31
96
7
The Butterfly
This review may contain spoilers
"A faithful heart makes wishes come true"
I first watched this film when it was theatrically released in my country years ago. All I had to go on was a friend's recommendation and zero background in the wuxia genre. To say I walked into the nearly empty theater apprehensive would be an understatement. My fears were for naught. In a matter of minutes, I was completely mesmerized by the cinematography, music, and acting. Having watched my share of fantasy and super hero movies, I had no problem with the flying and light body technique as the characters danced across rooftops or fought high in a bamboo forest. The graceful movements and fighting techniques were like nothing I had ever seen. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was the gateway into a new world for me. Little did I know that it would set the bar for all films that followed.
Though this movie was a wuxia, the heart of the film were the two romances. Yu Shu Lien, the owner of a delivery escort service and Li Mu Bai, a warrior trained at Wudan had fought their feelings for years. Their love was unrequited as Lien had been engaged to Li Mu Bai's friend, but he was killed and the two would not act on their feelings. Now they are reunited as Mu Bai brings her his famous sword, The Green Destiny, and asks her to deliver it to their protector. His journey toward self-enlightenment has brought him to her and he wishes to leave the bloodshed behind them. The 400- year-old sword is too much temptation for Jen, a young woman engaged to be married but secretly trained by the devious Jade Fox. The incognito Jade Fox had poisoned Mu Bai's master years before for his refusal to teach her the secrets of Wudan. Lien is aware who stole the sword and works to return it without bringing any dishonor to the families involved. The middle of the film focuses on Jen and her previous love affair with Lo Xiao Hu/Dark Cloud, a charismatic desert bandit, and in the present when she takes the sword a second time to find her way as a wandering warrior. Mu Bai and Lien know she needs someone righteous to train her before she becomes a poisonous dragon. The treacherous Jade Fox has only vengeance on her mind for Jen and Mu Bai. By the end of the film the characters will collide in a deadly conclusion.
On a recent re-watch, I could see all of the classic wuxia elements from the over 200 martial arts movies I have watched since that long ago day in the theater. Ang Lee used those elements but blew them up into a grand epic, showcasing a wide variety of stunning scenery taking the genre where it had not been before. Characters traveled through the mountains, desert, verdant valleys, and lush bamboo forests. The inn and outdoor café sets ubiquitous in so many old kung fu films made their appearance in grand style this time. The busy city streets didn't feel like a small set, but substantial with plenty of extras to add an additional layer of realism. Ang Lee made full use of the sets and scenery to bring about an energetic and beautiful atmosphere for the story to be told in. Unlike so many martial arts movies prior to CTHD the characters in this film were more important than the fighting. He not only succeeded in making a gorgeous framework for the story but also in developing characters we could feel empathy with as they struggled with their deepest feelings. They had depth and emotional weight to them instead of the thinly drawn characters of old. By paying attention to the smallest details and insisting on a quality presentation, Ang Lee set the bar higher for those who would follow him.
Michelle Yeoh was a revelation to me, and I will always be thankful for this film introducing me to her. She had been in the business for over 15 years at this point honing her craft and risking life and limb at times to do so. Though her fighting technique was fearless, quick, and agile, it was her expressive face revealing longing, fierceness, and tenderness that quickly drew me in and made me a life-long fan. Her portrayal of the mature and wise Yu Shu Lien was perfect. Chow Yun Fat as the spiritual warrior Li Mu Bai, showed how he was torn between his love for Lien, his desire for enlightenment, and his need to avenge his teacher. His calm demeanor was in stark contrast to Jen's firebrand personality always teetering on being out of control. Zhang Zi Yi in only her second film held her own with the veteran actors. As Jen she conveyed naivete, passion, and anger fluidly. Chang Chen as the ardent Dark Cloud resonated the wildness of the desert and his fervent love for Jen. Again, there was the contrast of Jen and Lo's fiery passion in comparison to Mu Bai and Lien's controlled, repressed love. Rounding out the stellar cast was Cheng Pei Pei as Jade Fox. I have gone on to watch her earlier movies where she had been the young female warrior who faced insurmountable odds, paving the way for other actresses. I'm so pleased they used her in this movie as the vengeful villain and gave the kung fu veteran a chance to shine.
Lien and Jen both sought freedom in their own way and both were bound by duty. Jen loathed being forced to marry wishing only to be free and Lien greatly desired to be with Mu Bai, but was prevented by a rigid sense of honor. The two couples were the inverse of each other emotionally and would gradually become more like the other whether a crouching tiger, biding its time or a hidden dragon of emotions. Lo and Jen, embodied the recklessness of youth with no regard for tomorrow. Lien and Mu Bai sought to guide them to more thoughtful actions. For restrained Lien and Mu Bai, they had reached the point where they were finally able to break through their control to unleash their feelings and unspoken words. True love trumped spiritual enlightenment as what was important became revealed in one last breath.
The only quibble I have with this magnificent film is with the long flashback interlude showing Jen and Lo's love affair. It was similar to The Taming of the Shrew and feels dated in the telling.
Yuen Woo Ping masterfully matched the fight choreography to the mood of the film. The actors did much of the fighting, check out all the face time during the battles. Instead of CGI, the floating and leaping, even in the bamboo forest-truly a thing of beauty, was accomplished by wire work. The fights were more elegant than brutal and more visually captivating than realistic. Aside from the bamboo forest fight, the fight between Lien and Jen was spellbinding. The experienced Lien used a variety of weapons as she sought to subdue the thief of the Green Destiny in a memorable fight choreography.
