Ron the Anglophile

Rating: 7/10 (9 February 2001)

As with last year, 2001 has got off to a cracking start. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon came with five star credentials. Now experience is that such enthusiasm for a film - that isn't from the USA, (where hype comes as standard), or from the UK, (where local reviewers are just pleased to see anything!) - is justification for an early view before the art houses file their prints away in the "no-one came" drawer.
Well! Yes and no.
It's martial arts for heaven's sake! Frequently performed by high kicking women! Sarah Michelle Geller/Cameron Diaz playing it half laughs/half lust? No, no! Michelle Yeoh & Ziyi Zhang; and let's not forget - Ang Lee. I'll admit it. Fifteen minutes into the film I nearly stood up and applauded the first roof top fight sequence. It was that good! But then the second and third were merely only OK. It was the fifth, or was it the sixth? - dancing through the trees - that reminded me that special effects can actually be special. Some nice location stuff too.
Ron (Viewed 6Jan2001)
(Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon? It's got to be rude!)