Fast-paced "Tiger" defies gravity

by Jason Zingale
For The Post

Filled with high-flying action and intense romance, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon introduces martial arts, drama and Mandarin to broad audiences.

The beginning of the story line is a 400-year-old sword, Green Destiny, that warrior Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat) wishes to pass on now that he wants to settle down, presumably with fellow fighter in arms Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh).

Li gives the sword to an old friend, Sir Te (Sihung Lung), but it is soon stolen. This begins a series of twists and turns, as Li and Shu set out to recover the sword. The mysterious thief proves to be a remarkable fighter. In addition, common to martial arts films, comic relief is thrown in with the introduction of Master Bo (Xian Gao) — a Peking guard.

Jade Fox (Pei-pei Cheng), Li's foe, gets involved also, and we're taken on extended flashbacks to learn how the thief became the woman that she is.

Chow and Yeoh are the mature, thoughtful reservoirs of wisdom. Their youthful counterparts are played by Chang Chen, as the desert bandit Dark Cloud, and Zhang Ziyi, as the rebel princess. They act on their ambitions, and are deeply in love, though Zhang is promised to another man by her parents.

Director Ang Lee, best known for such sophisticated fare as Sense and Sensibility, manages to integrate the combat into a meaningful story — an achievement that makes this much more than an action flick. Accompanying Lee for the ride is longtime martial arts choreographer Wo-Ping Yuen, who introduced his knowledge of martial arts in an overwhelming amount of Jackie Chan films, including Drunken Master, as well as 1999's The Matrix.

The couples also have a tiger/dragon relationship. Both are seeking the Tao and the movie ultimately revolves around their epic search, yet this is still far too simple a description. No one in this movie is all tiger: young, brazen and emotional, or all dragon: wise, reserved, but not powerful.

Rather, each character has both. The title draws upon an illustration of situations where nothing is as it seems — where the world is full of hidden heroes and legends.

So, it makes sense that a noble warrior can be afraid to declare his love, that the woman he loves can exhibit a supreme sense of calmness while repressing a passionate yearning, and that a young aristocrat can find the strength to rebel against an arranged marriage and learn the secrets behind her hidden talents.

At its frequent best, most prominent in the concluding half-hour, Crouching Tiger is like a vibrant scroll of calligraphy and Taoism. You can feel physically empowered, yet your spirit is seduced with subtlety. The fight sequences in Crouching Tiger are some of the most beautiful, poetic and exhilarating ever seen, like ballet with weapons.

Crouching Tiger is one of the best martial arts films in a long time, and maybe even the best film of the year. Effortlessly defying problems associated with dialogue and story intensity, Lee manages to mix his prestige in directing romance with the ability to introduce his native filmmaking of the martial arts genre brilliantly.