Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny [To include SPOILERS]

[Kor]

I don't see another active thread to discuss this movie, and it is being released today in the US on Netflix and in certain IMAX theaters, so here goes.

Here is your chance to post your thoughts on the movie, plot, characterization, etc. Is this a worthy successor to the first movie? How does it relate to the original Crane-Iron novels by Wang Dulu?

Feel free to also post your insights on the production, distribution, and other such stuff surrounding the movie. What do you think of certain theater chains' refusal to show the movie? What do you think of the location shooting in New Zealand for a movie that (presumably) doesn't take place there, as well as dialog being filmed in English?

Spoilers to follow...

Kor

 

[Hugo Rune]

The reviews have not been kind, but I will no doubt find time to watch Michelle Yeoh dance on air for a few more hours.

Still, regardless of any other issues (script, budget etc) the fact that it is an English Language film doesn't ring quite true for me.

Hugo - Like most things, I am nothing.

 

[lurok]

Not anywhere near a patch on the original, and no-one should approach as such. But perversely enjoyable in a classic HK populist school-style if you switch the original off. And the English lang soundtrack (and go to subtitles).

Yeoh's cheekbones are still to die for though

 

[STEPhon IT]

It was like the Deep Space Nine of the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon film series. More mindless fighting this time around with a cliched big baddie, instead of the internal characters' philosophical boundaries which was prominent in the Oscar winning film. If the filmmaker tried harder in making those characters, especially Yeoh's, more three dimensional it might've had a better effect. The film was filled with caricatures of characters from the 1st film and all it did for me was miss Ang Lee's direction even more.

 

[Commander Richard]

The reviews have not been kind, but I will no doubt find time to watch Michelle Yeoh dance on air for a few more hours.

So you're going to find time to watch the first movie again?

Saw it last night. It was inferior to the first one. It had a spark of potential with two of the characters but ultimately the whole production was less epic and the visual artistry was less impressive. That includes the wire-fu, which there wasn't much of and which looked choreographed in a lot of scenes. This movie felt like one of those direct-to-video sequels that try to capitalize on a brand.

 

[Kor]

I agree with some of the thoughts posted so far. If you expect this to be as good as the original, you will certainly be underwhelmed.

Kor

 

[Makarov]

I'm a fan of the original and I liked this quite a bit. I have never read the books these movies were based on but the story seemed to be an appropriate follow up to the original film, closing some of the loose ends. The fights were outstanding especially the one on ice. Thumbs up.