Magnificent...Pioneering a new genre

Rating: Null/10 (28 December 2000)

Ang Lee's brilliant film "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" is quite unlike anything I've ever seen. It's being called a martial arts film by many people, but it's not, really. In most martial arts movies (and indeed all action movies), the plot is generally just a way to produce fight scenes, car chases, explosions, whatever. "Crouching Tiger" is just the opposite; in this movie drama comes first, and the action is simply a logical extension of that drama. This is an intelligent, moving drama that is filled with thrilling and spectacular action.
The acting in "Tiger" is impeccable. Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh headline the cast, and both turn in excellent performances. Chow Yun Fat is particularly good at conveying complex emotions without saying very much at all. The best performance in the movie, I think, is from Zhang Ziyi, who plays Jen Yu, the most prominent character (even though Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh get higher billing).
It's hard to evaluate the writing of the movie after it's been translated from Chinese to English. As one would expect, it seems that the script lost a little something in the translation, and subtitles never work as well as spoken dialogue. The movie is not dialogue-heavy to begin with, though, and all in all it doesn't suffer much in the translation.
Perhaps the most incredible element of "Crouching Tiger" is the cinematography and visual effects. Ang Lee, the director, has a prodigious talent for capturing the inherent beauty of a landscape, be it barren desert or bamboo forest. The fight sequences are flawless: impeccable choreography and brilliant camera work combine for some of the best action footage ever. The choreographer also did "The Matrix," but his work on "Tiger" trumps even that paragon of martial artistry; there is a genuine beauty to the fights in this movie, while "The Matrix," is still just another action flick.
One part in particular of the fight scenes has particular resonance, and that is that the lead characters can, for lack of a better word, fly. The flight is done in such a way -- it seems rather like an exceptionally long running stride more than it does a swooping bird -- that after a few moments, the audience believes in it as much as they do in air or water.
All the action sequences are quite marvelous in every respect, they are captivating and wonderful to look at. Rather than the pounding crescendo of violence seen in American action movies, "Crouching Tiger" makes the fights seem more like a work of fine art.
The cinematography remains excellent throughout, not just in the fight sequences. A wide variety of landscapes were used, and Ang Lee uses each one to great advantage. Everything in this film just looks _beautiful_. I don't know how else to put it, but I think if you see it you'll understand what I mean.
Another element that makes "Crouching Tiger" unique is that it does not take place in any particular time period. It can be placed around the early eighteenth century, but only when one specifically considers the setting. While watching the movie, no time period is set and none is needed. Indeed, the lack of a fixed time aids the aura of mysticism and magic that pervades the film.
"Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" is a one-of-a-kind film experience and easily one of the best movies of the year.