- Starring
- Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Ziyi Zhang
- Writers
- Hui-Ling Wang, James Schamus, Kuo Jung Tsai
- Director
- Ang Lee
- Rating
- PG (Canada), PG-13 (United States)
- Running Time
- 120 minutes
Overall Score
Rating Summary
A film needs a strong emotional backbone for audiences to care about its characters, and there is no known substitute for this backbone, no matter how action-packed, VFX-heavy, or star-cast-led the film is. Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is a rousing example of a match made in heaven between a strong narrative that is deeply emotional and driven by strong characters alongside crazy, insane stunts that are sure to enthrall.
When the Green Destiny, a famed sword, is stolen, what follows is a chase that leads to completely unexpected consequences. Repressed emotions of love and freedom present themselves in different forms and shapes. The sword is a MacGuffin that represents the freedom Jen Yu (Ziyi) seeks from her parents and arranged marriage. Li Mu Bai (Yun-fat) and Yu Shu Lien (Yeoh) try to stop her and get the sword back, which is again metaphorical for them showing Jen Yu the true weight and meaning of freedom. It shows how there will always be consequences and responsibilities, no matter how far she runs away. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon has such narrative complexity, but the writers make it look so easy on screen. They deftly pull it off with an interesting, fast-paced storyline that is laced with frequent Wuxia fights. The title of the film in itself is deeply thematic and translates directly to a Chinese idiom that means “a place or situation that is full of unnoticed masters”. For the film, what remains unnoticed is not just the skillful masters, but also long-repressed emotions.
Before Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Lee was already a reputed name, having directed dramas such as Sense and Sensibility (1995) and The Ice Storm. However, this film marked his first venture into the action genre, and he knocks it out of the park. The stunt choreography is one of the best brought to the screen. And while adrenaline-rush fight sequences are expected in a martial arts film, the sequences here are exemplary not just for the action but for how its stunts work in tandem with the other elements in scenes like the score, cinematography, and the mise-en-scène, and what the fights represent for those fighting. There is not a single fight scene that exists just for the sake of it. Each moment has a fulfilling purpose for the characters who often express themselves through these fights.
For those uninitiated in international cinema, this film can be a great starting point. It is entertaining as well as enriching at the same time. While the action might not be groundbreaking for those watching it for the first time compared to today’s standards, mainly because it has been replicated so many times in modern cinema, it is still hard to find an action film that strikes such a good balance between narrative depth and stunts. The film still holds up very well 22+ years following its original release, and in fact, it is a burst of fresh air for those who may be feeling a little fatigued from the current blockbuster landscape.
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is currently playing in theatres after a 4K restoration, so audiences are encouraged to catch it on the big screen if possible if they still can.
still courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
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