Home :: DVD :: Art House & International :: General  

Asian Cinema
British Cinema
European Cinema
General

Latin American Cinema
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

List Price: $14.95
Your Price: $11.21
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 .. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 .. 99 >>

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Over rated for its category
Review: Having grown up in Asia, I have been exposed to this sort of movies at a young age. Therefore, when this movie came on the big screen, I went to see it hoping that it would be of the same calibre as those i was accustomed to. Unfortunately, apart from its big name director and Asian A-List actors, this movie was just mediocre in its genre. However, the special effects are still quite enjoyable on the big screen, but once transfered to DVD, unless you own a screen large enough to see all the flying and martial arts scenes as it was meant to be seen, the whole aspect of the movie is lost.
Perhaps as a movie targeted at Western audiences, it serves its purpose to be rated such high acclaim. But when classified and rated with similar types of movies, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, to me only crouched and hid and did not live up to the potential it could have become.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: crouching tiger, hidden dragon
Review: not a good movie, no plot at all. it's funny that critic's always blast action movies for having no plot, but when an "art house" action flick comes out there is not a word about the BIG holes in the plot.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Crouching...and I stand
Review: THis is a great film about possibilities. ... The story is great, love conquers...blah blah, but there is something I wish I could figure out...why in the [heck] people take good films and make these stunts so outlandish.

Yeah people can run up walls, but the diliberate flying around ...got annoying. I liked the film though. It had excellent director qualities and the actors amaze me everytime I see them!!!

Good job Ang Lee

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Review: Great photography and fine acting in this swordplay fantasy. Lyrical action and wistful romance mark make this a great movie. The DVD has both the original Mandarin soundtrack and an English dub if you don't like to read subtitles.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: DBZ is so Juvenile compared to this.
Review: This movie is good pure and simple. Watch and you'll see what I mean.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Top for its genre, but otherwise, stick with The Matrix
Review: First the good points... the martial art action scenes were impressive, and the romance had a kind of bittersweet edge not found in many Hollywood movies.
But in overall terms I have to agree with those who say it was overrated - I am really not sure why this film won several Academy awards.
To me, if you're going to dispense with reality (all that inexplicable flying left me wondering if Chow Yun Fat was floating amongst cannibis rather than bamboo), you might as well go all the way and produce something as visually spectacular (though nonsensical) as A Man Called Hero. But this film fully achieves neither the fantastical nor the believable; as mystical fantasies go it is half-pie, while preventing the saving grace of suspension of disbelief. The Matrix at least gave a semi-plausible reason for its characters' ability to fly.
If you are into Wu Xia films this may be for you, but the fact this film was not particularly popular in asian countries confirms for me that it was not anything particularly special.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: CAN WE GET ON WITH IT PLEASE?!!!
Review: I am a fanatic for the old martial arts films. Give me special
affects which are off the wall (to an extent). In this movie
how far across the mountain over the trees and thru the woods
does a duel have to go before the action finally takes place?
Don't get me wrong the fighting (when there was some) was
excellent. But this movie dragged on to a point where the wires
hanging from the fighters back to help them cross country finally
became so obvious it became annoying. I mean you know the wires
are there but DAMN! The invisible wires got more of a debut then
the artists themselves!

I personally thought this movie was a waste of time. Yet, I don't
take credit away from the fighters (who were masters) especially
the females. Their skills were outstanding but displayed after
what seemed 20 minute lapses of talking, flying, and flying, and
flying across what seemed the whole universe on yes that damn
"VISIBLE" wire!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Flying Lessons
Review: To Sam Rami and all the fans of the new Spiderman movie. This is what people flying accross buildings are suppose to look like.

Great film - Watch it in Chinese with the english subtitles for the full effect.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A genuine martial arts romance
Review: With this film, Ang Lee and his team have created a masterpiece that deserved every accolade and award it received, and more. It's ideal entertainment that doesn't get old after repeated viewings, and it is the convergence of many genuine talents and career-best accomplishments in one package.

The DVD is also an excellent addition to any film fan's collection. The widescreen image transfer is outstanding, with bright, sharp detail and vivid color, and the 5.1 surround sound is excellent. It's also generously stocked with extra features, including a very nice extended "interview" with Michelle Yeoh.

I liked the commentary track by Ang Lee and screenwriter James Schamus, although they get a bit too cheeky and aimless at times (especially Schamus). I also felt there should have been more discussion of several key scenes, but that's a common weakness of commentary tracks.

The film's credits include Coco Lee's Oscar-nominated song, "A Love Before Time," which can be heard in either Mandarin or English -- a nice touch.

However, the DVD's weakest link is the English dubbing, although on the whole it's well done. At least some of the bad reviews here are from those reacting to the dubbed version. Anyone who chooses to view only the dubbed version is making a mistake.

Why? First, the characters are best heard with their natural voices, which lends credence to each scene. I want to hear Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi, not fill-ins (Chang Chen's English-dubbed voice makes him sound like a used car salesman). Second, some of the dubbed scenes lack the nuances of the original screenplay. For example, the "legend of the young man" lacks continuity in the dubbed version, so that when the legend is referenced again late in the film, this key scene has none of the impact the subtitled version has.

In another scene, when Jen tells Lo to leave her, her mother announces she heard a noise. Jen says in dubbed English, "It's just a bat." But the original line in Mandarin refers to a "cat" (i.e. Tiger), so the careful irony is lost in the dubbing.

But the inevitable faults of dubbing should not harm anyone's enjoyment of this monumental film. "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is truly gorgeous and breathtaking -- it's one of those rare moments where every cinematic element comes together just right. Stick with the subtitles, and I think you'll fall in love with it, too.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Eastern Myth / Fantasy
Review: This is a good intro movie to the Chinese Martial Art movie genre. I highly recommend anyone who has not watch a WuXia ("Martial Art Hero") film to start with this. There are a few others that I also highly recommend. They are Ashes of Time (by Director Wong Kar Wai of "In the mood for love"), Dragon Inn (which has similar action sequence in a desert storm and penned up love affair between the leads) and Bride with White Hair. These are similar to CTHD and are just as great.


<< 1 .. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 .. 99 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates