Action and sensibility in a film not to miss

Rating: 9/10 (2 April 2003)

Oriental characters and environment burst again successfully in our screens to transport us to the legendary and ancient China. In this film, Lee combines deliciously martial arts with a plot and love story, without falling in the error of developing to much any of this parts.

Only the excellent photography already makes this film a must. Incredible atmosphere and marvellous landscapes combine with the story. Recreation of city environment (Beijing), costumes and customs are perfect. Desert pictures are luscious.
About the action scenes, maybe you have heard about some kind of post-Matrix movements. In my opinion, nothing further than reality. First of all, Matrix success is based mainly in this innovating filming techniques, while CTHD, although is true that martial arts play an important role in the plot, are only the background to develop a parallel love story between the characters. Moreover, I will say that `flying' action in this film is the only `but' to it. Fighting scenes are magnificent, but when flying is involved that makes them pretty unbelievable. Anyway, I guess the purpose of the director was no to make you believe that characters could fly or rebound in walls, just to expose a supposed ancient and secret technique. Nevertheless, this `but' not only doesn't eclipse anyhow the film, but makes it even more special and worth to see it.