This is the BEST FILM I have ever seen since renting Akira Kurowsawa's Seven Samurai 5 years ago.

Rating: 10/10 (14 January 2001)

I went in to see this film with mixed emotions. I had been highly anticipating it for months, like no other film in living memory that I can think of. I felt that all the praise and words that people told me of it would leave me disappointed in the film. Rumors abounded that it would not play in my city, it was going to have a limited running (luckily all untrue). It just made me want to see this film even more. It's as if I was expecting too much from the film and it wouldn't deliver. Would my expectations be to high? On the other hand I felt that it had to be phenomenal, I LOVE martial arts films, I LOVE foreign films, and I have a special heart for Asian themes in cinema. How could I not like it ?? With these conflicting thoughts I sat down and after the full movies runtime I could think of only one thing.
Every high comment made by either well know critics, or lesser known ones, or just from people on the street who had the opportunity to see it before I did are all right. This movie can never be duplicated. It is PURE MAGIC!
THIS IS THE BEST FILM I HAVE EVER SEEN SINCE RENTING AKIRA KUROWSAWA'S 'SEVEN SAMURAI' over 5 years ago.
The film follows the lives of several Wudan warriors, who besides possessing fantastic marshall arts skill can defy the lives of gravity as they battle in stunning choreography. Chow Yun Fat plays Li Mu Bai, a warrior who is giving up his way of life to settle down. In doing so he asks a former Wudan warrior Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh) to meet with him as he decides to give up his sword 'The Green Destiny' as a gift to a local governor. We soon learn the 2 warriors have an unspoken special bond, yet neither of them will admit it since their roaming warrior lives have always kept them distant. Within the Governors compound resides Jen Yu (Ziyi Zhang) a young woman on the verge of getting married. She is entranced by the lifestyle of Yu Shu, a woman who picks her own destiny, goes on adventure, and is her own boss. In contrast Jen, really bonds with Yu calling her 'older sister' and secretly wants to live the life of a warrior. The idea of giving up a life to support a husband instead of living on her own seems a death sentence. But a disturbing thing happens. Without giving away too much of the plot, after presenting the sword to the governor, it is mysteriously stolen by another unknown Wudan warrior!! The story then revolves around finding the sword, wild adventures, and the outcomes of the characters backgrounds in the story.
First off on a martial arts level it is stunning. Killer fight scenes, brilliantly choreographed and intense. On top of this the films heroes and focus is on the women warriors and has to be the only film I have seen where the story is carried by female heroes. Ang Lee's direction then goes into overdrive as he takes the actors (NOT THE STUNTMEN!) and suspends them on wires to make them do amazing things such as skip across vast stretches of water, climb walls and rooftops, and fight in a stunning bamboo forest. And like I said, 90% of it is done by the women.
I fell in love with these women (particularly Ziyi) after seeing this film.
Combined with these fights scenes are STUNNING shots of cinematography. Huge ancient cities, snow cragged cliffs, parched sun burnt Western Tibetan deserts, lanterned light night courtyards, giant waterfalls, and colourful costumes are all in abundance. And the shots of the bamboo forest fight scenes are spectacular.
Now this film is NOT all martial arts. It has a great compelling epic story. The acting is impeccable from the stern Chow Yun Fat who steals every scene he is in, to the fiesty young Ziyi Zhang who is incredible! But the brilliance is in the story, that reads like the greatest adventure you have ever heard of. With the great fighting are characters who are betrayed, humorous consequences (some that are VERY FUNNY you'll never think twice about loosing your comb), love and eloquent romance, memorable scenes characters and lines, and a story that means achieving your destiny that you so desire in a land that wants you to conform.
Such perfection will NEVER be duplicated ever. I'd hate to say things you hear all the time but I will say them now anyway cause they are true.
If you can only see ONE film this year, see 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon'. I have see a lot of the great films of 2000 (Yes there were good films this year!) and this one is the best (even though I picked Chicken Run, Almost Famous, and High Fidelity).
Take everyone you know, all your family, and take all those other people you know who say either:
I hate subtitled films
I hate foreign films
I hate martial arts films
I hate Asian films
and change their life.
Rating 10+ out of 10.
PS - This is a MUST see 'In the theatre' film. It will not have the same brilliance if you decide to wait for the DVD or video.