Great visual does not necessary makes a great movie

Rating: Null/10 (3 April 2001)

It certainly deserves the Oscars for best art direction, best original score and best cinematography. That's THREE Oscars, not four. (I think the best Foreign Language Film cannot be included). They are really doing a great job as those three factors are supporting each other. Good art direction makes good cinematography and they are sweetened by a good music arrangements. The trio are like old classical music, it's really indeed in the harmony.
Unfortunately, they are heavily ruined by the most conventional plot ever made. It's like you're a big fan of pizza, and it looks very good with all the meat, the vegetables, the mushroom and the sauce. But when you finally taste it, the bread is awful and it ruins your appetite. That's what I felt when I first, second and three times, saw this movie. I cannot feel the emotion as it's supposed to be when I finally understand the story. It's because all characters talk like several heartless androids who pretend to be humans. The dialog scenes are just too lame, boring and uninteristing. Most people are astounded by the fighting scenes, but to me, it's too ordinary and unrealistic. There's one scene that bothers me a lot, when Michelle Yeoh acts like a true sister to the princess, but then suddenly she's furious at her without a strong motivation. If I hadn't known Ang Lee as a "renowned" director, I would have thought it was a cheat to get them into fighting again.
To summarize, it's an ordinary kung fu movie with great visualization.