Hooray hypocrisy!

Rating: Null/10 (11 February 2003)

Hypocrisy in the movie? No. Let's hooray hypocrisy in the movie going public! Harry Potter--nobody cares that you've got a kid flying around on a broom stick. Lord of the Rings--I haven't heard a complaint about the use of magic and monsters. Crouching Tiger--People run on air!? That must not be tolerated!
People don't seem to understand that this movie could fall just as easily into the fantasy category as martial arts or drama. People running on air, or on water, or across roofs shouldn't be too unusual, since their incredible abilities are supposed to be the results of training to beat their human limits. But this may not be the important thing.
Crouching Tiger is very much a drama first and a martial arts movie second, but with what I think is a fairly good balance. However, anybody going in for one or the other will probably be disappointed. Martial arts fans may not like the slow, deliberate pace or the 45-minute flashback (hey, Citizen Kane didn't have a linear structure either) and drama (and action) fans will be confused with the fighting styles in this film. But if you realize you're going in there for a balance, you've got it made.
The cinematography in this film is wonderful, as are the dynamic characters. If you want a fun little kung-fu movie, get Wing Chun. Otherwise, this movie has what it takes to break out of the "chop sockey" genre to make it big. Really should have received more than that Spartacus-wannabe Gladiator at the Academy Awards.