FamilyFans Movies
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CROUCHING
TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON
Plot Summary
: An epic, romantic drama that revolves around the stolen sword of a great warrior.Reason for the Rating
: Martial arts violence and some sexuality.In
CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, Chow Yun-Fat plays great warrior, Li Mu Bai, a man who desires the end of fighting and wants nothing more than to hang-up his sword. Li Mu Bai casts a great presence on the screen, but the real stars of this film are the two female characters: Yu Shu Lien (portrayed by Michelle Yeoh) who is Li’s close friend, and Yu Jen (played by Zhang Ziyi). In a movie known for its martial arts, these two ladies make the fight scenes dance!Directed by Ang Lee, CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON is a movie genre familiar in Chinese movie making called Wuxia. It uses fantasy to show warriors with great martial arts skills, superhuman power, and even the ability to defy gravity. The fight scenes are similar to the Matrix and are in fact choreographed by Yuen Woo Ping who was choreographer for the Matrix. And, yes, the movie was filmed in a Mandarin dialect so unless you happened to have picked that language up in your travels, you will have to read subtitles for the text—but it’s worth it.
The
script follows a love story primarily. It deals with love lost between Li Mu Bai
and Yu Shu Lien, love found by Yu Jen, and the always-important cinematic
technique of good vs. evil. Yu Jen is an aristocrat’s daughter waiting to be
married—and the "hidden dragon" of the title. She steals the sword
of the great warrior Li Mu Bai. Despite this Li wants to help her harness her
martial arts powers for good, and the rest is oriental moviemaking at its best.
CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON has something for everyone. Teenage guys (and their dads) will love the incredible fight scenes. Teenage girls (and their moms) will love the romantic story line. And everyone should enjoy the beautiful cinematography.
FamilyFans.com Recommends
: Take your teenagers to see this one as a family outing.After the Show…
If members of your family choose to view this movie, use these questions to spark discussion about it afterward:-- Why do you suppose that Li Mu Bai never pursued his obvious love for Yu Shu Lien?
-- Do you think Yu Jen do enough to redeem herself after she caused so much trouble? Explain your answer.
-- Did the movie-making technology in this film overshadow the plot? Why or why not?
Chris Perciante
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