A feast for the eyes and soul.

Rating: Null/10 (10 December 2000)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, a martial arts drama film by renowned Taiwanese film director Ang Lee, is a feast for the eyes and soul.
In Ang Lee's hands, even the antagonist, Jade Fox, is not the one-dimensional kind of baddie we usually find in kung fu movies. The scene where she sheds a tear after being told to leave by her protege is one of the most moving moments of the film.
Chow Yun-Fat, Hong Kong's top film star, shows his usual commanding performance in his only sword-wielding feature film (excluding his TV series The Smiling Wanderer). The charismatic actor is well-known for playing steely characters in super violent action dramas, such as The Killer

Michelle Yeoh succeeds in portraying a strong woman who suffers from Li Mu Bai's denial of their love.

But the real surprise comes from newcomer Zhang Zi Yi who plays the pivotal role of Jen whose portrayal of a rebellious aristocrat is convincing.

With help from action director Yuen Woo-ping, who was responsible for theamazing fight scenes in the smash hit The Matrix, the film generates applause from audiences at movie theaters for kung fu fighting scenes whichsometimes substitute for words in the movie. Of particular note is the incredible fighting scene at the top of bamboo trees.
Furthermore, the film was shot at beautiful and exotic locations, including the Gobi Desert, under the direction of camera wizard Peter Pau who has shot many of Hong Kong's martial art films, including The Bride With White Hair.
The film also contains elements of humor.

Chinese, particularly Hong Kong film elements have been copied numerous times by filmmakers but Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon has confirmed the place of Chinese filmmakers in world cinema once again.