No car chases, shootings or frontal nudity here - sorry guys. The bad folks are so bad and the good so good that this is a moral tale we've seen before. Yeah, it's a bit predictable and the characters aren't anything new but the performances are on such a level that you forgive their familiarity and there's something about a European setting that make it so much more sophisticated. But, like I said, the performances were solid enough to keep the audience happy. Since there are few films of this ilk these days, it's refreshing to have the option at the box office.
Sex is insinuated and there's one tame scene of violence and lots of chocolate.
There's no doubt that Ang Lee has made a wonderful film that can convert an otherwise uninterested audience into action flick enthusiasts. Thanks to his use of multiple story lines woven into an epic, there is something for everyone. A pure love story, tons of action-filled martial arts, horses in the desert, handsome thieves and a moral fable all meld seamlessly into an adventure tale where women are the focus. Chow Yun Fat may be the reason that this all works so well. Without his quiet cool to anchor the energy and action, this film might not play out as well.