CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON

This is a retro-post. I put this online 24 December 2005 using the date it was originally sent out.

This isn't the type of film I normally see. But it looked interesting to me, and it's getting press as one of the best films of the year.

It finally opened in Miami this weekend in limited release: all of 6 theatres. So, I went and saw it in Broward County.

Overall the film is visually incredible. Choreography and such are beyond compare. The plot is simple and easy to follow. The characterizations are interesting (though I had trouble telling two of the lead ladies apart and I kept getting confused who was who).

The film is entirely in Mandarin Chinese as such the film is subtitled and I found that to be its biggest distraction because I had to read it all to follow: the film isn't able to stand by just watching it. Translation is essential. While I despise dubbed films, it might have been better in this case.

Still an excellent film.


-- Eric