Intelligent, subtle movie. Good plot or BAD plot???

Rating: 10/10 (15 February 2001)

First, I am happy that CT,HD got 10 Oscar nominations. This fact makes it a lot easier to discuss if this movie has a "good" plot or "bad" plot.
Although I haven't watched enough movies to say if this is the best movie of the year, still it is indeed a very special, high-quality movie, and well deserve viewing in the big theater. A movie so special and different really doesn't come to this country too often.
Besides it beautiful scenery and balletic action, most importantly, its plot is intelligent, subtle, and humane...these are what make CTHD stand out far ahead among other Kung-fu or action movies. Some people argued here saying there were some other better chinese Kung-fu movies, I think they totally missed the point.
We are not talking about Kung-fu movie here, we are talking about a high-quality film, a complete movie experience. I don't think any "pure" Kung-fu movie will ever deserve 10 Oscar nominations (like CTHD), unless it contain this level of emotion, humanity, and intelligence which make it an excellent drama and romance as well.
Don't think the critics are all fools, they liked CTHD because it is very intelligent compared to most movie showing nowadays. For example, Gladiator is a powerful movie, and very good looking thanks to it high budget. (Gladiator costed 80 millions to make, but Ang Lee only had $15 million to spend on CTHD.) But taking away the killing and fighting, you don't really remember much from Gladiator. The story is just straightforward and 99% of people understand it so nobody complains about its plot.
CTHD is very different, it takes some careful efforts and sensitivity to understand the plot completely. To be honest, I did not fully understand it at my first viewing. However two of my friends, who are more sensitive and experienced than me in life, told me a different interpretation of the plot and totally enlightened me. My rating for this movie shooting to 9-10 right away after talking to them.
I am not going to give the clue out here since some reader have not seen this movie yet. But just my hint: To understand this movie, you need to realize there was a 'hidden, unspoken love' going on. No, I don't mean the love between Shui-lien and Mu-bai, since even the most insensitive viewer will know they were in love.
It is from someone other than Shui-lien, and supposedly no one else in the movie realize it until it is too late.
This hidden, unspoken, one directional, confused love clue is what make CTHD's plot intelligent, complete, humane and powerful.
If you come out of the movie and feel the plot confusing and inconsistent, you are just like me at first... you missed the important clue that make this movie complete. You did not see the struggle, confusion, complain and sadness within that character.
If you come out of this movie feel it is intelligent, subtle, touching and complete -- congratulations! you got the right story Ang Lee intended to tell in this intelligent film.
Therefore, I think one can complain CTHD's plot is too subtle, but complaining it has a "bad plot" is totally unjustified. It is a good plot; it just take some intelligence, care and sensitivity to understand it completely.
Should a great movie has straight plot like Gladiator? or subtle one like Crouching Tiger? You viewers decide. But clearly if nobody goes to see CTHD, there will be less and less directors who would bother to give his movie an intelligent plot. That's definitely something I don't want to see. Therefore, thanks God, Oscar did not disappoint me this time.
Crouching Tiger is a very special movie. Go see it in the big screen before it is too late!
Rating: 9.5/10