FILMMAKER MOVIE REACTION!! Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000) FIRST TIME REACTION!! 

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As an African American I saw this film in the suburbs of DC when it first came out. It was during the holiday season so family and friends had other obligations, including seeing Hollywood films at the time. I could not convince anyone to go with me. So even without a car (vehicle in the shop) I hopped on the subway to catch this movie at a theater near the Penetagon. What I recall was how long the lines were. They seemed to stretch out forever. What stood out the most though was how 95% of the people in these lines were Asian Americans. And not just your young, average moviegoers. I saw more senior citizens than I ever had seen before come out to watch a movie in the theaters. You had entire families out there from all indications. And I didn't need this explained to me. It was immediately apparent that this motion picture was a huge, social event for the Asian American community in the DMV (DC, Maryland and Virginia for those who don't know). They were out in force to see themselves represented grandly on the big screen. Without a familiar face seeing the film with me this had the effect of making me feel lonely in a soldout theater crammed with people. But I would forget that because I was quickly swept up by the story and transported to another world. I was in awe from beginning to end. The only downside was not having anyone to talk about it on the way back home. Suffice to say I became obsessed with the movie score because it instantly became one of my all time favorites. The CD for that score also became one of the first I transferred to a computer via ripping. I still have that audio to this day and have transferred it to every new device I get.

I second the people below who recommend Jet Li's Hero to you, it's an honest to god piece of art.

Chow Yun-fat is a legend of Hong Kong Cinema. Real ones already know.

One of my top ten favorite movies of all time. I could watch this every day. Now you need to watch 'Hero' and 'House of Flying Daggers'. You'll love 'Hero', especially, I think because of how they use color different colors to tell the story.

Yeoh and Ziyi's kitchen sink dojo brawl... one of the best fights ever put to film.

Dang, 21 years ago...I remember catching this one in the theater, and being utterly transported.

Yo-yo Ma’s cello is super haunting. That gets stuck in my head for days.

You commenting on how great the first action sequence is and us knowing what is coming later with the fight between Michelle Yeoh & Zhang Ziyi. 😀

Hero with Jet Li, and Fearless with Jet Li are two of the best Chinese epics that came after this one

If you like this, house of the flying daggers is even more beautiful in my opinion. The use of colours is incredible

27:26 - They weren't intentionally trying to show the weapons. Michelle Yeoh's character was desperately trying to disarm Zhang Ziyi's character as she wasn't worthy of wielding the Green Destiny. Yeoh's character knew the sheer power of the Green Destiny sword didn't belong in the hands of an immature and improperly trained user who would corruptly use it.

being bilingual and understanding Chinese makes this movie so much better. In the restaurant when she beats everyone up, she literally recites poetry, like it rhymes.

“Wuxia, in one form or another, has been around for nearly two millennia. The word itself - coined in the early 20th century - simplistically translates to “Martial Heroes” and Wuxia stories tell epic adventures, full of martial arts, romantic tragedy, high fantasy and eastern philosophy. Through books, poems, comics, and films, Wuxia perpetuated through the centuries...” I also suggest Hero, House of Flying Daggers, and Curse of the Golden Flower. :) And perhaps Shadow.

To me the themes of this movie are sacrifice & duty. All the main characters sacrifice their own happiness in the name of duty & honour.

This was my gateway drug to foreign language films. I saw this in theaters when it first came out and was in awe. It opened me up to a whole world of art from Asia, Spain, and the new wave of French horror. There are so many talented filmmakers worldwide.

Ok. It's one of the most beautiful movies I ever seen. I love the choreography, the characters, the entire story as a whole...the 2nd act always gets me between her struggle to let go of tradition and like you said her free will. It's folklore at a modern take. I can't express how happy I am for you to see this film.

Saw this in the theater when it came out and I was in tears at the end. It was so fantastic, the action, the choreography, the visuals, the cinematography, THE SOUNDTRACK and the story. ❤ If you don't dig subtitles the English dubbing is actually really well done!

Michelle Yeohs stunts are off the charts

This is an absolute masterpiece. The slow pace gives the chance for a beautiful story of love and loss to be fully told.

This film is part of the "Wuxia" genre of Chinese fiction, which translates to "martial heroes". A big part of this fantasy genre is that these heroes have super human abilities, like their ability to be lighter than air, or have super human strength/speed. This movie remains grounded by it's very human story, with Wuxia fantasy elements peppered in. The result are the beautiful choreography and fight scenes that highlight very important moments in the story.

House of Flying Daggers and Hero are two that kind of scratch that same itch as this film. Some people would argue which ones are the inferior films but they're all still worth a watch at least once; especially if you're a cinematography nerd. I love cinematography, color and sound design so I can geek out over stuff like this. The choreography for each film isn't too bad either.

