Ziyi Zhang Movie:

Editorial Review:
Hong Kong wuxia films, or martial arts fantasies, traditionally squeeze poor acting, slapstick humor, and silly story lines between elaborate fight scenes in which characters can literally fly. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon has no shortage of breathtaking battles, but it also has the dramatic soul of a Greek tragedy and the sweep of an epic romance. This is the work of director Ang Lee, who fell in love with movies while watching wuxia films as a youngster and made Crouching Tiger as a tribute to the form. To elevate the genre above its B-movie roots and broaden its appeal, Lee did two important things. First, he assembled an all-star lineup of talent, joining the famous Asian actors Chow Yun-fat and Michelle Yeoh with the striking, charismatic newcomer Zhang Ziyi. Behind the scenes, Lee called upon cinematographer Peter Pau (The Killer, The Bride with White Hair) and legendary fight choreographer Yuen Wo-ping, best known outside Asia for his work on The Matrix. Second, in adapting the story from a Chinese pulp-fiction novel written by Wang Du Lu, Lee focused not on the pursuit of a legendary sword known as "The Green Destiny," but instead on the struggles of his female leads against social obligation. In his hands, the requisite fight scenes become another means of expressing the individual spirits of his characters and their conflicts with society and each other.

The filming required an immense effort from all involved. Chow and Yeoh had to learn to speak Mandarin, which Lee insisted on using instead of Cantonese to achieve a more classic, lyrical feel. The astonishing battles between Jen (Zhang) and Yu Shu Lien (Yeoh) on the rooftops and Jen and Li Mu Bai (Chow) atop the branches of bamboo trees required weeks of excruciating wire and harness work (which in turn required meticulous "digital wire removal"). But the result is a seamless blend of action, romance, and social commentary in a populist film that, like its young star Zhang, soars with balletic grace and dignity. --Eugene Wei

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon [Blu-ray] Reviews:
Yurt Night Entertainment
2009-09-13 - I hosted four middle school students for a night in a Mongolian style yurt that we built last spring. This movie was a big part of our evening's entertainment. The kids loved the movie. . . that is the parts they could truly hear. The colors are very dark through many sequences of the film, and the sound is low. But the movement is beautiful, and for the most part, it kept students entertained. It is a bit long, and the plot has a number of complex layers. For perhaps anyone who is less familiar with Asian culture, I would recommend it for ages 16+.


crouching tiger, hidden dragon
2009-07-11 - a beautiful show piece of quality from China: scenery, music, acting, martial arts, and aerial movements. hongkong movie makers have much to learn from China's movie makers.

Crouching Tiger, Little Dragon
2009-06-04 - An excellent movie well grounded in chinese philosophy and mythology. It brings an interesting twist to the star crossed lovers theme of the Wu Xia genre.

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon does not need stars...
2009-03-20 - In fact I saw this movie several times. It won 8 oscars. So no stars from me needed. I bought the DVD because I give Chinese lessons and the chinese spoken in the movie is clear, evident and helpfull for the students (who by the way, also love the kongfu "ballet".)
Thats about it.
Prof. Dr Joeri van den Bergh, PhD, Netherlands

A martial arts movie filmed with great visual brio...
2009-02-12 - Chinese martial arts films had found a market in the West during the Kung Fu boom initiated by Bruce Lee in the early 1970s... But "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" represents a new departure, an attempt to produce a sophisticated, big-budget Chinese film that would appeal both to mainstream Western audiences and to audiences in the Far East... Through their quest to find the stolen sword of Green Destiny, warriors Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh) and Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat) explore themes of love, loyalty and sacrifice...

Ang Lee was an astute choice as director... The location shooting was on the Chinese mainland and the actors came from Malaysia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, as well as China... Instead of the Shaolin school of martial arts favored by Bruce Lee, Ang Lee opted for the more spiritual form of Wudan; brute force is replace by scenes of balletic grace as opponents climb up walls or flit through tree-tops...

The widespread success of the film is a firm indication that Chinese culture is making its mark...