Not as simple as it seems...

Rating: Null/10 (20 February 2001)

I'm really disappointed to hear so much criticism of this film - insofar as people are comparing it to every special-effects-fest/cheezy love story churned out in Hollywood, and asking dumb questions like, "why didn't he just kiss her already?" and "what's with the cheap wire effects?.." There are thousands of years worth of spiritual and cultural mythology and imagery fueling the choices made in "Crouching..." , and anyone who left the theatre feeling disappointed that they didn't get to see a Jackie Chan cop flick or who thinks true love can only be shown by ramming your tongue down someone's throat can go re-rent "American Pie." OR, they can open their minds to something a little new and contemplate the idea than maybe things are handled a little differently in other cultures. Not everyone has a dog-eared copy of the Tao in their back pocket, or has truly studied martial arts, but I don't think you need to to appreciate the core beauty of the film - not to mention the beautifully choreographed and brilliantly executed kick-ass combat. There are motivations behind the characters in "Crouching..." other than your standard "blow-up-the-building and f*** the girl" nonsense. I think the "feeling" of the wire work was in keeping with much of the spirituality behind martial arts training, and glossy, seamless CG effects would have robbed the film of much of its charm. And for those who found the stolen-sword/avenged-master/mystical-training plot points "tired", I'd like to point out that it hasn't hurt the "Star Wars" franchise any. Moreover, I'd like to see Harrison Ford or Natalie Portman in a believable quarter-staff fight without some serious help from a stunt double or the special effects department. I think they all deserved an Academy nod, if only to encourage American actors to actually develop a few skills along the way. "Crouching..." was a fabulous afternoon at the theater, and I look forward to seeing it again, and again, and maybe even again after that...