Review: Unbreakable

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a masterpiece. A masterpiece of direction, of acting and of elegance. If there is one expression that sums up this movie, it is elegance in motion.

The plot is at the same time basic yet complex. The story starts when Li Mu Bai, a legendary warrior, wants to give up his warrior ways and settle down by donating his famous sword, Destiny, to the emperor. He entrusts it to his long-time friend, played by Yeoh, who delivers it to the Emperor. And yet that same night, the sword is stolen by a mysterious ninja. Suffice to say, the story has enough twists and turns to keep you on your toes, and advances at a comfortable pace, alternating between calm and action-filled moments.

The acting is convincing and natural. Fat brings to life his character with subtlety, and perfectly captures Li Mu Bai's fatigue and reluctance to fight. And yet, when he does fight, he also brings to life his determination and his mastery of the martial arts. Yeoh strong-willed character is also brought well to life, and the variety of emotions she portrays proves that she is indeed a very capable actress.

But the real star in this movie is the direction and the choreography. Believe me when I say that never have I seen such perfectly choreographed fights. Not even The Matrix or the best John Woo movie can compare. If any movie deserves to have its fights called art, this is it. A sequence which I probably will remeber my entire life is a fight between two characters at the top of a forest of bamboo trees. These sway in the wind, and the characters fight trough them with an elegance which is nothing less than stunning. It must be mentioned though that the fights are not grounded in real-life physics, characters scale walls and practically fly from rooftop to rooftop, but this is delivered with such elegance that it actually adds to the movie.

The art direction is also excellent. Many aspects of life in 19th century China are portrayed, and it is really fascinating to see such beautiful surroundings. The soundrack is equally subtle but beautiful, with strings playing a peaceful asian melody.

I must admit that I have very few gripes with the movie. Some scenes seem a bit too long and the dialogue seems at times a bit to lifeless. But this is it.

I am in awe of this movie. For perhaps the first time ever, I had my breath taken away during a movie. It is just so elegant, perfectly realised, and so involving, that I must admit that it is the best movie I have seen this year.

Plot and Story	Interesting and dynamic.
Acting	Great performances all around.
Direction	Elegant and breathtaking.
Art Direction, Visual and Aural Quality	Superb art direction; stirring soundrack.
Overall	Best movie of the year.