A martial arts movie with heart

Rating: 9/10 (26 July 2000)

I really enjoyed this film. I was visiting Taiwan when it opened, and I wasn't interested in seeing the film at all. After being coerced into the theater, I was enthralled by the beautiful landscapes, stunning martial arts choreography, and most of all by Zhang Ziyi. She must be one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen, and her presence on screen alone could have carried the film. As far as bad dialogue is concerned, I was reading subtitles mostly and didn't mind all that much. All in all, the film captures all the emotional intensity of a love story with the excitement and awe of a martial arts thriller.