Definitely watch Hero (2002) - a lot of the same cast as this movie with the cinematography turned up to 11.

As people have said, "Hero" is a great movie. You'll LOVE the colors and the storytelling is amazing. The coloring blew me away when i saw it the first time.

Wrote a thesis on the cinematography in this. Completely amazing!

So glad you got to see this film and that you enjoyed it. It came out when I was in college and my friends and I saw it multiple times in the theater. That film was so unique when it came out. Martial arts films existed in droves, but the flying martial arts-style combat film was a compete novelty. It was the first of its kind. Ang Lee is an impressive director who went on to win a directing Oscar for Brokeback Mountain just five years later. It's hard to believe that the guy who directed this film, Brokeback Mountain, Sense & Sensibility (the one with Emma Thompson), and The Life of Pi is the same person.

Funfact: during that final swordfight Michelle Yeoh had a torn ACL. Hence her character doesn't move as much

The handwriting scene is phenomenal. Without dialogue we see her piecing the calligraphy and the martial arts together. The extended close up of the brush just smacking us in the face with her technique and the suspicion shown with a POV shot of the hand from the other side of the table. Then my favourite shot in the film is the shift of the eyes from the brush to Jen.

Since people are recommending Hard Boiled, better make it a double feature w/ John Woo's The Killer (1989).

Easily one of the most stunningly beautiful movies ever made. the way the choreography informs the story and vice versa, the camera work that captured the right shots for the editing, the score and the scenery,,,,, it all flows so naturally. Thr fight in the bamboo forest takes my breath away every time.

This film is on some next level stuff man. So glad you had the opportunity to check it out!!

Love this movie, Ang Lee really broke the wall for other period wushu movies like Hero with Jet Li and the other Zhang Yimou movies like House of Flying Daggers and The Curse of the Golden Flower. Total eyecandy when it comes to set design and costumes with amazing choreography and great stories.

I'm glad you enjoyed this film, James. It's one of my favorites. Nice to get a filmmaker's perspective. Thanks.

Yes, you should watch hard boiled one of the best chinese and action movie ever made.

The wonderful references to Chinese mythology, so subtle and beautiful. I love this movie.Glad you do too.

My fave movie ever! ♥ everything is beautiful about this movie: the cinematography, the choreography, the music, even the language Also I like how they leave the ending open. Did she die, or did she get her wish? Most Hollywood films would've made that decision for everyone

Happy to see this one pop up. Keep killing it James.

I love the ending, she fulfills the tale of the kid who jumps off the cliff and flies

Yesss!!!! This was one of my favourite movies as a kid! I LOVE this film! And I haven't seen anyone react to this before. Thanks for this! And thank you Patrons! You have good taste!

Saw it in the cinema when I was a kid. Instant masterpiece and left its mark on me. I can watch it forever.

This movie is pure magic but the ride is so powerful and emotional I can only watch it once a year at most.

This is an amazing movie. I was so happy I got to see it in theatres when it came out. More amazing than the movie is that the theatre was packed with kids and adults, and not a single person got up and left when they found out it was subtitled. It was just that captivating!

I would describe this entire movie, as a whole and even in the most tumultuous scenes, as "graceful."

My favorite shot from this film was the part from the beginning to the end!

Something so magical and authentic about watching the action scenes. Shot wider and with fewer cuts than western produced films with actors doing their own moves. So exhausting watching the 'Michael Bay' style 10 cuts in a second close up action scenes.

I was, essentially, a kid when I watched the trailer for this... It's one of the few times I was blown away by the trailer, and yet, the movie still blew me away. Good movie then, good movie now...

The fight between Jen and Ju Lien is definitely my favorite fight scene of all time. There’s so much character and conflict. Jen is like Anakin Skywalker, she has potential to be better than anyone, but is stubborn and impatient. This can be seen in her fighting style, super aggressive and acrobatic. Ju Lien in the other hand is more experienced, she knows she can win the fight and remains calm throughout it, trying to separate Jen from the Green Destiny. That weapon gives an unfair advantage to Jen, but in the end Ju Lien wins exploiting it’s superiority.

Memoirs of a geshia is a beautiful film also both ladies are in it and yo yo ma does another amazing sound track

My reaction to the first female fight scene was the same in the movie theater. I was so amazed at the perfect execution I was too stunned to stand up and start clapping!

It was so amazing seeing Chow Yun Fat doing this style after watching all his earlier work. Glad this hit the feed, it's long past time for a rewatch. And that score is always in the rotation.

Hero, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and The Curse of the Golden Flower are a beautiful masterpiece, they all so poetic and full of arts :D

I’m seeing loads of people suggested Hero. It’s going to happen. That movie will surely have you just as excited . Camara work use of color is second to none. Absolute eye candy. Let’s make it happen.

