the definition of a film

Rating: 10/10 (26 February 2001)

Funny, how the best film to grace American screens in the year 2000, isn't even American, but a 12 million dollar export from Taiwan, that is quite possibly the greatest film to grace any screen in a long, long time. In a sentence, that's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". The plot is simple, lacking the stresses of modern "civilization" (if that's what you call it.) Instead, it lets you lose yourself in China, at a mystical time when the world was full of innocence and superstition, and, you know, beauty.

Sure, it should be noted that this isn't an all out, "bucks for blood" action flick. It has action, yes, but it has a lot more: romance, comedy, intelligence, and true magnificent beauty. So, there is no Anti-humanoid getting shot hundreds of times and making it to the end credits, crack pushers, or bad DUBBING. No, it's a film that relies on it's great characters to move the story along. These characters are strong, complex, and brillantly played by (here's a little ironic twist) by Oscar snubbed actors: Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, and Zhang Ziyi.

What this film lacks is bad acting, though it makes up (and then some) with a mastery of visual technique and mesmurizing music. The landscape carries you from all ends of China. The choreographed fight sequences of Yuen Wo Ping will leave you breathless and completely amazed. Once you add the camera work to this blend of visual technique, you have some extraordinary eye candy. Tan Dun's music is both haunting and beautiful, complimenting the actions on the screen...enough so, as to say that this film could still amazed without dialogue. It has the magic that those early nitrate films exsorbing with every frame.
Okay, this film may have some exaggerated moments. Isn't that why we choose to go to see films in the first place? To escape reality for a couple of hours and say "okay, impress me". This film has what most don't: IMAGINATION. Thank you, Ang Lee.
As I walked in the theatre, I noticed a sign posted..."Crouching Tiger" is in subtitles. I walked out, two hours later figuring out how many ways plain English would've ruined the film, I looked at the other posters for upcoming "movies", etc. I just think..."Shame on Hollywood".
"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"...10/10