Film Commentary [1-8-00] Martial Arts Epic - - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
(Wu hu zang long)
Genre: Martial arts/fantasy/comedy/drama
Grade = A+
Cantonese with english subtitles
After patiently (and impatiently) waiting over six months to see what has come to be one of the
most talked about and praised films of the year, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon finally
opened in Houston on December 22 (of course only after being released on December 8th in
New York and LA, another blatant example of Hollywood distribution bi-coastal bigotry. Its not
like Houston is the fourth largest market in the US or anything). Unfortunately, I was in
Oklahoma City at the time were the film was NOT showing. I finally got the chance to view the
film on Christmas day in Houston. For being the first show of the day, the theater was packed! I
was not the first to hear of this film and apparently everyone else took off from their Christmas
dinner to see it with me. Standing in line for 20 minutes and at the snack bar for 15 for my movie
popcorn fix, the wait was well worth it.
Set in early 19th century China, the warrior Mi Mu Bai (Chow Yun Fat - Hard Boiled, The
Replacement Killers, Anna and the King) has decided to give up fighting as well as his
ancient and magical sword Green Destiny and give it to his patron in Beijing even though he still
has not hunted down and killed Jade Fox, a bandit who betrayed and murdered his master. His
female associate Yu Hsui Lien (Michelle Yeoh - Tomorrow Never Dies) is also a warrior
and agrees to take the sword to Beijing along with a caravan she and her company is guarding.
Arriving she presents the sword to the patron while at the same time meeting the seemingly
innocent Jen (Zheng Ziyi), the daughter of an important governor and aristocrat who is scheduled
to be married in a few days. Late that night, a thief steals the sword, and there is a chase with a
long draw out fight with Yu. The thief gets away and Jade Fox is suspected. And so the fun
begins.
This quite simply is the best film of the year and one of the best I have seen in a long time. It
possesses what very few films in any language ever can - movie magic. The ability to transport
its patron into another world and let you leave this mundane environment behind for a couple of hours. The story
had all the elements of classic mythology that make an epic tale. Heros and heroines, villains, a
social class crossed romance, exotic scenery, a magic sword and action scenes that are the most
original and exciting that have ever been filmed.
It is the action scenes that make this film special. The characters jump and leap about with the
ability to defy gravity with an almost ballet-like grace. The first fight scene sets that standard for
the rest of the film as their moves literally take your breath away when you see them the first
time. They soar to the rooftops, run up the sides of building, skip across water and walk about the
tops of trees as if they weighed nothing with each action scene building on the next. These action
scenes are almost poetic as a choreographed dance. It is also at times exceptionally funny.
Written and directed by Taiwan director Ang Lee most well known for his films Eat, Drink,
Man, Woman; Sense and Sensibility and The Ice Storm (which bored me to death),
Lee builds on his previous ability to write and direct both comedy and tragedy with his first foray
into the action genre. Besides action, this film offers both slapstick and verbal humor, a
reproduction of 19th century Beijing with fantastic scenery of rugged mountains, temples and vast
deserts as well as two separate but very different love stories. As a rule I detest romances, but
the performances of the characters made me not mind such stuff this time around.
Strengthening the film are the outstanding performances of the main characters. Michelle Yeoh’s
is particularly strong, but the film revolves around the character of Jen who Zheng Ziyi performs
with great comic timing and martial arts skill.
The film is outstandingly scored by Yo Yo Ma and should garner a host of Academy Award
nominations. It should (but probably won’t) be nominated for best picture as well as
cinematography, costume design and direction.
In 1939, Hollywood released the John Ford film Stagecoach. Previous to this time, movies about the American west were the genre of Hopalong Cassidy, singing cowboys and were basically considered lower class and juvenile fare unsuitable for serious film consideration. Stagecoach, an intensedrama with well developed characters, changed all that. As a result Westerns came to be considered a legitimate and artistic film genre. This film may very well take the martial arts film to such consideration. If this becomes fact, this film will not only be considered great entertainment of artistic merit, but historically significant as well.
After patiently (and impatiently) waiting over six months to see what has come to be one of the
most talked about and praised films of the year, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon finally
opened in Houston on December 22 (of course only after being released on December 8th in
New York and LA, another blatant example of Hollywood distribution bi-coastal bigotry. Its not
like Houston is the fourth largest market in the US or anything). Unfortunately, I was in
Oklahoma City at the time were the film was NOT showing. I finally got the chance to view the
film on Christmas day in Houston. For being the first show of the day, the theater was packed! I
was not the first to hear of this film and apparently everyone else took off from their Christmas
dinner to see it with me. Standing in line for 20 minutes and at the snack bar for 15 for my movie
popcorn fix, the wait was well worth it.
