What am I missing here?

Rating: 7/10 (21 January 2001)

I'm really in the minority on this one but I did not especially care for this film. The good points: it was visually beautiful and peopled with stunningly attractive actors wearing lovely costumes. The score was compelling. I didn't mind the subtitles at all; reading the words as I hear them in another language, rather than being a hindrance, adds another level of depth for me. But....
The plot sequence sometimes seemed confusing and choppy. I often wondered where the action was taking place (except during the delightful desert scenes, which were my favourite in the movie.) I thought the fight scenes were too long, hyperactive-looking (even frenetically robotic when compared with the graceful leaps across the rooftops), and not especially amazing. I love fantasy but didn't find much (beyond the deviance of gravity) that seemed fantastical. I liked looking at the characters and their expressive faces, but couldn't empathise with them; character development seemed quite minimal to me. I'm finding it hard to see beneath the story's surface and discover layers of symbolism and meaning there.
I don't watch martial arts films per se and don't know much about the various philosophies of such. Does this position hurt or help me in understanding this film? I don't know. I suppose it hurts but the vast majority of the American public doesn't know much about Wu Xia, I suspect, and they love the film! I wanted to like it. Typically, I find foreign films fascinating and revel in seeing gripping stories of people from other cultures. (I loved Raise The Red Lantern, which I kept thinking of during the viewing of this film.)
The bottom line is this: I am a crouching pariah among rabid dragons! I just feel blank regarding what is so incredibly wonderful about this film.