one of the greatest films i have ever seen

Rating: 10/10 (5 June 2001)

I saw this three times in the theaters and I found myself sometimes laughing at how good it was. It catches this indescribable, mystical mood where we find ourselves in the violent world of chinese warriors. Unlike most martial arts movies, this one deeply involves you with its characters. Some say that the storyline wasn't original, but these are the exact kind of people that could never appreciate the film for how well it naturally places the viewer in this far off land with its own codes, norms, and rules. Everything is just right, the characters so vivid that they are no longer warriors, but real people who question their ways and face their own personal struggles.The fighting is breathtaking, the storyline magnificent, and the ending so fulfilling that you are ready to watch the movie over again just to see it.