Director: Ang Lee
Starring: Michelle Yeoh, Chow Yun-Fat, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen, Lung Sihung, Cheng Pei-Pei, Li Fazeng, Gao Xian

- Reviewed by Linda

For the first 15 or minutes or so of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, you might find yourself getting a little restless. There's a lot of talk, with people sitting quietly, as we are introduced to the characters and the basic plot. Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat) is a master warrior, but he is giving up his sword, "Green Destiny", entrusting his devoted friend Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh) to deliver it to a respected elder Sir Te. She successfully presents the sword to Sir Te, and is introduced to another guest, Jen (Zhang Ziyi), the daughter of the governor who is preparing for her wedding. Jen looks like she is barely a woman, and expresses wide-eyed interest in Shu Lien's life as a warrior, thinking her life must be very exciting. Shu Lien, smiles, but with a look of haunted sadness that hints at something deeper. But then, hold on to your seats...!

The first action scene, what the restless crowd was there for, is absolutely astonishing. This is where Crouching Tiger suddenly leaps into a magical world all its own. Green Destiny is stolen by a female masked thief in the night (obviously Jen), and Shu Lien chases her to get it back. The two run across courtyards, but then run up walls, leap across roofs, and literally fly through the air after each other like cats, the only sound being their clothes flapping in the wind.. What the...?!!?! And the wonderful thing is, it is done without campy irony or explanation. In between the flying and chasing is breathtaking, beautiful kick-ass kung-fu fighting (choreographed by Yuen Wo-Ping, who created the fantastic fight scenes in The Matrix). Let's just say that at the end of this scene, the audience burst into applause and cheers.

Crouching Tiger has action a-plenty, romance, and revenge, not to mention the most gorgeous cinematography of the year. You could take any scene from this film, frame it, and hang it on your wall. The pacing of the film is at some times a bit erratic, because the talky scenes never quite match up to the action scenes. There is a long interlude that flashes back to Jen's romance with a desert bandit Lo (the dashing Cheng Chen) that is funny, action-packed, and passionate, despite seeming a little it out-of-place from the rest of the film. But the film actually gains momentum as it goes along, to the treetop fight sequence between Mu Bai and Jen, and finally to a beautiful romantic conclusion that actually made me weep.

After seeing Crouching Tiger once (now knowing when to expect the action, and when to expect the reflection), I think that it is one of those films that would improve on a second viewing. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon accomplishes the rare one-two punch of being both an exciting action flick, and a sweeping epic romance.

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