A Very Enjoyable Martial Arts Film

Rating: 9/10 (23 December 2000)

I finally found a theater near me playing Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. I've heard raves about it, and for the most part I was not disappointed. Is it great? Yes. Is it one of the best films of the year? Absolutely. Is it one of the greatest films of all time? I think not.
The acting is very good, the cinematography gorgeous, and the direction strong. And of course, the fight scenes are simply magnificent. The long climactic battle between two of the characters as one keeps selecting weapon after weapon is a adrenaline pumping joy. Another scene, in which one character takes on a bar full of masters, is also very exciting, and suprisingly funny.
But as good as this film is throughout, it lost me on the ending. The final scene left me confused, I didn't quite understand the motivations for the characters. Why did they act the way they did? I left the theater slightly unsatisfied by that (Especially disappointing because the last forty-five minutes of the film build to the finish so well, each scene better than the last right til the end).
Nevertheless, it is one of the best movies of the year, packed with both exciting action and interesting characters. And for goodness sake's see this thing on the big screen if you can.