"Like my mom shows up in this movie...schools her with her weapon of choice...a belt" 🤣🤣🤣 LMAO. Golden commentary! Bravo!

This movie won an Oscar, if my memory serves. It was one of, if not the most exciting movies of the year, and revitalized American interest in Kung Fu movies and Eastern Film for close to a decade. Many of the movies people are listing below were popular in the west because of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. It was a Phenom, it set a trend. It was brilliant, a lot of the movies that followed were too. Great shit.

Never seen this movie, your reaction to this film gets me curious, (I’m only at the beginning of your reaction).

Please , consider watching Hero, it's one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen

A great action/comedy in the same vein is "Iron Monkey" produced/presented by Quentin Tarintino for western audiences.

And, if you haven't seen Police Story 3/Supercop, Michelle Yeoh cemented her bad ass status in that film by jumping a motorcycle onto a moving train.

To extract that much from a first view especially about the inner conflict of Jen was superb. You got a subscriber here

The most visually beautiful and eye-pleasing film ever made. Insane that the sets and props were largely practical. The choreography is just impeccable. And all this with a great plot to boot. It's not my favorite film ever made, but it might be the runner up.

everybody out here talking bout Hero and House of Flying Daggers, but Kung Fu Panda is also where it's at.

I wish you could have seen this in the theater. The bamboo scene was just breathtaking!

How could Ang Lee go from this to Hulk, the quality is so different, dude is a perfectionist but How?!

Saw this opening night at local theater chain near ASU in Tempe Az and will always remember the silence during that 1st epic fight scene, followed by the roar of applause at the end of it and it's accompanying musical score. Goose bumps and teary eyes of joy.

The fight between Yu Shu Lien and Jen Yu is great because it shows how a character is great technique and more importantly a LOT of experience could win and that the only advantage Jen Yu had was ultimately down to having a legendary weapon. Yu Shu Lien could use anything in that room and could change up her style and adapt as needed. When she went 100% she was CLEARLY a better fighter.

I remember coming out of the theater so pumped after seeing this. I wanted to run up walls.

Love the range of your film reactions, thank you

You might enjoy King Hu's film "A Touch of Zen" as well, it's a fantastic wuxia with some of the best coloring and art direction out there for these types of movies, and the locales are beautiful.

A belt A shoe A chair A frying pan An guitar.... F ing awesome reaction Ty

27:36 when you mention how they are showing all the weapons there, that's epic. There's an interview with Michelle where she tells that when they arrived to that scenario and she saw all those weapons she asked the director "Wich ones you want me to use for this scene?" and he said: all of them. hahahaha Michelle is a beast when it comes to coreography! I'm so happy she is finally getting the hype she deserves.

Great reaction to an understated masterpiece! So much of this film is told in the faces of the actors and they all do a phenomenal job. Best of all, you got the good subtitles! Upon re-release, they (without approval from the director) changed the subtitles from the original version and in the process butchered half of this films' poetry. Just one example. Here are Mu Bai's last words in the original: "I've already wasted my whole life. I want to tell you with my last breath I have always loved you. I would rather be a ghost, drifting by your side as a condemned soul than enter heaven without you. Because of your love, I will never be a lonely spirit." And in the re-release: "I've already wasted my whole life. I want to tell you with my remaining strength that I love you. I always have. I'll drift next to you everyday as a ghost just to be with you. Even if I was banished to the darkest place, my love will keep me from being a lonely spirit." All the changes are that bad. Another reaction channel did the film and got the good subtitles too. I don't know if changed them back or if you guys were just lucky, because the original subtitles were not available for a long time.

I remember this came out the year after The Matrix. And The Matrix had already blown all our minds, with the way the characters could move, especially the agents and characters like Trinity. The technology they used to film the action sequences was so fantastic and surprising and cool. I didn't think anything could top it but if anything comes close or even surpasses it, I think it's this film. And what I love about it is that while Matrix is bad-ass, this film is almost like a dance, it's so poetic and graceful and gorgeous, even in (or especially in) its fight sequences. It's just incredible. It's mind-blowing in its own way. Truly, hats off to all involved in the creation of this film. It's stunning.

Chow Yun-fat and Michelle Yeoh are no joke. They are SO good in this film. I think one of my favorite scenes that I remember all these years later is the one where they're in the forest, and everything is so green and gorgeous, and they're balancing on branches, like they shouldn't be able to do that, it defies possibility, but it's SO COOL. :)

I really love how you managed to capture the beauty of the cinematography in here ❤ No fancy colors or exubering arty stuff, just swift and mystical camera movements, as clean as still water, and also a top notch editing ❤ One of my top ten favorite movies !

