In any martial arts film, the fight scenes are highly choreographed, like the dance numbers in a Broadway musical. And the fight scenes in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” are so compelling that they are indeed very much like something Bob Fosse might have put together. After the plot advances a step or two, a viewer eagerly anticipates the next fight scene.
And if the fight scenes seem somewhat familiar, that’s because the man responsible for them, Yuen Wo-Ping, also attracted the attention of American audiences with “The Matrix.” He understands that in such a movie function isn’t as important as form. Nor is winning the fight, except in terms of plot development, as important as displaying skillful grace.
In one of the more visually stunning scenes, the protagonists swing back and forth from treetop to treetop while fighting. In retrospect, the audience might assume this was accomplished with computers. Actually, the actors really were 40 feet high, fighting while swinging between bending trees. In production, the wires that held them aloft were removed from the film to give them the appearance of flying or levitating. Equally impressive is that this was accomplished with the actors, not stunt doubles.
Obviously much practice and considerable time went into the making of this film, and the effort and care show in every scene. The fight scenes are meticulously choreographed; the costumes and scenery superbly rendered.
But the fight scenes alone don’t make this film great. Throughout “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” there’s a poetic, almost spiritual, texture. It’s romantic, imaginative and heroic.
The story focuses on Li Mu Bai, who’s played admirably by the veteran actor Chow Yun-fat. A warrior who has sworn to avenge the death of his master, he is in love with Yu Shu Lien, played by Michelle Yeoh. Their love, unstated and unfulfilled, must wait until Li Mu Bai’s mission is complete and they can reclaim his sword, the Green Destiny.
Jen Yu, played by Zhang Ziyi, has stolen the sword, and her master, Jade Fox, has killed Li Mu Bai’s master. After many twists and turns, where honor is held to be an integral part of martial arts, the story finds its culmination, of course, in the fight between Jade Fox and Li.
The plot, as in many, if not all, martial arts movies, strains believability and sometimes lapses into silliness. But Ang Lee knows just how to keep the focus on the human elements, specifically on the love between Li and Yu Shu. Their devotion to each other and the tension between them often overshadow all the swordplay and the highflying kicks, and, in the film’s unforgettable conclusion, their unspoken love leaves the most lasting memory.
“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” takes martial arts movies to a new level, proving that within this genre, a film can be not just exciting or visually stunning but also poetic and romantic. As such, it stands alone and will be an enduring classic.
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