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Movie Review: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Reviewed By Wesam Nassar
13/01/2001
Spectacular! Produced and directed from across the globe in China by Ang Lee, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a sensational adaptation of the traditional Chinese novel by Wang Du Lu. Produced by Sony Picture Classics, the film fuses unimaginable creativity and art with a touch of movie-making magic. Although not widely distributed, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon has earned the distinction of being one of the best films of the year 2000, providing action-packed drama alongside a remarkable story.
The film is set in China in the early 1800’s – a time in which that magnanimous country was ruled by a dynasty that created a huge economic divide between the aristocrats and the peasants; where fiefdoms and bloodlines dictated ones position in life.
We are introduced to Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh), a Martial Arts expert in her late 30’s who was a student of the Wudan School of Martial Arts along with Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat). The two are masters who have used their skills for many years to fight against injustice.
Li Mu Bai spends some time meditating and contemplating how he can avenge the death of his master by murdering the infamous Jade Fox (Cheng Pei-Pei). However, after years of endless battle, he decides to put down his weapons and live out the rest of his life in peace and tranquility, and he flees from the violent underworld of China to pursue marrying Yu Shu Lien.
After expressing his feelings to her, Li Mu Bai demonstrates his sincerity by giving her his 400 year-old sword, the Green Destiny. Torn between her love for him and her concern that his decision to retire will lead to injustice unchallenged, Yu Shu Lien accepts the sword.
While taking the Green Destiny to the governor’s palace for safekeeping, she comes across a beautiful young princess, Jen (Zhang Ziyi), who is attired in royal garments. The princess, arranged to be married in order to facilitate her father’s political career, is fascinated with Yu Shu Lien’s adventurous life as a Wudan fighter, (a life that has been glorified in childhood stories she has read, and that appears devoid of the etiquette and the countless limits and boundaries that are a part of her life) and the two become close friends.
One night, a ninja breaks into the palace to steal the Green Destiny. As the alarms sound, we experience the originality of this film and how well it exceeds its martial art film contemporaries. The action commences as the ninja blazes through the night, defeating its military foes in a fraction of a second while leaping atop roofs and walls.
When Yu Shu Lien realizes what is going on, she begins pursing the ninja. In an amusing chase and fight sequence, the two battle admirably and Yu Shu Lien recognizes the ninja’s fighting style as Wudan. After almost being captured, the ninja makes a getaway into the dark of night with the Green Destiny.
The news of the missing sword is most disappointing for Li Mu Bai, and both he and Yu Shu Lien begin an investigation into the identity of the ninja. While sitting with Princess Jen, Yu Shu Lien notices distinct similarities between the ninja and the princess, and realizes that Jen is actually Green Destiny’s thief; however, she does not confront her about it in order to save her and her family’s embarrassment.
Yu Shu Lien also does not reveal the secret to Li Mu Bai, who suspects that Jade Fox is the thief. Along with soldiers and guards, Li Mu Bai confronts Jade Fox in a courtyard and begins battling her. Suddenly, the ninja (whom we now know is Princess Jen) appears and intervenes, challenging master Li Mu Bai who, although toying with her, is very much impressed by her skills.
While these two are fighting, Jade Fox fights off the other soldiers, killing one. The two women flee once again into the night – undoubtedly, to meet again.
At this point, the audience is left wondering how the petite princess Jen, who appears unable to harm even a fly, can be a master fighter. We soon find out that Jade Fox, who had stolen the Wudan fighting manual, had then taken Jen as her apprentice while under the disguise of her nurse. Jen’s life of being trapped in a household full of rules and the anticipation of her forced marriage had filled her with unvented aggression. One night as she is lying in her bed, a desert nomad by the name of Lo (Chang Chen) who seems to have been romantically involved with the princess in the past appears in her room.
We find out the identity of Lo as the film shifts, in a flashback sequence, to the princess being transported across the desert in a caravan about to be ambushed by a group of bandits. Lo, one of the bandits who is intriguingly titled “Dark Cloud,” steals a comb from the proud princess. Relentlessly, Jen mounts a horse and proceeds to chase him through the desert in a cinematic scene that puts “American western classic” chase scenes to shame.
The two fight until they both collapse, and then we see them slowly falling in love (this is the part of the movie where your children should go get some popcorn!). They spend weeks together, and then Jen decides to return to the palace, promising to marry Lo in the future after he acquires some form of honor that is acceptable to her upper-class parents.
The film then flashes back to Lo entering her room. Knowing that her arranged marriage is inevitable, Jen tells him to forget about her and their past commitment to each other.
The next day, Jen’s marriage ceremony commences. That night, she decides to flee to the countryside with the Green Destiny. Li Mu Bai and Yu Shu Lien, commissioned to retrieve her, pursue her in the hopes that they can find a way that she won’t have to live forever in an unwanted marriage apart from her true love.
As she roams the countryside – her skill almost invincible coupled with the powerful Green Destiny – Jen leaves a path of destruction along the way. Finally, she is confronted by Yu Shu Lien. The two break off their friendship and commence an amazingly choreographed battle.
The film’s finale conjures up thousands of emotions that leave you wanting the film to continue; nonetheless, it is definitely entertaining and shocking.
When one looks at the social constructs displayed in the film, one cannot help but to have a bittersweet feeling about the whole genera of Asian-American films. There is an overwhelming trend within American film to depict Asians and Asian Americans only in martial art films that contain violence in some shape or form. This trend not only marginalizes the beauty of the Asian culture, but also creates cancerous stereotypes within our society of our Asian and Asian American brothers and sisters.
As a martial arts film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is one of the best I have seen, and I recommend it for everyone. Islamically, however, we must recognize and understand the stereotypical images in the film and others like it, so that we might still leave the theater with an appreciation of Asian culture and knowing that there is much more to this dynamic race of people.
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