This is the second film in my Five Star Month. Unlike "800 Bullets", which I reviewed earlier today, this is a non-English film that found the appreciation it deserved. It was nominated for ten Oscars in 2001, of which it won four. I'm not sure, but this probably made it the most successful foreign language film ever, as far as the Oscars are concerned. The mix of action, drama, romance and beautiful cinematography makes it an all time classic.
The film has been described as "Sense and Sensibility with martial arts". I've never read Jane Austen's novel, but I assume this is meant as a compliment. There are several interlocking plots, but the main emphasis is on the romances between the principal characters. Li Mu Bai (played by Chow Yun Fat) is a warrior who has decided to retire from combat. Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh) loves him, but has never found the courage to voice her feelings. Jen Yu (Ziyi Zhang) is the daughter of the governor of Peking. Her father has arranged her marriage with a suitable rich nobleman, but she would rather live an exciting life as a warrior. While travelling in the desert she is captured by a bandit known as Dark Cloud (Chen Chang). They fall in love before he sets her free.
I've enjoyed Chinese martial arts films for many years, but this was my first encounter with the fighting style mockingly called wire fu (sometimes shortened to wi fu). Instead of realistic fight scenes, such as those in films starring Bruce Lee, the actors' abilities are enhanced by hidden wires. This allows the film characters to defy the laws of physics; for instance, a character can jump and then change direction in mid air. Although wires can be used to enhance fight scenes while retaining realism, in this film no attempt is made to keep things genuine. This gives the fight scenes more of the surreal nature of a fairy tale. I've heard a lot of arguments for and against wire fu, and I myself prefer real fighting, but it does have its place. In this film, for instance, it is very effective.
A few words about the cast. Michelle Yeoh has long been my favourite martial arts actress. I've seen her in so many films that I can't remember where I saw her first. Chow Yun Fat is also an actor I greatly admire. Though he isn't as spectacular a fighter as Jet Li or Donnie Yen, he has an air of nobility that he projects whenever he walks onto the screen. This was the first film in which I saw Ziyi Zhang, but she has since become one of my favourite actresses. The combination of her acting skills and her youthful beauty fascinate me.
I expect many of my readers already know "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". People who would never usually watch Chinese films have seen it on television. It's very accessible, more easy for people to enjoy than hardcore Chinese fighting films such as "Ip Man". If you have never watched any Chinese martial arts films before this is a good place to start.
Click here to view the trailer.
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