Wonderful flush of fantastic storytelling!

Rating: 10/10 (3 February 2001)

I will submit to you that I hate most martial-arts movies. "Now, you must pay!" is not my idea of enlightenment. I will also submit that I have always felt put-off by most "spiritually-enhanced" foreign films' stuffy-ness. . . their pontifical puffy-ness. Now that we are on a certain level, let me say "Wo hu zang long", or "Couching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" will simply remain a memory for me as one of the most refreshing cinematic experiences of my life.
Upon convincing our dates to join us for the film, I casually observed our crew being mesmerized by the perfect story-telling by which we were sufficiently whelmed. The worst fear most critical essays avoid mentioning is that any of the average non-Chinese-speaking persons will not be able to follow the often-speeding subtitles. Worse, yet, is the American whose native tongue is not English & so, naturally, avoids subtitles. This latter grouping includes my afore-mentioned crew who left this movie actually discussing the fantastic spiritually-based images of Good vs. Bad fighters scurrying around treetops.
If the general public always wants to see Good person vs. Bad person and for Good person to triumph, then this film will win the multitude! This film clearly defines such balance and clings to it like a joey on a wallaby.
"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is one of the best stories ever told to me and has forever changed my viewing habits toward foreign film.