Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon review:
(First published in 2001)
I was very surprised to find the cinema packed for a subtitled Chinese film. This is not your common-or-garden blockbuster, so it is great to see mainstream multiplex cinemas showing it. As I looked at the audience though, I couldn’t help wondering whether they all knew what they were letting themselves in for. Some of the reactions later on seemed to confirm my suspicion that many were expecting a martial arts action film.
The story begins with Li Mu Bai and Shu Lien who are two mature and respected warriors. They share an unspoken love for each other, which developed after Li’s friend, and martial arts master (Shu’s lover) was murdered by Jade Fox. Out of respect for his memory, they have suppressed their true feelings for each other and this serves as an effective sub-plot.
Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun Fat) has decided to abandon his life long fight for good causes. He is regretful that he has not been able to avenge his old masters death but instructs Shu Lien to take his 400-year-old sword to a friend in Beijing because she is about to travel there and he won’t be needing it.
Once in Beijing, this sword is stolen. The evil Jade Fox is immediately suspected as it is revealed she is in hiding there. From here, the film progresses slowly as character development is given priority over fight sequences. Li Mu Bai turns up in Beijing and the rest of the story revolves round retrieving the sword.
There are recurring battles with Jade Fox, the arch villain, and the character Jen Yu is introduced. She is a beautiful young woman who yearns for excitement and adventure but is very immature. She becomes embroiled in the plot and becomes part of another sub plot herself
The very impetuous and self-centred Jen Yu contrasts well with the two mature martial arts warriors and a very-agile-for-her-age arch villain. All the main characters possess supernatural powers, which give them the ability to fly, as well as incredible fighting skills.
The film is 2 hours long and some of the people around me in the cinema were a little under-whelmed by it all. The couple next to us were very unimpressed. “Thank God for that,” said the bloke when the end credits rolled as he turned to his partner and added, “don’t ever expect me to see a foreign film again.” This is a great shame. I enjoyed the film but I can understand that many people would find it too slow, and maybe a bit strange.
The characters are all superb and the acting is excellent. In particular I found Chow Yun Fat, who played Li Mu Bai, fascinating and charismatic. I was also very impressed with Ziyi Zhang who plays the impetuous young wannabe-warrior, Jen Yu. The locations are at times breathtaking. The fight sequences (when they come) are fast, furious, graceful and inventive.
The pace of the film is definitely relaxed and character development benefits from it. If you want to care about a character, you must learn who they are first and this takes time. If it’s fighting sequences you you want, then look elsewhere unless you are prepared to wait patiently for them.
There are several stunningly choreographed fight sequences, most of which are (surprisingly) between the female characters. If you have seen Jackie Chan, then imagine the slapstick humour taken out and the whole thing speeded up to get an idea of the skills involved here.
The hardest things to get used to in the fights are the flying effects. We are not used to them in the West. When fighting, people will run up walls and bounce across rooftops unshackled from the earth’s gravity. At times it is ballet-like and graceful. At other times it flutters between the sublime and the ridiculous.
Many Chinese films feature flying fighters as it is rooted in their folklore. Some of the audience found it ridiculous at times and even laughed at some of it. Clearly the effects are done with the use of wires and although they are done extremely well, it was often obvious that they were on wires even though you could never see them. It was therefore difficult to forget the fact.
Despite the first half hour leaving me unimpressed I really enjoyed this film. If you are up for something different, and can cope with subtitles, this is a class film.
Written by Andy(ArT)Trigg on April 14th, 2008 with
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