All style, no substance.

Rating: 4/10 (8 September 2004)

This film is NOT "Wo Hu Cang Long" ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"), nor
should it ever be confused with it. They are two completely different animals. (pun intended) The fight scenes in this film fall very short of the magnificent choreographed spectacles in "Wo Hu Cang Long," and with all respect for Jet Li, he is no Chow Yun-Fat. I could hardly bear one more sappy tear-drop, or one more flashback within a
flashback... And weepy pacifist messages are not the best fodder for Chinese
Martial Arts films- which is what this is when you boil it down. (C'mon...
calligraphy and sword fighting? HUNH???) Puhlease. Sigh. 5/10 at best.