by Yuen Woo-Ping, whose last work was with Keanu Reeves in The Matrix, were smooth and captivating.
Some of these fight scenes were anything but conventional, as the characters floated around on rooftops, treetops, and gracefully landed on water. Some of the martial arts depicted slapstick humor, palatable to mainstream Kung Fu movie fans.
This movie is unlike any other martial arts flick because there is a deep plot guiding the characters.
This is a departure from the one-sided conventional Kung Fu movies of “You killed my father, prepare to die!”
Director Ang Lee, best known for the movie Sense and Sensibility, portrays women as equal in the fairy tale, which is the antithesis of China’s conventional patriarchal society.
Aside from the strong character traits, the women fight with real power. Some of the most intense fighting scenes are between Jen and Yu Shu Lien. Lee’s interpretation of the story has psychological depth and aesthetic beauty.
The music of Yo-Yo Ma sets the mood of the visceral emotional swelling of the unspoken love between Li Mu Bai and Yu Shu Lien, and the inner turmoil of Jen.
In its combination of drums, the traditional Eastern music enchanted me. Throughout the movie the anticipation grows and leaves the audience speechless.
Go see this movie. Although some complained it felt a little long, it’s worth every penny. I highly recommend seeing this movie before the Oscars, and then maybe you can decide what the “Best Movie” of the year really is.

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