Star Wars.

Rating: 10/10 (11 November 2013)

Yes, you heard that right. At its essence, Ang Lee's fable of fated warriors and princesses is a resurfacing into the universe of myth and legend. It takes place in Ancient China, perhaps of the Han Dynasty era, but the story is adaptable to any time frame or location. The cast of archetypal characters are our superheroes, Jedi-knights, apprentices, swashbucklers, the martial art of the Wudang is the secret power, the force, the sorcerer's magic, and the sword called 'Green Destiny' is the artifact, buried treasure, or the maguffin.
It is a world of fairytale and high fantasy, brought to vivid life by the imagination of Ang Lee. The character's are multi-faceted and believable, and the tale is one of life affirmation. Good and evil are not painted in broad strokes of black and white, contrary to what many critics have said previously, but legend is transformed into a realistic analysis of the human condition.
They say the film was a massive hit in the US, and a notorious flop in China. This is not so inconceivable, as the film as certain 'anti- Eastern' sentiments and more global, humanist tendencies that put it in league with certain works by Shakespeare. The story doesn't denounce any particular facets of Chinese culture. Tradition and homegrown philosophy are shown to be advantageous to those that live by honour and the sword, and perilous to those that live lives of imbalance and despair. Jealousy and hubris are the undoing of many, and while the Buddhist and Taoist quest for enlightenment is detailed by the protagonist of Mi Lu Bai (Chow Yun Fat), his 'great sorrow' is a symptom of the greatest human emotion known to the world.
Is the film perfect? No, not at all. The plot hops around, and while it doesn't ruin the experience, what needed to be a 3 hour epic was reduced to a 2 hour engagement with a giant detour in the middle that relied on too much back story. But it is a wonderful back story. This is not a film about superpowers, as spectacular, unmatched and jaw-dropping as these effects and scenes remain some 13 years later. But it is a simple coming of age tale and warning against unrequited love. It is a confirmation of companionship, and for that, Ang Lee and his team deserved the highest praises.
The real all-encompassing epic and Best Picture of the year 2000.