A True Work of Art

Rating: 9/10 (12 January 2001)

Director Ang Lee has elevated the *Martial Arts* film genre to an entirely new level. Using the tried and true story of revenge common to all HK Kung-Fu films as the basis he has created a masterpiece!
Everything about, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", works to perfection. As Master Li (Yun-Fat Chow) says, "The sword is but a piece of steel, mastery comes from the arm that wields it". And use the *Green Destiny* they will! Skill without knowledge is the lesson here. This is both then an action film as well as a spiritual journey as the characters develop their relationships to each other and to the *art* they seek to master. Li Mu Bai & Yu Shu Lien, they share a love tempered by the ways of honor, bound by the old traditions of Wudan. Lo (bandit) & Jen (princess) find a new love unbound by tradition even though they come from different sides of the *tracks* as the story goes.
Thus Jen must find a balance between *skill* and *Wisdom* to become a Wudan Master.
This story is a wondrous adventure, covering a landscape beautifully filmed by Peter Pau. The costumes by Timmy Yip are all first rate as is the set direction. The martial arts choreography by Woo-Ping Yuen is without equal and to answer a question about cultural differences between *West & East*, re: flying.....what's the difference between flying over rooftops and Hercules picking up a 10 ton stone and tossing it 15 meters? We deal with mythos here where logic gives way to imagination.
The only question I ask myself when leaving the theater is, "was I entertained?". In the case of CTHD it went far beyond being entertained to a magnificent cinematographic experience.
Thank you, Ang Lee, cast & crew.