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Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Original title: Wo hu cang long
  • 20002000
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 2h
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
266K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,042
359
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Chang Chen, and Ziyi Zhang in Wo hu cang long (2000)
Trailer for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Play trailer2:04
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Action
  • Adventure
  • Drama
A young Chinese warrior steals a sword from a famed swordsman and then escapes into a world of romantic adventure with a mysterious man in the frontier of the nation.A young Chinese warrior steals a sword from a famed swordsman and then escapes into a world of romantic adventure with a mysterious man in the frontier of the nation.A young Chinese warrior steals a sword from a famed swordsman and then escapes into a world of romantic adventure with a mysterious man in the frontier of the nation.
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
266K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,042
359
  • Director
    • Ang Lee
  • Writers
    • Hui-Ling Wang(screenplay by)
    • James Schamus(screenplay by)
    • Kuo Jung Tsai(screenplay by)
  • Stars
    • Chow Yun-Fat
    • Michelle Yeoh
    • Ziyi Zhang
Top credits
  • Director
    • Ang Lee
  • Writers
    • Hui-Ling Wang(screenplay by)
    • James Schamus(screenplay by)
    • Kuo Jung Tsai(screenplay by)
  • Stars
    • Chow Yun-Fat
    • Michelle Yeoh
    • Ziyi Zhang
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1.7KUser reviews
    • 282Critic reviews
    • 94Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 4 Oscars
      • 102 wins & 134 nominations total

    Videos1

    Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
    Trailer 2:04
    Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

    Photos777

    Ziyi Zhang in Wo hu cang long (2000)
    Michelle Yeoh and Ziyi Zhang in Wo hu cang long (2000)
    Chow Yun-Fat and Ziyi Zhang in Wo hu cang long (2000)
    Ziyi Zhang in Wo hu cang long (2000)
    Michelle Yeoh in Wo hu cang long (2000)
    Ziyi Zhang in Wo hu cang long (2000)
    Ziyi Zhang in Wo hu cang long (2000)
    Chang Chen and Ziyi Zhang in Wo hu cang long (2000)
    Wo hu cang long (2000)
    Chang Chen and Ziyi Zhang in Wo hu cang long (2000)
    Ziyi Zhang in Wo hu cang long (2000)
    Ziyi Zhang in Wo hu cang long (2000)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Chow Yun-Fat
    Chow Yun-Fat
    • Master Li Mu Baias Master Li Mu Bai
    Michelle Yeoh
    Michelle Yeoh
    • Yu Shu Lienas Yu Shu Lien
    Ziyi Zhang
    Ziyi Zhang
    • Jenas Jen
    Chang Chen
    Chang Chen
    • Loas Lo
    Sihung Lung
    Sihung Lung
    • Sir Teas Sir Te
    Pei-Pei Cheng
    Pei-Pei Cheng
    • Jade Foxas Jade Fox
    • (as Cheng Pei-Pei)
    Fazeng Li
    • Governor Yuas Governor Yu
    Xian Gao
    • Boas Bo
    Yan Hai
    • Madame Yuas Madame Yu
    Deming Wang
    • Tsaias Tsai
    • (as Wang De Ming)
    Li Li
    Li Li
    • Mayas May
    • (as Li Li)
    Suying Huang
    Suying Huang
    • Auntie Wuas Auntie Wu
    • (as Huang Su Ying)
    Jinting Zhang
    • De Luas De Lu
    • (as Zhang Jin Ting)
    Rui Yang
    • Maidas Maid
    Kai Li
    • Gou Jun Peias Gou Jun Pei
    Jianhua Feng
    • Gou Jun Sinungas Gou Jun Sinung
    • (as Feng Jian Hua)
    Zhenxi Du
    • Shop Owneras Shop Owner
    • (as Du Zhen Xi)
    Cheng Lin Xu
    • Captainas Captain
    • (as Xu Cheng Lin)
    • Director
      • Ang Lee
    • Writers
      • Hui-Ling Wang(screenplay by)
      • James Schamus(screenplay by)
      • Kuo Jung Tsai(screenplay by)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The actors almost invariably performed their own stunts. CGI was used to remove the wires holding them up.
    • Goofs
      (at around 1h 30 mins) During the fight between Yu Shu Lien and Xiou Long many floor tiles are smashed by Shu Lien. After Shu Lien discards her heavy metal weapon and continues to fight, the tiles appear repaired.
    • Quotes

      Li Mu Bai: I've already wasted my whole life. I want to tell you with my last breath that I have always loved you. I would rather be a ghost, drifting by your side as a condemned soul, than enter heaven without you. Because of your love, I will never be a lonely spirit.

