A movie that defies the laws of gravity like no other

Rating: Null/10 (15 February 2001)

This martial arts epic makes it biggest stride yet into the mainstream of American cimema and its consciousness with this supercharged effort from director Ang Lee(Ride With The Devil and Sense and Sensibility). As on the same wavelength as a Sergio Leone western,this film is basically the first time that Americans can see it without the dubbing since the entire film is in Taiwanese. It is a film of deep complexity and depthas it tackle such issues as honor,devotion,and compassion. The story is very interesting since it deals with the taking of a jade green sword,and then all of a sudden the film kicks into high gear with startling plot twists and astounding action sequences which are the movie's strongest selling points which find characters flying in the air and engaging in combat which perched on either buildings or spindly branches(since the action here was choreographed by Yuen Wo-Ping known for his breathtaking effects that really had moviegoers going nuts in "The Matrix"). This is a film that defines the laws of gravity here,and it's action-packed all the way making it a runaway hit internationally. The scene stealer here is a 18 year old dynamo named Zhang Ziyi who is remarkable opposite her counterparts Chow Yun-Fat(of "The Replacement Killers",and "Anna and the King"),and martial arts actress superstar Michelle Yeoh(of "Supercop" and "Tomorrow Never Dies"). The best kung-fu flick since the days of Bruce Lee has there never been a film that keeps the audience in constant suspense along with breathtaking excitement. Rating: *****1/2 out of *****-Worth the price of admission.