After my recent re-watch I found that Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon has stood the test of time. Though I have searched for its equal or better through the years I have yet to find a martial arts film to top this one. Only Hero's stunning aesthetic came close. Compelling characters, wonderfully acted, enchanting cinematography, a haunting score, and balletic fight scenes have made this the measuring stick for all other films. It is rare for a film to touch me deeply emotionally and this one has for over two decades. I need to remember to thank my friend again for encouraging me to visit this world of wonder.
3/31/23
Though this movie was a wuxia, the heart of the film were the two romances. Yu Shu Lien, the owner of a delivery escort service and Li Mu Bai, a warrior trained at Wudan had fought their feelings for years. Their love was unrequited as Lien had been engaged to Li Mu Bai's friend, but he was killed and the two would not act on their feelings. Now they are reunited as Mu Bai brings her his famous sword, The Green Destiny, and asks her to deliver it to their protector. His journey toward self-enlightenment has brought him to her and he wishes to leave the bloodshed behind them. The 400- year-old sword is too much temptation for Jen, a young woman engaged to be married but secretly trained by the devious Jade Fox. The incognito Jade Fox had poisoned Mu Bai's master years before for his refusal to teach her the secrets of Wudan. Lien is aware who stole the sword and works to return it without bringing any dishonor to the families involved. The middle of the film focuses on Jen and her previous love affair with Lo Xiao Hu/Dark Cloud, a charismatic desert bandit, and in the present when she takes the sword a second time to find her way as a wandering warrior. Mu Bai and Lien know she needs someone righteous to train her before she becomes a poisonous dragon. The treacherous Jade Fox has only vengeance on her mind for Jen and Mu Bai. By the end of the film the characters will collide in a deadly conclusion.
On a recent re-watch, I could see all of the classic wuxia elements from the over 200 martial arts movies I have watched since that long ago day in the theater. Ang Lee used those elements but blew them up into a grand epic, showcasing a wide variety of stunning scenery taking the genre where it had not been before. Characters traveled through the mountains, desert, verdant valleys, and lush bamboo forests. The inn and outdoor café sets ubiquitous in so many old kung fu films made their appearance in grand style this time. The busy city streets didn't feel like a small set, but substantial with plenty of extras to add an additional layer of realism. Ang Lee made full use of the sets and scenery to bring about an energetic and beautiful atmosphere for the story to be told in. Unlike so many martial arts movies prior to CTHD the characters in this film were more important than the fighting. He not only succeeded in making a gorgeous framework for the story but also in developing characters we could feel empathy with as they struggled with their deepest feelings. They had depth and emotional weight to them instead of the thinly drawn characters of old. By paying attention to the smallest details and insisting on a quality presentation, Ang Lee set the bar higher for those who would follow him.
Michelle Yeoh was a revelation to me, and I will always be thankful for this film introducing me to her. She had been in the business for over 15 years at this point honing her craft and risking life and limb at times to do so. Though her fighting technique was fearless, quick, and agile, it was her expressive face revealing longing, fierceness, and tenderness that quickly drew me in and made me a life-long fan. Her portrayal of the mature and wise Yu Shu Lien was perfect. Chow Yun Fat as the spiritual warrior Li Mu Bai, showed how he was torn between his love for Lien, his desire for enlightenment, and his need to avenge his teacher. His calm demeanor was in stark contrast to Jen's firebrand personality always teetering on being out of control. Zhang Zi Yi in only her second film held her own with the veteran actors. As Jen she conveyed naivete, passion, and anger fluidly. Chang Chen as the ardent Dark Cloud resonated the wildness of the desert and his fervent love for Jen. Again, there was the contrast of Jen and Lo's fiery passion in comparison to Mu Bai and Lien's controlled, repressed love. Rounding out the stellar cast was Cheng Pei Pei as Jade Fox. I have gone on to watch her earlier movies where she had been the young female warrior who faced insurmountable odds, paving the way for other actresses. I'm so pleased they used her in this movie as the vengeful villain and gave the kung fu veteran a chance to shine.
Lien and Jen both sought freedom in their own way and both were bound by duty. Jen loathed being forced to marry wishing only to be free and Lien greatly desired to be with Mu Bai, but was prevented by a rigid sense of honor. The two couples were the inverse of each other emotionally and would gradually become more like the other whether a crouching tiger, biding its time or a hidden dragon of emotions. Lo and Jen, embodied the recklessness of youth with no regard for tomorrow. Lien and Mu Bai sought to guide them to more thoughtful actions. For restrained Lien and Mu Bai, they had reached the point where they were finally able to break through their control to unleash their feelings and unspoken words. True love trumped spiritual enlightenment as what was important became revealed in one last breath.
The only quibble I have with this magnificent film is with the long flashback interlude showing Jen and Lo's love affair. It was similar to The Taming of the Shrew and feels dated in the telling.
Yuen Woo Ping masterfully matched the fight choreography to the mood of the film. The actors did much of the fighting, check out all the face time during the battles. Instead of CGI, the floating and leaping, even in the bamboo forest-truly a thing of beauty, was accomplished by wire work. The fights were more elegant than brutal and more visually captivating than realistic. Aside from the bamboo forest fight, the fight between Lien and Jen was spellbinding. The experienced Lien used a variety of weapons as she sought to subdue the thief of the Green Destiny in a memorable fight choreography.
After my recent re-watch I found that Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon has stood the test of time. Though I have searched for its equal or better through the years I have yet to find a martial arts film to top this one. Only Hero's stunning aesthetic came close. Compelling characters, wonderfully acted, enchanting cinematography, a haunting score, and balletic fight scenes have made this the measuring stick for all other films. It is rare for a film to touch me deeply emotionally and this one has for over two decades. I need to remember to thank my friend again for encouraging me to visit this world of wonder.
3/31/23
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