This is one of my most favourite movies . When i watched it for the first time i was spellbound by the 'magic' it created . I shall try to explain what are the main points which made this film so special to me .
First and foremost it is the 'martial arts ' . I love to watch martial arts films , and this film just excels in this category . The fight sequences are shown in such great clarity that one can feel the effect of each and every move by the characters . Here the credit goes to the 'action-choreographer ' ( and definitely to the director and the actors ) .
The next is the mythical storyline of this film . It is set in 18th century china . The film brings with it a charm and flavour of 'ancient world ' . This whole setting has worked as a magic for me .
Now about the actors -- MITCHAEL YEOH is my favourite , and i also like CHOW YUN-FAT . They have given excellent performance . An the other two important actors -- ZYANG ZIYI and CHANG CHEN -- they also have done great job . I came to know their names only after watching this movie , such was the impact of this film on me .
If we talk about the plot , we can find that it merges the drama genre with the action genre . In this nice combination , at first one gets involved in the drama part of the story , then gradually the shift towards the action part takes place . As we experience all the emotions and situations faced by the characters , we start comprehending the whole story and its hidden symbolisms . Though it is a nice story but it operates in many levels ( inclusion of themes like POISON , POSITION OF WOMAN IN SOCIETY , GOOD VERSUS EVIL FIGHT and so on ) . Overall i loved the story and its various implications .
The name of the film emphasises the fact that it is a search for the true identity of the characters itself . Nearly all of them goes through major changes in the course of the movie . In this way it signifies the title-- Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon ( which is Chinese proverb :meaning -- 'talented /dangerous people hidden from view') .
This is indeed a great film in all respects -- be it story , acting , direction , stunts (special mention to the fight sequence performed on the trees at the end of the movie--EXCELLENT ! ) , music , costume , and so on . It is always there in the list of my best-loved movies .
With best wishes
Dpriya