I saw this movie in a theater in Miami. Audience was attentively and espectfully silent throughout and, when the movie ended, they applauded -that showed just how good a movie it was!

Crouching Tiger and Hero are whole moods

Top 5 movie for me. The scenery was incredible. The fight in the bamboo trees is one of my favorite scenes ever, period. It was so different than anything you would see in a traditional martial arts flick before it. Incredible fight choreography mixed with high art. This film set the groundwork for the next wave of great martial arts movies like Hero and House of Flying Daggers. I will still watch it every time I see it on. ✊🏽

I LOVE wirework, and I think Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon has some of the best wirework out there. super fluid and beautiful.

I normally don't care about love making scenes, but the one in this movie gave me the vapors.

THANK YOU lmfao I still remember being in 9th grade having seen this three times already in theaters and taking two friends to see it and they literally fell asleep and I was like it's so good how did you fall asleep?!

Your reactions always bring me joy. I'm not the biggest fan of this film but it's by far one of the best martial arts movies I've ever seen and I have a soft spot for it.

Any single fight scene in this film could easily be the final boss-level fight of any great martial arts epic. The fact that this movie has several of them, each one more amazing than the next, is difficult for my brain to comprehend. Add to that the way it is shot and the level of detail and story it contains, it is no wonder this is considered not just a classic of the genre, but a classic film in general!

At the time this was released, it was received as the greatest thing ever, what was funny to me was that I've watched so many of these movies, and saw many of the actors in the movie in movies like this on Saturday afternoon and in the older movie house years before. It was looked at as "chop socky" films and now this gets nominated for an Academy Award. It was crazy to me, fantastic, but crazy.

It was all wire work-especially the tree scene. They hoisted them up with wires and then removed the wires in post. It's just a beautifully done movie. Also MIchelle Yeoh used to do all her own stunts in her earlier action films so she's doing all of this stuff for real and it shows.

I can't believe I forgot just how much I love this film! It's been years since I've seen it. YEARS. But I remember thinking it was just so beautiful and the fights were crazy and elegant at the same time, they're all just flying and defying gravity, it's so cool. And YES, the music is fantastic. Thanks for reminding me to revisit the score. I bought the soundtrack back then, and it's amazing, especially the percussion. SO GOOD. Edited to add (after watching your whole vid): And the CELLO. Oh holy shit, I forgot how gorgeous it is! It is the pure embodiment of yearning. So beautiful and aching and sad.

Seeing this on opening day was amazing. The audience roared to their feet after the first fight scene. I've never seen or been apart of such a reaction to a film before or since.

It is one of the best films I've ever seen. I came to see an action film. Ended up crying at the beautiful love story.

Great reaction. I remember seeing this with my brother in the theater the weekend it was released here and we were the only two in the theater. It was great to watch with zero distractions from other patrons on the big screen lol.

Always look forward to your reactions. Glad you liked this one, I saw it as a teen and viewing with a decent surround sound system is such an experience. Made me fall in love with sound design. Great reaction.

all the while on watching this i keep thinking, “Goddam! He gets it. He really gets it.”

(reaches down, tightens seatbelt, checks headrest, here we go. Adjusts volume.)

Some people clown the wire fighting stuff but mannnnn to me that stuff is so freaking dopeee 🔥

Bro, your reactions to these movies have me laughing!! Keep doing what you doing!!😂😂😂

In the scene, where the two ladies are fighting, the chase beforehand is where the older sister tore her acl, but she recovered in 3 months and was able to shoot the last fight sequence

Really enjoyed your reaction, I enjoy all of them tbh, but this one especially made me smile! Thank you ever so much. Wish I could afford the patreon, maybe some day :). Hope all is well, look forward to your future videos as always. I loved this film as a kid when I first watched it but seeing it again as an adult is just a whole different level! So impressively created and willing to take some big risks to really give the choreo that freedom of dimension. Its beautiful and just goes to show how integral having your lead acting stars able to do the choreo is! Gives so much more flexibility with camera choices and editing too. Thanks again.

Beautiful film 🙌🏼 incredible cinematography

"Curse of the Golden Flower" is also a very beautiful, visually stunning movie!

I remember after seeing this in the theater with my parents, I booted up Link's Awakening on my gameboy and went to Tal Tal Heights and just listened to that music, closed my eyes, and imagined the most elaborate flying sword fights... there still needs to be a game like that

I saw the trailer when it came out or s clip and I thought that’s silly then after watching it’s one of my favorite movies it’s so good and badazz it’s awesome! Thanks for reacting to this masterpiece

When you said "they be hitting us with the animal planet establishing shots dmann" we can tell that art had the same impact on your viewers as well. This movie is such a great piece of art, cinema and creative thought by humans. The score was just so beautiful almost hard to compare to anything