The new millennium had just come to America when today’s winner of four Academy Awards showed in theatres in the United States. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) was a multi-national film with spoken dialogue in Mandarin and subtitles for various markets.
The Ang Lee directed film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon begins by showing the audience that Yu Shu Lien and Li Mu Bai are loyalty bound to a now deceased love interest and friend to not act on feelings each have for the other. Michelle Yeoh portrays Yu Shu Lien, leader of a private security firm. Yun-Fat Chow portrays Li Mu Bai, a master swordsman interested in retiring from the obligations of the swordsman life. Part of this includes asks Shu Lien to give his fabled sword “Green Destiny” to their benefactor Sir Te in Peking, aka Beijing, China. Sihung Lung portrays Sir Te.
It was early in the film when we learn that Li Mu Bai’s teacher had been killed by Jade Fox, a woman who had sought to learn the style of skills practiced by Li Mu Bai. There is much initial mystery to who Jade Fox, as portrayed by Pei-Pei Cheng, actually is. Before the audience makes relevant acquaintance with Jade Fox within Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Yu Shu Lien encounters Jen Yu (Jiao Long), the daughter of rich and powerful Governor Yu. Jen Yu, as portrayed by Ziyi Zhang, travels secretly with Jade Fox as Yu’s governess.
It is shortly after the revelation to some of Jade Fox as governess that an ongoing mystery surrounding the theft of the “Green Destiny” sword from Sir Te’s estate occurs. A romantic adventure for Jen Yu with Lo ‘Drak Cloud’ aka Luo Hiao Hu is revealed, with the fate of Yu’s marriage as expected by Yu’s parents in the balance. Chen Chang portrays Lo ‘Drak Cloud’ aka Luo Hiao Hu. The strings of these tensions are tugged through the remainder of the film.
The martial arts fighting scenes as directed by Ang Lee are well planned, at times filled with humor, and include admittedly stunning visual acuity filled with “flying” effects that do tend to feel like too much upon occasion. A scene among the tree tops and through a wooded area are a marvel to behold, still, some twenty years later as I write this review. I enjoyed this martial arts, romantic adventure movie. I grant Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 4.00-stars on a scale of 1-to-5 stars.
Matt – Saturday, December 12, 2020
Matt Lynn Digital 