A modern day classic

Rating: 10/10 (3 June 2001)

To anyone out there who may be thinking, "Is it me or was this movie not that great?" Guess what....it's YOU. This movie works in every single way movies should work. Ang Lee must be praised for taking a genre and injecting new life into it by combining eastern filmmaking ideals and classic Chinese folklore with his own gift for lyrical restraint and expert direction. The movie feels like the beginning of a 'new-school' type of martial arts film, where the very idea of wuxia warriors and Taoist fighting as a means of reaching enlightenment is treated with respect and not as an excuse for stupid, ridiculous fight scenes like so many Jet Li and Donnie Yen flicks.
In short, if you want a wall-to-wall action flick with fighting from beginning to end, look elsewhere because 'CTHD' is not it. Sure, there is fighting...but the film is also very slow, contemplative, haunting and downright beautiful. Forget the hype, forget the critics, just sit back and enjoy. PS-this film must be watched in the original Mandarin. I've heard parts of the English dub on the DVD and it is awful.
**** (out of ****)