ridiculous rating

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Critics have bemoaned the lack of quality in the films turned out in the year just past. With the exception of a few epic films like Gladiator and The Patriot, Steven Soderbergh's two films Erin Brockovich and Traffic, and some lesser known "art films" like Billy Elliot and You Can Count on Me, quality films have been in short supply. The really notable exception to this year's drought is Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.I saw this film over Christmas break in Washington D.C. To say that the audience was captivated would be a significant understatement. On two separate occasions the audience burst into applause in the middle of the film. They don't make them like they used to, but once in a while they make them even better.This may seem like an odd film for Ang Lee whose previous credits include Sense and Sensibility. What makes this film exceptional is that it combines the sensibilities of the romance film with the sensory ecstasy of a ballet. This film is frequently compared to The Matrix and the martial arts choreography is done by the same person--Yuen Wo-Ping. At many points the choreography is closer in style to the kinetic grace of ballet than to the rough-and-tumble action of the traditional fight scene.Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is one of those films that has something for everyone. This is a traditional hero's quest where the central characters are trying to find a stolen sword that has great symbolic meaning for the characters. Unlike most Westerns or Samurai films wherein women are little more than moveable props, the women here are strong central characters in their own right. Romance is really at the center of the film and Ang Lee handles this part of the story with the same graceful unfolding that made Sense and Sensibility such an excellent film. Like The Matrix there are meanings at deeper levels where we find Jungian shadows, Yin and Yang, and almost anything else you want to look for.Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon has already won a number of awards including Golden Globes for best foreign language film and best director. Look for it to feature prominently in the Academy Award nominations. It may well become the third foreign language film in the past decade--Life is Beautiful and Il Postino being the other two--to be nominated for best picture. Whatever its destiny at the Academy Awards, this is clearly one of the best films of the year and is definitely worth a look.

Hollywood seems to be an emotionless company. They simply don't care if a film is good only if it rake's in the cash. This is why there are so many Transformers movies or Pirates of the Caribbean movies because they are economically profitable. That's why whenever Hollywood produces a film like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon it's so satisfying. This was film that took real risks, It's completely spoken in chinese features no famous hollywood actors and is very artistically filmed. Yet it nearly quadrupled its budget and became a massive hit in the united states, and was nominated for 10 academy awards including best picture. Ang Lee has crafted a film that appeases both those looking for an entertaining experience and those looking for a truly artistic and poetic film. The film takes place in the beautiful chinese countryside and has one of the most pleasing color gradings in recent film history. Even though the film features many brilliant, tense action scenes the whole film feels nuanced and laid back simply letting audience sit back and truly appreciate the beauty of what you're experiencing. The performances also feel natural just embracing the human spirit. The stand out performance Zhang Ziyi playing Jen the rebellious martial arts master. Ziyi gives us one of the most memorable characters in recent memory embracing the teenage spirit of just doing whatever the heck she wants to do. In the greatest scene in the movie Jen battles seemingly hundreds of adversaries boasting her name as the "Sword Goddess" and "The Woman who kicked down the mountain where Kung Fu was founded". Can we talk about the action scenes? Because they are some of the tightest, intensely choreographed, and brilliantly directed I've ever seen. The scene where Jen battles Yu Shu Lien in sword combat is arguably the greatest sword fight ever put to film (take that Princess Bride!). The use of all the different weapons is quite simply breathtaking. The story is simple with Shu Lien and Mu Bien trying to tame and teach Jen in the ways of martial arts all while Jen continuously betraying them and causing more and more trouble. After Mu Bien eventually sacrificing his life to save Jen she finally accepts her ways are wrong and in the final shot of the film giving up her selfish desires and becoming one with herself giving her life to everyone but herself. The film isn't perfect I thought the relationship between the two masters felt underdeveloped but other than that this is a movie that pushes boundaries and take risks that pay off almost innumerably. What impressed me most about the film is how graceful the editing, directing and acting were. Add some breathtaking action scenes, thought provoking drama and gorgeous cinematography and you have one of the most exciting and satisfying films made. I'd give Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon a 9.5/10.

I first saw this movie at the cinema when I was about 12 years old. It was the first time I witnessed this type of movie. I instantly loved it; it captured my attention even before the first fighting scene. At that age I was pretty naive, but it's interesting the fact that I was not very surprised when I saw people flying around. My subconscious dictated me that it's something natural in those type of movies, with a certain type of philosophy, and in certain parts of the globe. I loved the introspective ending too. Everything in this movie is perfectly balanced - the fighting scenes, the relationship between characters, the plot, the drama, the romance. Already a classical modern martial arts movie. Great fighting synchronization, great atmosphere, great storyline; it's perfect!

I went into this movie expecting a cinematographic masterpiece, it did not let me down. I went into this movie expecting to see great action sequences, it did not let me down. In fact it didn't let me down in anything I was expecting so why then did I not fall in love with it? I honestly don't know.I could blame the fact I watched a dubbed version instead of the traditional Mandarin version but honestly I don't think it really took to much away from it overall. Maybe a second viewing may see me fall in love with it but for now it is just a standard like from me. I do say though if you want to see a spectacle than this is a good movie for you.