A Magical, Beautiful Looking Love Story

Rating: 10/10 (6 December 2005)

"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Wo hu cang long)" is breathtakingly beautiful, the scenery, the cinematography, the martial arts choreography.
But what a surprise that Ang Lee as the director of "Sense and Sensibility" incorporates that into the movie too!
While my younger son just wanted to know upon my return from the theater if the martial arts were like "Matrix," my husband sneered that it was too balletic (not a compliment from him), and I think what he really meant is that this is a chick flick.
I totally didn't anticipate that this would be a sophisticated love story, let alone about two couples, and the various permutations of their relationships with each other, their teachers and their families. So this is really Jane Austen done as a mythic Chinese warrior movie.
Michelle Yeoh is absolutely, maturely, captivating, especially in her sword fights with her protégé.
"Over the hills and through the woods" or "up on the roof" or "wade in the water" never had quite so literal yet so magical meanings as shown here. It makes for brilliant cinema.
The music, with Yo Yo Ma solos, is wonderful.
(originally written 1/20/2001)