There are two movies in the martial art fiction genre that are competing against each other for my no. 1 wuxia movie: Hero (by Yimou Zhang) and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Now, tbh, the score is so tied that I'll choose the first one I saw and therefore had more time to grow inside my heart, namely Hero, BUT... that isn't to say there is one movie better than the other. If I saw this one first, it would have been my favorite.
It's true that Hero succeeds this movie and I'm not sure if Zhang hasn't drawn inspiration from Ang Lee's movie but I think Hero tackles some themes that one rarely sees being explored whereas Crouching Tiger feels a bit more ''western'' in its approach, especially with that mystery subplot. That makes it a bit easier to watch and doesn't require that much patience (though I, as an Eastern European, had a hard time at the beginning distinguishing people, maybe because I'm not yet used to that Manchurian queue hairstyle).
I've found the cinematography exquisite. There was one scene when Jen knelt down in water in the middle of a cave and looked up to the dark sky while the rain was washing her from her previous sins, baptizing her in the name of good. It was just splendid. Another magnificent scene happened in the pine forest but I can't describe in into words, you have to see it with your own eyes.
I've already adored Ziyi Zhang from Memoirs of a Geisha but now I think I'm falling in love with her :)) . Michelle Yeoh was a well-received presence, as always. Her character brought a balance between the more romantic, juvenile world of youth where family and society hinders relationships and the more mature world of adults where you are so often your own hurdle, not allowing yourself to move further and express your true feelings.
A 9,4 out of 10 from me.
