Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

A picture worth a million words

             Chow Yun Fat     Michelle Yeoh

Chang Chen                     Zhang Ziyi

Lots of things can steal someone's heart, but a movie? Yes!

This story is a cleverly disguised and unassuming masterpiece. Some masterpieces proclaim themselves to be masterpieces in advance.  Others are trumpeted as works of art driven by pure genius. This movie, through its well developed and carefully crafted story, emerges from being a captivating plot into being a shining example of the fact that there is so much more than the standard Hollywood fare. 

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is the perfect example of the story which has captured more than just my passing fancy. It's not difficult to become immersed in this story. I first saw this movie at a locally owned theater which also happened to be the only place that was showing the movie at the time. It was on my 'to do list,' and a friend of mine who enjoys artsy films encouraged me to see it, instead of one of the standard fare action movies I wanted her to see. I got the impression that the entire city of Colorado Springs was in line. And, if my assumption was true, the entire city was soon to receive a treat. The movie showing actually had to be delayed because the line was so long! Without going into too many details, I got to watch a story that seemed to have more in common with a butterfly's life cycle than the action film that the previews and trailers imply. But, as anyone who has seen this movie already knows, that butterfly certainly stung like a bee, courtesy of the incredible fight scenes.

The dialogue is Chinese (Mandarin), but there are English subtitles.  While Crouching Tiger would work fine without subtitles...it is so much more pleasing to experience the tale in it's natural language. Add that to the incredible scenery, cinematic treatment, and intertwining themes, and you have a movie whose imagery alone is enough to make the experience more compelling than anything from recent memory. This movie brings both halves of the brain together to experience a rare sensory treat at the cinematic level. It's like reading a favorite book but with all the visual cues.

From the moment the mysterious ninja figure stops to take on Bo, instead of fleeing with the sword, I knew this movie was going to be great. She stands there and just says, "Hmph," with all the arrogant defiance that comes with pure confidence in one's abilities.

My favorite scene in this movie takes place in the tavern, where Jen is a bit intoxicated with what she perceives to be her own invincibility, courtesy of the Green Destiny Sword that she has a habit of removing from its rightful owners. She's literally run off on her wedding day and decides to explore the underground world at the expense of some of its members. She first encounters a couple of self proclaimed toughs while she's in an early 19th century version of  an outdoor diner. She claims that Li Mu Bai is her defeated foe. The curious gangsters  follow her to a local tavern "to learn more," and they end up being the victims of a mad-girl who just previously, decided to skip her  arranged wedding. One of these characters introduces himself and just happens to have the surname Gou. His mistake. While decimating the local thuggery, and the tavern itself, she proclaims herself to be the 'invincible sword goddess,' proceeds to taunt them with her somewhat self-delusional conquests, mentions that her future husband'fs surname makes her want to puke and concludes by threatening to kick down a local mountain landmark!  (YEAH!!!) I loved when, at the end, she did that victory dance, pirouetted and struck the pose with the Green Destiny and the staircase collapsed. The lesson here was...never start a fight with a cute girl in a tavern, especially if she's carrying around the Green Destiny Sword. And if you do, and she's in the process of kicking your (and all your friends') butts, never ask her who she is. It is here that the "princess with an appetite for destruction" rips a chunk of flesh from that destructive feast.  

Of course, the 'bad boys,' end up whining to the two law enforcement officials in a scene that goes something like this: "Well, um...we kind of started it, but she didn't have to get so rough on us."

Overall, the film handles several themes, a few of them that would be slightly cliché except for the fact that Ang Lee and his exceptional cast made them timeless themes. We're used to seeing these themes, but here, they've been made all the more appreciable by how they're handled. Interwoven themes, intriguing characters with soul-searching missions and incredible action that I've never seen anywhere until viewing this film all come together to make Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon a movie that I hope will set a new standard for filmmakers, especially those who seek to tell a real story with the entertainment and special effects as supporting cast members instead of in leading roles. I'm always impressed when an artist succeeds in reaching more than our aesthetic sensibilities. The fight scene choreographies were fluidic and classy. Seeing the actors actually perform these tireless scenes also impressed me. 

Like people, some movies work hard to be geniuses. Some are just born that way. Crouching Tiger is a natural. If you love action, suspending your beliefs, characters you can empathize with, romance and mystery -- or if you've always dreamed of another life or era -- this movie is for you. 

I've always been interested in lore from the Far East...imagine a story that was revised to its current version in the 1300s. That's the story of Mulan, originally created around 300AD. "Crouching Tiger" took place in the Q'ing Dynasty, probably around the late 1700s. So, in terms of time, CTHD and "The Patriot" were parallel stories, hemispheres apart. 

This movie rekindled and intensified my interest in the Far East. It's also made me a lot less interested in the standard Hollywood fare...special effects and all! 

Favorite Quotes. 

*They sound much better in Mandarin!

"...if not, she'll be a poisoned dragon."

"Southern Duck? I don't eat anything with two legs." *

"What kind of Iron arm are you?" *

"Gou? I hate that name. It makes me puke. Too bad your name is Gou. You'll be the first to feel my sword today." *

"A monk in a place like this? You need a lesson!" *

"...Today, I fly over Eu-Mei...tomorrow, I'll kick over Wudan Mountain." *

"I'm just playing around."  *

"You don't want to be my friend? How long could you last as my enemy?" *

"I could use it to pick fleas from my horse."

• Whenever the critics take a break from praising Crouching Tiger, they usually mention that it was tailored for a western audience. The movie may have been tailored for westerners (I wouldn't know), but no more than Hondas destined for the USA were tailored for driving in the U.S. vs. driving in Japan.
• I really enjoyed the period setting. At first I thought the time took place in the 1500's, later realized it was only in the early 1800's. An incredible peek into China's mystical mythical past. Ang Lee brought the audience into the movie instead of brining the movie to the audience. That incredible scene of the Forbidden City and the accompanying soundtrack says it all.
• The plot is fairly simple and not over embellished. Therein lies the beauty. The body language reinforced the plot. I liked when Jen aka Ninja girl decided to play around with the guard when she first stole the Green Destiny. When Jen cuts in to save Jade Fox and in a brief but intense moment, glares down Li Mu Bai...wow!
• The fight scenes were intense but not gore or brutality focused. The characters' fighting styles were another way of describing that character's personality.
• Zhang Ziyi steals the show, especially when her character is being bad. Her eyes really tell her side of the story. She's an incredibly talented actress, and it seems her role as Jen will be definitive for a while. I hope she gets more exposure in movies that showcase her talents --and brings Western audiences into her realm. Many foreign actors/actresses try to break in to Hollywood and end up losing something in the process. Independent films are the way for these guys and gal to go. Rush Hour 2 is an exception -- but anyone seeing this first and then seeing CTHD won't believe they're the same person.
• I think this movie raises the bar so high that any worthy successor will never quite out-do it in the critics' minds.
• DON'T WATCH THE DUBBED VERSION. These actors worked hard to learn the single dialect...and their efforts alone make the movie work. So many 'newcomers' to this movie have seen the dubbed version and can't figure out what the big deal was. It's not a movie...it's a story with moving pictures. The story didn't have English speaking people.
• It would be cool to see Michelle Kwan play Jen Yu in one of her skating performances. That scene would include taking out an entire hockey team -- with hockey sticks.
• If your girlfriend likes dressing up like a ninja, playing hopscotch on rooftops and picking fights with gangsters, don't try to steal her comb.

review by mlaiii for flythecoupe.tripod.com

background artwork and my first viewing of CTHD courtesy of TAA DIXON

insert by me