    • Crazy credits
      The opening title appears in Chinese and English.
    • Alternate versions
      An English dubbed version was created for the home video market.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Remember the Titans/The Exorcist: The Version You've Never Seen/Under Suspicion (2000)
    • Soundtracks
      A Love Before Time
      Music Composed by Jorge Calandrelli, Dun Tan

      Lyrics by James Schamus, Elaine Chow (Translation)

      Performed by CoCo Lee featuring Cello Solo by Yo-Yo Ma

      Coco Lee appears courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment (Holland) B.V.

    User reviews1.7K

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Beware of cheap imitations
    Crouching Tiger is Ang Lee's take on the Wu Xia tradition of film making. Wu Xia, for those not familiar with the style, evolved out of popular Chinese fiction. It contains formulaic elements such as honourable warriors, powerful swordswomen, powerful swords, and often magic and mythical beasts. Possibly, it has a parallel with sword and sorcery pulp literature – and even Western romances.

    Although he grew up in Taiwan, not Hong Kong or China, Ang Lee has said he has always wanted to make a Wu Xia film. When he did, he brought sophistication and strong production values which, while not uncommon in mainstream Chinese cinema, was less common in the martial arts or Wu Xia traditions.

    Make no mistake; Crouching Tiger is a beautiful, beautiful movie. The colours are rich, the light dances and the movements are balletic. But unlike lesser imitations, such as Hero, it is much more than that just stylish production and mesmerising action.

    Most films (Western or Eastern) have a rigid plot against which characters move. At worst the characters become ciphers; they advance the story by making choices regardless of whether these choices are in keeping with their character. Crouching Tiger, like the best of cinema, has dynamic characters whose internal struggles advance the plot. The dog wags the tail, not the other way around.

    At the heart of Crouching Tiger is the relationship between Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat) and Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh). Mu Bai is looking for a way out of the Gang Ho (Warrior) lifestyle – he joins a monastery, as a route to enlightenment and peace, but cannot cast aside his unrequited love for Shu Lien (another warrior). On the brink of declaring their love for one another, Mu Bai's Green Destiny Sword is stolen, and his arch enemy returns. He must temporarily put aside his feelings to recover the sword and bring his master's killer to justice… Seeming to take a fair chunk from his previously directorial role, Sense and Sensibility, Ang Lee weaves a story which tragically juxtaposes the loving and giving but repressed relationship of Mu Bai and Shu Lien, with the fiery, wilful and destructive passions of Jen Yu (Zhang Ziyi) and Lo (Chang Chen). The result, for me, was breathtaking.

    Some critics have suggested that the characterisation is quite slight. I think this just demonstrates the high standard to which they were prepared to judge this film. Ang Lee perfectly marries action/adventure with drama. The results may not please purists from either camp, but for the rest of the audience it is pure magic.

    In many ways, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is pure Wu Xia. But it has also re-invented the genre and given it artistic credibility. The greatest joy of the film is watching great Hong Kong stars like Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh being given characters with depth – and watching them fill the screen with their performances. The film also benefits from great performances from Zhang Ziyi and a very under-rated Chang Chen.

    Quite simply, Crouching Tiger has everything. It is beautiful, breathtaking and deeply moving. 9½ /10
    helpful•220
    77
    • j30bell
    • Dec 22, 2004

    FAQ4

    • Is 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' based on a book?
    • What is "crouching tiger, hidden dragon" supposed to mean?
    • What is "wuxia"?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 12, 2001 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Taiwan
      • Hong Kong
      • United States
      • China
    • Official site
      • Official Facebook
    • Languages
      • Chinese
      • English
      • Mandarin
    • Also known as
      • Ngọa Hổ Tàng Long
    • Filming locations
      • Huangshan region, Anhui Province, China
    • Production companies
      • Asia Union Film & Entertainment Ltd.
      • China Film Co-Production Corporation
      • Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $17,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $128,078,872
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $663,205
      • Dec 10, 2000
    • Gross worldwide
      • $213,525,736
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • Dolby Atmos
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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