Simply Stunning

Rating: 10/10 (31 August 2001)

This is quite simply one of the most impressive films I've seen in the last several years. I can't find a single flaw with any of it. The story is appealing on a very deep, mythological level, and the performances of all the principal players are touchingly authentic. I was especially impressed with Michelle Yeoh's delicate balancing of feminine and martial characteristics. Each character is fully developed; I can't remember any film that manages to give such rich insight into so many characters without losing focus. The plot is well-paced, the cinematography is breathtaking, and the sets and costumes are a delight to the eye. Of course, the martial arts sequences have received a lot of attention, and they *are* exciting, but with so much more to offer, pegging this movie as just another "martial arts movie" doesn't do it justice. It may well turn out to be the crowning achievement of Ang Lee's career.