Gosh, golly and quite possibly wow

Rating: Null/10 (18 January 2001)

Forgive me this moment of supposition but I think I may have just seen the film of the year. I know it's only January but this epic fantasy makes such an impression that it will take something truly special to challenge it. Taiwanese director Ang Lee says this was the film that he always wanted to make and after much critical acclaim for his recent Western character-driven pieces he has finally been able to realise that dream. The current fad in Hollywood is martial arts fight scenes and it seems that every action hero, and indeed villain, must be capable of chop-sockying their way out of a tight spot. So it's great to see kung fu in it's natural environment, a romantic myth of love and honour in ancient China. These kind of stories are churned out at a frightening pace by the far-Eastern film industry, but Lee was able to assemble some of the biggest Asian film stars and a most experienced crew and combine them with his knack for drawing out well-rounded characters and picking great locations to produce something truly special.
The main story follows two warriors, Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat) and Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh), and their search to retrieve the famous Green Destiny sword after it is stolen by a mysterious intruder. Yeoh and Yun-Fat return to their old stomping grounds after attempting to make an impact in America and it's clear why they are two hottest properties in Eastern cinema. They show that while they are both known as action stars they are more than able to handle the sideplot of struggling with their unspoken feelings for each another. However, I get the feeling that the only reason they are credited above Ziyi Zhang ('The Road Home') is due to their crowd pulling reputation, as the young Chinese actress is absolutely riveting as Jen, the headstrong aristocrat who the experienced warriors try to tame and who rapidly becomes the films central character. If 'The Road Home' proved that rising star Zhang can act then CT,HD shows that she can kick arse at the same time and really is one to watch.
The kung fu itself is beautifully choreographed by Yuen Wo Ping, he who stunned Hollywood with 'The Matrix' fights and although the wire work may not be realistic it is part for the course in this genre and employed to great effect. The duels scorch across the screen so that after each confrontation you find yourself scrabbling around on the cinema floor to try and retrieve your jaw. But CT,HD is made so much more than a succession of well-executed fisticuffs by the tale which holds it all together, conjuring up some really tearful, emotional moments.
It's a foregone conclusion that CT,HD will win the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, but I would be surprised if it hasn't staked an outright claim for Best Picture too.