Romantic martial arts film comes close to perfection

By Jeff Cantwell
Staff Writer

Taking Matrix-type fight scenes and adding them to a romantic period piece set in ancient Imperial China would either result in a mangled mess of kung fu or blend together into a genre-encompassing work of art.

Director Ang Lee ("Sense and Sensibility") combines all these elements and makes an action movie without losing his amazing ability to capture human emotion.

"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" follows master warrior Lee Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat) and his close friend, with whom he shares an unspoken love, Yu Shu Lien, (Michelle Yeoh) as they search for the thief who stole Bai’s 400-year-old sword, Green Destiny.

Graceful, elegant fighting takes the foreground of this epic tale set in Imperial China. The fighters battle with reflexes so fast that they can catch a dart just inches from their faces. But it is when the fighters take to the sky that the mystical element of the story takes over.

The fighters glide from building to building, touching down only to change directions. They fight, bouncing around the tops of thin trees, which bend but never break under the added weight. Master Hong Kong fight coordinator Yuen Wo-Ping ("The Matrix") brings the amazing sword and martial arts battles to life with just enough realism to allow for a suspension of disbelief to permeate the entire film.

Chow Yun-Fat portrays his character with quiet confidence and complete control. In the heat of battle, he stands calm while his opponents shake.

However, the film’s message of feminine equality, lends "Crouching Tiger" to its female leads. Yeoh gives Lien a true sense of compassion equal to her fighting prominence.

Jen (Zhang Ziyi) is a young, rebellious pupil from high society, who is starting to walk down the path of evil. Ziyi shines in her martial arts, acting and beauty, commanding a presence usually reserved for veteran actresses. She easily stands out among the already superb leads of Fat and Yeoh.

It is Lee’s deft touch of human feelings that keeps "Crouching Tiger" moving forward. Bai and Lien stare longingly at each other yet say nothing and Jen yearns to be free from the boundaries prescribed to her status in life.

The film has subtitles. Yet, this does not take away from the pleasure of watching, unless there is someone in the back of the theater who thinks he is the only one who can read.

"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is a romantic martial arts masterpiece. With a beautiful score that accents the fighting and the drama, this film is the closest thing to perfect of this year’s films. It deserves every one of its 10 Academy Award nominations.

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