What a unique and amazing bit of film work is this! Director Ang
Lee has a solid background in conventional romantic dramas (Sense
and Sensibility, The Ice Storm). He retains a lot of
sensitivity and grace in this film, with a little bit of martial
arts action, added for spice.
Now, there's an understatement. This is hands-down, some of the most intensive kick-ass combat ever committed to film! It's absolutely dazzling. The combatants display a mind-numbing level of virtuosity, and all this is enhanced with the choreography of Yuen Woo-Ping. Noted for his work on The Matrix, he takes his enthusiasm for the wire several steps further and gives us sequence after sequence where gravity as we know it ceases to exist. It all makes the light saber duels in the Star Wars movies look like a bad episode of The A Team.
And there's none of that blood and gore that's become so fashionable on-screen, these days. In fact, you could probably keep track of the body count on one hand. It's not about blunt, brute force; it's athletic poetry.
As eye-popping as the combat sequences are, they're all the more effective because they enhance and underscore the drama and the emotions. (Usually it's the other way around!) I was drawn in with all the different characters and storylines, from start to finish.
The cast (action stars Chow Yun Fat, Michele Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi) was excellent, blending awesome combat skills with strong, legitimate acting.
I should also mention the cinematography, which really swept me off my feet with breathtaking exotic scenery. (No great epic would be complete, without it!)
Folks, there's not a whole lot to complain about, here. Crouching Tiger has a whole lot of everything, and I highly recommend it for everyone.