Um, uh, well, it was good, but ...

Rating: 8/10 (19 February 2001)

While I enjoy the occasional "foreign film" (foreign in my reality is either not American or not in English), I tend to be suspicious of those that arrive with tremendously high praise. I rarely find them as good as the billing. I think for some reason foreign films tend to be overindulged by reviewers. My pet theory is that English-speaking reviewers see a foreign film and are so happy to be able to follow it, the reviews suddenly are out of sight.
With that comment setting the stage, I believe Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was beautifully filmed, and had a plot that mostly made sense. Still, I have to say that the "flying ninja" scenes were silly, and there must have been some concepts that didn't translate in my Western mind because I didn't understand the ending at all (even if I speculate, it seems like such a waste).
Now, now. I know the flying ninjas were graceful. And the fight in the treetops was daring. But I can only suspend reality so much. OK, fine, so this was a fantasy film, I guess. But even as a fantasy it looked silly. Why did they keep churning their legs as they flew? Wouldn't it make more sense to simply leap with straight or flexed legs and keep the air drag down? Why not windmill their arms and wear capes while they are at it? Where do you stop?
The fight scenes were terrific overall, and not too repetitive. I've never liked martial arts movies because I could make no sense of a fight when five blows seem to have no effect, but 15 seconds later one blow of the same type knocks out an opponent. In CTHD, the fights take place in different settings and for different reasons, and don't feature wave after wave of faceless opponents who go down after taking 25-30 blows each. That was a nice surprise.
The plot felt like an epic, moving back and forth in time to fill in back stories on characters. And it had one of the best plot devices of all, revenge and retribution.
Still, the ending, while dramatic, seemed senseless. If a person grows through sadness and mistakes, in the Western world they become a better person (though the hard way). If they do what Jen finally did in CTHD, that is considered a coward's way out. But I suppose in the East, that takes courage. I dunno.
Anyway, I gave CTHD an 8, because of the settings, for its epic story and because of a truly hilarious line about one man's home being a "warehouse."