If anyone tells you they’ve seen elements of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon elsewhere so consider this to be a ‘derivative’ film, they may be telling the truth, but they obviously just don’t get it. This remarkable cinematic fantasy borrows from many genres – martial arts, mystery, detective thriller, romance, comedy, and historical drama, to name just a few – and it’s safe to assert that no previous film has combined these many elements so successfully. This is an exciting, mystical, romantic surprise of a film that really puts the ‘art’ in ‘martial arts.’
The starting point for the storyline is a 400-year-old sword that the warrior Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat) is ready to pass on to someone else, now that he wants to settle down – and secretly hopes to marry fellow fighter Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh). Li gives the sword to an old friend, Sir Te (Sihung Lung), but it’s almost immediately stolen. Thus begins a series of twists and turns, battles and mystery, as Li and Yu set out to recover the sword (which is stolen several more times during the course of the film).
The mysterious thief proves to be a remarkable fighter – a worthwhile adversary, to be sure. In addition, Li’s old enemy, Jade Fox (Pei-pei Cheng) becomes involved, and we’re also taken on extended flashbacks to learn how the thief became the woman that she is. Yes, it’s true – three of the four main combatants in this martial arts spectacular are women. And while Li is the master and Yu is a more than capable warrior, they definitely have their hands full.
The movie’s stylized martial arts fighting scenes (choreographed by Yuen Wo Ping of The Matrix fame) are spectacular – incredible to watch whether you love the martial arts or have never had the slightest interest in Asian-style fighting. The combatants move with lightening speed, literally flying up walls and across rooftops. In one particularly thrilling scene, Li and the thief do battle amidst forest treetops – like two surfers riding the ebb and flow of green waves amidst their conflict. The special effects are so well done, it’s easy to fool yourself into imagining that they’ve not even been used here.
But this isn’t just a fighting movie. It’s also a detective drama, as Li and Yu pursue the thief – and, ultimately, the Jade Fox. It’s a comedy, with gentle wit making frequent appearances. It’s a romance, with two romantic subplots playing themselves out. And it’s an historical tale of honour and intrigue in old China. The acting is strong – especially that of the young Zhang Zi Yi – and Ang Lee’s direction (as he continues a career of leaping from genre to genre – here combining a whole bunch in one project) is more than capable.
I don’t recall seeing a non-English language film generate such an enthusiastic audience response – the screening I attended was punctuated by cheering (from a usually restrained Canadian crowd, I might add) after each of the incredible fight scenes, and applause at the film’s end. I waited for younger audience members to become restless during some of the extended scenes of subtitled dialogue, but that didn’t happen. Everyone in that audience had quickly been won over, buying in to this unusual cinematic blend.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon has something for everyone. It’s the sort of film that crosses lines of all sorts – bringing together young people who enjoy the fighting, older folks who love serious, costumed ‘foreign’ films, and everyone in-between.
