Viewer Comments:Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
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The film is great but overrated due to the fact that westerners have never really seen wuxia films. The acting is excellent and the film is gorgeous, but the story felt a little bit corny. The film is like many wuxia films seen before, but the new technology allows Ang Lee to show wuxia like never before. You have to give it props too since it opened up more oppurtunities for foreign films to enter the U.S., just as Bruce Lee's "Enter The Dragon" did. It's a classic in its own right as a film, and for giving oppurtunites for more overseas films to be viewed.
A brilliant, must-see drama. The extensive wire-fu knocks it down a peg for me, but everything else is ace. See it!
| POSSIBLY CONTROVERSIAL BUT COMPLETELY HONEST REVIEW WARNING: You might not like it but somebody's got to say it. Holy overhyped bowl of piss on the classics, Batman! Many folks are calling this one of the greatest martial arts movies of all time but I can give you one reason that it will never make the all time top twenty. All the greats star REAL martial artists! Only one of the three main stars is a real martial artist--oh yeah and the villian, but Cheng Pei Pei is getting old, campers. She ain't what she used to be. I guess the biggest problem with the movie is that it was a Chinese kung fu/fantasy that was tailor made for the viewing sensibilities of western audiences. Mistake #1. In doing that and trying to expand to a wider crowd it winds up detracting from the offering for true Asian cinema fans by recycling so many themes that it just becomes insulting. Now, I never read the comic but I hope to god that it is better than the writing in the movie. The story of the film is basically a hodge podge collection of every single kung fu movie plot device and stereotype ever used such as: secret style, legendary hero, legendary weapon, young martial arts prodigy, forbidden romance, warrior student(who has become a master) seeks revenge of master's death by super villan, wise master must enlighten young upstart, etc. What brings the horrible generic plot together is the wonderful performances of the cast which are all quite noteworthy. I also think that something should be said of Zhang Ziyi. What is wrong with you folks making this bitch famous just because she's, what, cute? She does not look all that great or convincing doing martial arts. Apparently, now, everyone with some kind of dance background is all of a sudden a martial arts/action star. $#@*&^*!!!!! Michelle Yoeh and some phenomenal choreography from Yuen Wo Ping that is nothing short of brilliant kind of save this movie from becoming a complete Chinese/Hollywood bastardization of the classics. It is honestly a beautiful and entertaining movie and if you haven't had too much exposure to Asian cinema then I would say it's a four to four and a half star movie. However, if you have already seen most of the movies that this flick bites off then you will get where I'm coming from.
TWENTY MOVIES THAT KICK THE SHIT OUT OF "CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON" IN EITHER MARTIAL ARTS OR OVERALL GRANDEUR: (in no particular order)
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| AGREE? | READER COMMENTS | AUTHOR |
| N | KungfuManiac | |
| N | Yuen Wo ping choreograph this picture- with his abilities & talent he makes any actor look amazing. Did you see the Matrix? wires can be great, & with this picture it did. Just because it is hyped up to Westerners you don't like it tht does not make sense | Rhonda Bale |
| N | Ashley | |
| Y | I think you may have rated this one a little too highly. But I am glad someone is willing to puncture the hype balloon that is Crouching Tiger. This movie seems to have been made to appeal to people who read the New Yorker. Too much wirework also. | MS10197 |
| Y | I agree with everything that has been stated - This will never be a classic in the same way non real fu fans will consider the Matrix and Kill Bill having legendary fu status - I would Have to say Hero was a far Superior movie on every level | kangkane |
| Y | You said everything I would say! So now I don't have to write a review of this movie... just saved me some time buddy, thanks. | JAY LEE |
| Y | It's true, Zhang ZIyi, she's really not that great. I remember when this film came out in theaters I wasn't that impressed, I've been watching kung fu flix my whole life. But this movie open a lot of doors to people who never saw a martial arts pic. | JV47842 |
| Y | P.S. Zhang Ziyi = overrated and not that hot. | Choco |
| N | Gotta' completely, totally disagree here. 99% of kung fu flix have "unoriginal" plots. And I thought the actors pulled off the fu brilliantly, plus added an emotional depth to the characters that frankly is missing from that same 99% of fu flix. | Choco |
One of the best wu xia/kung fu movies ever. And THE BEST ONE among those made in 2000 and after.
Simply one of the greatest martial arts films ever.
This is one of the greatest martial art films of all time.
Very good film, worth keeping, but the same problem with "Hero": not enough fights. The showdown is so weak, I wish they had a better showdown with good fights.
An intimate and stimulating introduction to China's inner beauty and depth as its theatrical US release signified the mark of a new era: the crossover of wuxia into American cinema. Stunning performances from the film's principle stars Chow Yun Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Cheng Pei Pei and Zhang Ziyi channel emotion from its viewers and tap into our humanity, deeming this movie as one of the world's most poetic and spiritual martial arts epics of our generation.
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS: "House Of Flying Daggers", "Hero", and "The Promise"
-The 8th Sword (see my profile)
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| Is there any way to [give this film a negative rating out of 5 stars]? The reason I ask is this movie has done more damage to hong kong cinema than good!!!
Who remembers what hk cinema was like before Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung? Tons of cheap kung fu movies that involved people flying in the air, just like this movie (see where I'm going with this?). I went in to watch this movie expecting a lot, I thought 'finally hk cinema get the praise it deserves'. I came with a sick taste in my mouth, thinking about the likes of Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao and the great Bruce Lee who are the real kung fu stars. They made the kung fu cinema and this film enjoyed the pleasure of destroying their hard work. Not only that, what about the real kung fu stars that are trying to get in to the market they are going to be over looked because of the special effects used. why do people like this tribute to the crap of hk cinema? overall the movie has set back hk cinema 20 years and for what, trying to do things that aren't possible because Jackie Chan has done everthing possible. Sorry for writing a bad review but I felt that this movie was that bad and with all the good reviews it won't hurt. |
| AGREE? | READER COMMENTS | AUTHOR |
| N | I agree with somethings you say about the possibility of special effects laden clone movies, but for entertainment it deserves at least 2 stars for the acting. | Sgt. T |
| I've been a fan of HK cinema for a while now, and CTHD is the best swordplay movie I've seen since Tai Chi Masters.
The disappearance of a magical jade sword spurs a breathtaking quest for the missing treasure. Li is embittered by the loss of his jade sword, and his unrequited pursuit of Yu is further complicated by the mysterious intrusion of an assassin. The identity of the assassin is gradually unveiled as another poignant tale of love begins to ravel with that of Li and Yu against the backdrop of Western China's magnificent landscape. It was odd seeing Chow Yun-Fat in this sort of movie. I'm used to him in straight forward action movies like The Killer or Hard Boiled but he pulls this one off pretty good. He looks just as cool with a sword as he does with a gun. Probably my only beef with this movie is the over use of wire-fu. For those of you who don't know wire-fu has bee used in HK cinema as over exaggerating peoples movement; jumping really high and hitting multiple opponents with kicks. In CTHD, Ang Lee went a little overboard, and in close ups of the characters running on the rooftops you can see the wire. They were night shots and lights reflected off the wire ever so slightly. This movie was well worth the price of admission, and you literally experience a sense of awe watching this movie, especially when the characters are flying through the bamboo. |
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