Beautifully Directed and Acted

Rating: 10/10 (16 February 2001)

I never liked Ang Lee's previous films, and after seeing Jackie Chan's 20th action movie I swore never to see another HK-style kung fu film. But this movie is such a pleasure to watch. All the elements fit so well together: the story is grasping and moving; the acting first-rate; the music tightly integrated; and, of course, the martial arts so tastefully executed. The cinematography is world-class, too. It's not just for an Asian audiece, either.