This movie, to say the least, is awesome. To say more, however, is a feat in itself,
because this film defies words and description.
It's a martial-arts epic, based on a book, and imported from China. It's a subtitled
masterpiece starring Chow Yun Fat, Michelle Yeoh, and Zhang Ziyi. It's a beautifully
filmed, stunningly shot, amazingly choreographed work. It's a piece of wonder that's
truly impossible to define, and is without a doubt the best movie I've seen the entire
year of 2000 (a year of exquisitely average to shitty movies).
The plot is one involving love, adventure, danger, and martial-arts mysticism, not to
mention revenge. Chow Yun Fat plays a heroic martial-artist who is finally considering
retiring, because there has been so much bloodshed already, and he is tired of it.
Michelle Yeoh plays his love-interest, a weapons master, who is secretly welcoming his
retirement (for reasons left best to the film to explain, the two are very cautious
about expressing their love for eachother). He gives her a sword, a mystical and legendary
blade, to give to a mutual friend in another city (sorry, all, it's been a coupla weeks
since I saw this movie). While here she meets a young princess by the name of Jen (played
by Zhang Ziyi), who wishes she lived the adventerous life of a martial-artist.
And then the sword is stolen.
There's too much going on in this movie for me to really explain properly, so I'll avoid
all of that awkwardness and give it to you straight: The story to this movie is amazing.
There's a plot involving avenging a former master, a plot involving a stolen sword, one
involving Jen's past and the love she found, and a plot involving showing a wayward student
the way of honour in the martial-arts world. This may not sound like much, but between
the fabulous acting, the stunning cinematography, the beautiful writing, and the graceful
fights, there's more than enough here to give this movie substance.
And then we've got the fights. Wow. That's all I can say. Graceful times ten. The stunts
in this movie utilize wires, making the actors literally fly through the air and over roof-
tops, but unlike most other movies that use wires, these don't give it any kind of cheese
factor. Rather, it aides the fight sequences. All you have to do is suspend your disbelief
and then watch with amazement. Believe for two hours that mysticism is real, and then you'll
see what I mean. The fights are amazing, quick, graceful, and I'll be damned if we ever get
anything this fabulous in a North American martial-arts movie. And let's not forget the
sword-fights. I've been waiting for fights like these for frikin' years! DAMN! They left
me sitting in my seat with my jaw slack and my brain trying to figure out whether it should
just short-circuit or let me stand up and applaud while shouting "YEAH! NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M
TALKIN' ABOUT!" End result? The best damn fights I've witnessed.
So, what do I have to say about this movie? If I had to sum it up for everybody, what exactly
would I say? Easy enough to answer. I'd say that it's got an excellent, sweeping story, some
great acting, amazing fight sequences, great music, beautiful cinematography, and it's subtitled
to boot. It's a beautiful, stunning piece of film-making, and I highly recommend it. Five stars
all the way, for damn sure. With that said and done, go and watch it. You won't be disappointed.