A visual triumph

Rating: 8/10 (21 January 2011)

excerpt, full review at my location.
Winner of four Oscars, including Best Foreign Language Film, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon has taken its place as an iconic piece of martial arts cinema. The film follows three central characters as they battle over the right to possess a sacred sword and prove themselves in the eyes of their superiors. To do so, each must search for a deeper understanding of themselves and their desires.
A visual triumph with compelling performances, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon has much to be admired. While it does not move easily between differing emotions or genres, there is nonetheless something for everyone in the film's beauty, action and emotion. Not quite the masterpiece many credit it with being, it remains a curious watch which, at times, is richly rewarding.