Where the movie falls apart is with the plot. I found that it lacked direction, seeming to travel haphazardly in one direction and then another. Ask any writer or English teacher what makes a good story, and they'll reply that it has to have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Well, that basic principle got lost somewhere along the way with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Characters change their missions almost by the minute.
Flashbacks occur at odd times.
The love stories seem to be thrown in simply to appeal to a Hollywood audience, without any real need for them in the plot. The result is somewhat of a hodgepodge. Of course, it's a beautiful hodgepodge to watch. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is worth seeing in theatres simply for the visuals. The bigger the screen, the better.