Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Ang Lee, China / Hong Kong / Taiwan / USA, 2000, 120 minutes

Woo-hoo, a kung fu film, I hear you cry. Not more slightly stagnant middle-aged Asian men and their hip, and irritating black sidekicks... ah no, wrong film, and, so it seems, even the wrong genre.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a kick in the teeth to most martial arts films, a breath of fresh air, adding romance (heaps of it), excessive historical and mythological background and two kick-ass femme fatales the like of which you can only dream of.

Indeed, for me, the women carry the film. Michelle Yeoh is by turns motherly and commanding; the yearnings of her heart, and the discipline from her head there for all to see. In contrast Zhang Ziyi is a perfectly spoilt brat, immature and yet brilliant with reflexes to die for. The battles, both physical and psychological between these two warrior women, are outstanding features of this fine film by the master of random genre flitting, Ang Lee.

The plotting tends towards simplicity (A good thing). Jen Yu (Ziyi) is at a crossroads in her life, so she steals the sword, Green Destiny, from Yu Shu Lien (Yeoh) who is transporting it for the man she loves, Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun Fat). The weird bit about the film is the random flashback that happens about forty minutes in, lasts a good while, and doesn't really have a point. (maybe it's developing Jen's background, providing the impetus for the theft, whatever.)

Just watch the film for the stunning visuals, the masterful choreography and the bitchfight in the dojo. Better than anything Channel 5 will show all year.

Review by Isabel Curie
Written for EUFS Programme Spring 2002