistic and poetic film. The film takes place in the beautiful chinese countryside and has one of the most pleasing color gradings in recent film history. Even though the film features many brilliant, tense action scenes the whole film feels nuanced and laid back simply letting audience sit back and truly appreciate the beauty of what you're experiencing. The performances also feel natural just embracing the human spirit. The stand out performance Zhang Ziyi playing Jen the rebellious martial arts master. Ziyi gives us one of the most memorable characters in recent memory embracing the teenage spirit of just doing whatever the heck she wants to do. In the greatest scene in the movie Jen battles seemingly hundreds of adversaries boasting her name as the "Sword Goddess" and "The Woman who kicked down the mountain where Kung Fu was founded".
Can we talk about the action scenes? Because they are some of the tightest, intensely choreographed, and brilliantly directed I've ever seen. The scene where Jen battles Yu Shu Lien in sword combat is arguably the greatest sword fight ever put to film (take that Princess Bride!). The use of all the different weapons is quite simply breathtaking.
The story is simple with Shu Lien and Mu Bien trying to tame and teach Jen in the ways of martial arts all while Jen continuously betraying them and causing more and more trouble. After Mu Bien eventually sacrificing his life to save Jen she finally accepts her ways are wrong and in the final shot of the film giving up her selfish desires and becoming one with herself giving her life to everyone but herself.
The film isn't perfect I thought the relationship between the two masters felt underdeveloped but other than that this is a movie that pushes boundaries and take risks that pay off almost innumerably. What impressed me most about the film is how graceful the editing, directing and acting were. Add some breathtaking action scenes, thought provoking drama and gorgeous cinematography and you have one of the most exciting and satisfying films made. I'd give Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon a 9.5/10.