Epic fantasy movie, easily misunderstood

Rating: 10/10 (2 April 2001)

If you're a big fan of traditional Kungfu movies from Jet Li & Bruce Lee... stay away from this film. There are better Kung Fu flicks around.
If you enjoyed The Matrix for all its coolness, stay away from this film. There are better Adrenaline-pumping action flicks around.
If you enjoy movies for what they are, then you'll love this film. It's the kind of movie where you *must* leave your expectations at the door... otherwise you won't enjoy the experience.
Don't misunderstand -- the action sequences are truly amazing. It's not the best kungfu movie because it relies too much of wire-fu special FX. But if you judge them as action sequences (not kungfu sequences) they're clearly the best EVER put in the silver screen. Far exceeds the Matrix sequences. To the untrained eye (99% of the population) the martial arts appear authentic... unlike Keanu Reeves & Lawrence Fishburne in The Matrix.
But people who watch this movie expecting a blockbuster action flick WILL NOT enjoy it. These action sequences appear only intermittenly, and much of the movie is filled with dialogues & beautiful scenes. People who want adrenaline-pumping movies are better off renting Die-Hard or any John Woo movie (Face Off, Mission Impossible 2).
People who see this movie expecting a wonderful storyline should think twice. The plot is good, but basic --- afterall, it's based on Chinese folklore. The plot resembles a parable more than it does an actual storyline. Think (Oscar-winning) "Unforgiven" by Clint Eastwood.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a great movie because it takes the viewers into a different place. I don't speak Chinese, but I'll be darned if I even remember reading subtitles during the movie. That's how engrossing the film is: You forget that you've been reading subtitles all along, and imagine that you understood the spoken dialogue.
Beautiful scenery, wonderful actors, and a storyline based on a world Hollywood has never seen before. Imagine watching the first Western ever created. You would've been blown away with the concept of Cowboys, Sheriffs, and High-Noon shootouts. Likewise, this movie is just so *fresh* and *new* to people who've never heard of the Chinese Wu Xia tales.
This film is quite simply awe-inspiring.
I'd rate it 9.7/10.