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Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000) Certificate 12

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

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Rated 3.5 stars
Average rating
(70%)
 
Starring: Chow Yun-Fat | Michelle Yeoh | Zhang Ziyi | Chang Chen | Sihung Lung | Cheng Pei-Pei | Fazeng Li | Xian Gao
Director: Ang Lee
Studio: COLUMBIA TRI-STAR HOME VIDEO
Run time: 115 mins
Collections: 100 Feisty Females | 100 must-see movies
Genres: Action/Adventure | World Cinema
Languages: Mandarin
Dubbed: English
Subtitles: English, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Hindi, Hebrew, Bulgarian, Greek, Arabic, Portuguese
Released: June 18, 2001
Also available on: Also Available on: blu_ray

Known for making films about familial relationships, director Ang Lee surprised everyone with his martial arts epic CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON. Based on a novel by Wang Du Lu, CROUCHING TIGER starts with the revenge plot common in the wuxia stories that Lee loved as a child, then adds a feminist twist. Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun Fat) is a legendary martial artist who has decided to pass on his sword, the Green Destiny, to a friend. Soon afterward, the sword is stolen by a masked female, setting in motion events that test the bonds of family, love, duty, and sisterhood. Chow appears with three generations of female stars: Cheng Pei Pei, a 1960s action heroine; Michelle Yeoh, the beauty queen turned 1980s action goddess; and newcomer Zhang Ziyi, who smolders as the princess who wants more than domestic tranquillity. Famed action choreographer Yuen Woo-Ping (THE MATRIX) stages jaw-dropping zero-G fights across rooftops, rivers, and bamboo trees, while Yo-Yo Ma punctuates the fisticuffs with dramatic cello solos. Described by Lee as "SENSE AND SENSIBILITY with martial arts," CROUCHING TIGER recalls the best wuxia films of the 1960s and pushes the genre in new directions.

Screenshots

Rating of 5 stars out of 5
Radio Times

Based on the novel by Wang Du Lu and exhibiting cinematic influences ranging from John Ford and Akira Kurosawa to The Matrix, this handsome period action romance from director Ang Lee put the art back into martial arts. Those familiar with the works of King Hu and Tsui Hark will revel in the unhurried way he reworks the conventions of the genre to explore the perennial themes of love and loyalty, duty and sacrifice. But Lee also combines brilliant stunt work with special effects to create such memorable sequences as the rooftop pursuit and the treetop battle. Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh excel as the warriors seeking the stolen sword of Green Destiny, but the most electrifying performance is Zhang Ziyi's teenage thief.

Rating of 2 stars out of 5
Halliwell's Film Guide

Following in the footsteps of King Hu and Tsai Hark, Lee's stylish fantasy of doomed love revives a familiar genre of flying swordsmen: it excels in the exuberant, airborne fight sequences, but its contrasting romances are both unsatisfactory, particularl

Highest rated reviews

30 out of 46 people found the following review helpful:

Rated 3 stars
Ma ma, ho ho

Waterboy from from Hertfordshire, 11th April, 2007

I have to agree with my Chinese friend's opinions about this film; it is only so so (ma ma, ho ho; part horse/part pig); horses can gallop, but pigs can't fly. Despite an excellent cast and some stunning scenery, at less than two hours this still felt like a long film. The fights seemed to go on forever and the wire work was bad. This film was not a success in Asia, they had seen it all done better before. Praised by Western critics and viewers, this is a crossover film that works for some and not for others. It took me three times to get to the end without falling asleep. As with Zhang Ziyi, this is a western success that is not well regarded in Asia. If you think a cross between a pig and a horse would be a good thing rent this.

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18 out of 19 people found the following review helpful:

Rated 5 stars
Fantastic

Jon Smith from Bedford, England, 3rd September, 2003

A fine movie, re-awakening western interest in Chinese cinema. It has been sad to watch the great stars of Chinese / HK / Taiwanese cinema 'graduate' to the dizzy heights of Hollywood with some pretty lame movies (Anna and the King -Chow Yun Fat/ Romeo Must Die and Lethal Weapon 4 - Jet Li/ Mission Impossible 2 -John Woo etc.) when all their best stuff was made in their native countries. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon proves that you don't need the largest of budgets or an American influence to produce what is a masterful piece of cinema. Michelle Yeoh returns to the martial artistry she so masterfully demonstrated in Wing Chun and age, in my opinion, has smiled kindly on her. Chow Yun Fat puts on a performance not seen since God of Gamblers and Hard Boiled, powerful stares, poetic script, utterly captivating. If you're a fan of Asian cinema then this is a classic to add to your collection. If you're new to the genre then it's a great starting block, incorporating all the best themes, music and styles headed by two of the most revered and respected Hong Kong Actors. If you liked this, you might want to rent/buy - Once Upon a Time in China; Legend of the Fist; Moon Warriors and A Chinese Ghost Story.

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17 out of 21 people found the following review helpful:

Rated 5 stars
The best film of the year 2000

JohnRead from Hampshire, 26th October, 2003

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was the best film of the year 2000 and won four Oscars and four BAFTAs. Directed by Ang Lee, this film has three lead female characters - Yu Shu Lien played by Michelle Yeoh, Jen Yu played by Zhang ZiYi and Jade Fox played by Cheng Pei Pei, as well as the world famous Chow Yun-Fat as Li Mu Bai.

Crouching Tiger contains amazing Kung Fu and sword fights involving the four main characters and many fights involving sub characters as well. These fights were choreographed by the world's best martial arts choreographer Yuen Wo Ping. Yuen Wo Ping is also responsible for choreographing the fights in such movies as the Matrix and Fist of Legend.

Crouching Tiger is based in the Kung Fu world of ancient China, warriors trained in Wudan are able to fly and float in the air leading to walking on water, fights in the tree tops and chases up walls and over roof tops. The film contains everything Good vs. Evil, Love, hate, envy, jealously, revenge, adventure, fantasy, masters and their students, all based in different beautiful areas of China.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is an absolutely brilliant film and in my opinion it is best to listen to the Mandarin soundtrack with English subtitles rather than listening to dubbed track. I gave Crouching Tiger 10/10.

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24 out of 42 people found the following review helpful:

Rated 1 stars
Yawwwwwnnnnn

cliftonhill from Lanarkshire, 19th February, 2005

After the hype I just had to see this film and have never been so disappointed with a movie before.

It's so slow and folk float about as if their on the moon when they jump. Boring, boring and boring!

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Most recent reviews

Rated 2 stars
Second time round, disappointing.

A Customer from Edinburgh, 26th May, 2009

I remember seeing this before, but sadly, it seemed to be not as good the second time around. Perhaps we're too accustomed to seeing the wire tricks that they used for the fight scenes in the Matrix, and that's spoilt it for this film. Here, the fantastic jumps they do are passed off as 'flying' as part of the martial art in question, but it just looks like they are obviously doing wire stunts. It looks silly, a bit like ballet in the air. The story is quite good, though, and quite tragic, which is why it is nonetheless still a good film, and still worth seeing, even if the fight scenes are rather comical now.

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Rated 5 stars
Wonderful

A Customer from London, 26th April, 2009

Loved it. Wonderful story, beautiful music and it feels like they are dancing in the air..

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Rated 5 stars
Crouching Tiger........

Timmyturtle from , 11th April, 2009

A genuine masterpeice from Ang Lee.

Superb acting, story and graceful effects. It's essentially a story about unrequited love and is one of my favourite films.

Highly recommended but must be watched in Mandarin with subtitles.

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Rated 4 stars
Nice and funny

Maahid from from London, 9th April, 2009

Just as good as i expected. loved it.

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