Absolutely magnificent

Rating: 10/10 (16 December 2000)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a great film in the tradition of the classic Hong Kong films of the eighties. I am still stunned 24 hours after seeing it for the first time. This is the film Hollywood tries to make, but fails. It is an action filled romantic epic the likes of which most American film goers have never seen. People have noted that is shows an obvious influence of The Matrix, but that is wrong. Both films have similar bloodlines: The Shaw Brothers kung fu films of the seventies, Tsui Hark's amazing Once Upon A Time In China series from the eighties and nineties, Tai Chi Master, the Heroic Trio to name just a few. Hopefully this film will astonish American audiences and give those earlier films a new audience. Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh give the performances of their careers and Ang Lee's direction is perfect. The action sequences are spellbinding. I could not take my eyes off the screen. I did not want this film to end. Do not miss this film, it is easily the best film of the year.