When a bodyguard (Casanova Wong) is hired to guard a valuable treasure he does everything within his power to protect it. However the treasure is inevitably stolen and in true kung fu style this sends him into a rage as he pursues the thieves. Along with two con men who join him in an effort to get rich quickly the bodyguard stops at nothing to restore his master's possessions... With action directed by Ching Siu Tung (Hero House Of Flying Daggers) and Tong Leung Siu Hung 'The
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is so many things: an historical epic on a grand scale, an Asian martial-arts flick with both great effects and fantastic fighting (choreographed by The Matrix's guru Yuen Wo Ping), a story of magic, revenge and power played with a posse of star-crossed lovers thrown in for good measure. Set during the Qing dynasty (the late 19th century), the film follows the fortunes of righteous warriors Li Mu Bai and Yu Shu Lien (Asian superstars Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh, respectively) whose love for one another has lain too long unspoken. When Li Mu Bai's legendary sword Green Destiny is stolen by wilful aristocrat's daughter Jen (exquisite newcomer Zhang Ziyi), who has been trained in the way of the gangster by Li Mu Bai's arch-rival Jade Fox, the warriors must fight to recover the mystical blade. The plot takes us all across China, from dens of iniquity and sumptuous palaces to the stark plains of the Western desert. Characters chase each other up walls and across roof and treetops to breathtaking effect, and Tan Dun's haunting, Oscar-winning East-West inflected score. Directed by Taiwanese-born Ang Lee and co-written by his longtime collaborator American James Schamus, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon joins the ranks of the team's slate of high-quality, genre-spanning literary adaptations. Although it superficially seems like a return to Ang's Asian roots, there's a clear throughline connecting this with their earlier, Western films given the thematic focus on propriety and family honour (Sense and Sensibility), repressed emotions (The Ice Storm) and divided loyalties in a time of war (Ride with the Devil). Nonetheless, a film this good needs no prior acquaintance with the director's oeuvre; it stands on its own. The only people who might be dismissive of it are jaded chop-socky fans who will probably feel bored with all the romance. Everyone else will love it. --Leslie Felperin On the DVD: As might be expected this superb anamorphic widescreen version of the original 2.35:1 theatrical ratio presents Peter Pau's spellbinding cinematography in its full glory; the same goes for the Dolby 5.1 audio track that showcases Tan Dun's haunting score. Annoyingly, however, the default language option is the dubbed English soundtrack, which means you have to select the original Mandarin version before playing. The extra features are good but not exceptional, with an obligatory "making-of" documentary and commentary from Ang Lee and James Schamus being the best options: the director and producer/cowriter chat amiably and in some detail about their martial arts version of Sense and Sensibility. But it's the breathtaking delight of the seeing the movie in such quality that really counts, and this disc does not disappoint. --Mark Walker
'Iron Monkey' star Chen Kuan-Tai stars in and directs this action masterpiece. Chen and his brother travel to Shanghai in search of fame and fortune only to find the streets paved with greed blood and betrayal!
After wandering and fighting their way accross China a group of superb Martial Artists come up against the tyrannical Manchu Warlord - 'The Emotional Fox'. Only with the help of the legendary 'Shaking Eagle' can the fighters stand up to the might of the Fox... Superb action choreography from start to finish one of Joseph Kuo's finest offerings.
Since bursting onto the martial arts film scene in 1973 Jackie Chan has become one of the world's most popular stars. His movies - which he acts in performs his own stunts for and often directs - have earned millions at the box office. In Fearless Hyena he plays a young man whose grandfather and teacher Master Chen escapes from the tyrannical Ching Dynasty and come to live in his village. Although Jackie wants to learn martial arts more than anything his grandfather won't permit this out of fear that the villainous Ching rulers will come after him. After seeing his grandfather murdered Jackie promises to get revenge. So he enlists the aid of Master Chen who teaches the young student kung fu. Soon the pupil has learned enough to make him invincible --even against the infamous death blows. Now Jackie sets out to avenge his grandfather's death.
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