Robbed at the Oscars getting its just rewards on IMDb!

Rating: 9/10 (6 July 2008)

Master Li Mu Bai is a lawman, traveller, soldier who fights evil, battles Injustice and does general daring deeds. He returns to the city and meets Shu Lien, his dead brother's wife who has long since been in love with. However, he returns with good news, he is hanging up his sword, the Green Destiny, up for good and seeking out the supposed simple life. However, in this tragic, action drama, nothing is simple as the sword is stolen by a mysterious warrior.
As Li Mu Bai's nemesis the Jade Fox returns Li Mu Bai knows that he will have to face his nemesis one last time if he is to succeed in attaining the life he yearns for without bloodshed, knowing that all of his efforts where not in vain. However, as Jen Yu, a young woman about to enter into an arranged marriage, is entering a period of emotional instability, it means that every character in this immense film is in more danger than they realise. In Ang Lee's colossal film these themes take on the power of Gods as every hidden emotion, every glance, every movement and every gesture takes on further meaning.
The direction is amazing and the entire film is beautiful to behold, and having sen it at the pictures three times, believe me, I know. The costumes, the cinematography and props are fantastic and every craftsman who spent time on this film deserves an award for their efforts. The acting is first rate with all three leads being unbelievably awesome. usually at this stage I feel the need to single someone out, but I can't! They're all excellent and it makes for a film that is impossible to tear your eyes away from.
That said it does take a few scenes to get used to the whole wire work stuff in there and I remember when I first saw it I thought "What the hell is this?" But by the time I was half way in, I didn't care.
The fight scenes of course are the things that give the film its action heart and they are incredible, with a number of multi-character fights that must have been tortuous to put together, but the best one being the one with the two women with the variety of weaponry that is so gripping and so violent as they really seem to go at t with hatred and vengeance so strong that they really seem to want to kill each other. This is no "Charlie's Angels" bullsh*t fighting, this is the real deal.
It was annoying at the time that the film was beaten at the Oscars to the best picture and Best Director nods by Gladiator and Traffic as both of these films, for me, have faded, while the things that make this film great, still make it great now, but I guess that's due to the fickle nature of the academy voters. However, it is pleasing that it's in the top 250, but sad that it's so far down.
Sumptuous and Sublime!
Em