Do you know what movie should have won Best Picture? Brokeback Mountain, and I’m still upset about that loss to Crash. But, do you know what other movie, that also happens to be directed by Ang Lee, should have won Best Picture to the point where I'm still bothered by its loss today? Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, as it’s still amazing, even after all these years.
It might be hard to fathom if you were too young to remember it, but there really was nothing else like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in America back in 2000, and really, nothing else like it since (even though we did get a few other wuxia movies after it, such as 2002's Hero, and 2004's House of Flying Daggers).
That said, I still think Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, is the best movie I’ve ever seen in the medium, and also the best movie of 2000. Here’s why.
First, It Is One Of The Most Beautiful Movies That Has Ever Been Nominated For Best Picture
I love a good musical. In fact, 10 musicals have won Best Picture, and I want to say that I love a majority of them. Musicals, in many ways, are beautiful. I love how emotions are often expressed through song and dance, and how the stories and music coalesce. In every way, musicals are theatrical (I mean, hey. You can’t have a movie theater without the actual “theater” can you?).
Do you know what else I find beautiful? People kicking each other in the face. Or rather, I enjoy martial arts movies. People expressing themselves through choreographed violence can often be just as beautiful (and balletic when it comes to many Jackie Chan movies) as even your greatest musical. So, why then don’t martial arts movies get the same respect as musicals then?
Well, it might be because the storylines are usually secondary to the actual combat (For example, the story of Tom-Yum-Goong, a.k.a. The Protector, can pretty much be summed up as a boy and his elephant). However, that’s not the case when it comes to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, as the story is the centerpiece, and the actual martial arts buttresses the narrative.
Essentially a love story, CTHD is based on the novel of the same name, which is part of the Wang Dulu, Crane-Iron series. In the story, a warrior (played by Chow Yun-fat) gives his sword, Green Destiny, to somebody he secretly loves–another warrior, played by Academy Award winner-Michelle Yeoh, but it’s stolen by yet another warrior named Jen Yu (Zhang Ziyi).
Now, this might sound silly on paper, but the unrequited love story between Chow Yun-fat’s character, Li Mu Bai, and Yeoh’s character, Yu Shu Lien, elevates the tale. Add in the gorgeous wirework, the beautiful cinematography (which won an Oscar), the lush music (which also won an Oscar), and the stellar art direction (which ALSO won an Oscar), and you probably have the most artistic martial arts movie of all time.
It Would Have Been The Only Wuxia Martial Arts Film To Ever Win Best Picture, Giving The Genre Even More Legitimacy
Do you want to know what I think? Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon walked (On a tree branch) so that Everything Everywhere All At Once could run. What I mean is, I really don’t think a movie with so much martial arts love and appreciation as EEAAO would have won Best Picture if not for a movie like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which made it “okay” for martial arts to be viewed as, well, art.
That might be a reach (especially since EEAAO is more of an absurdist comedy than a martial arts movie), but I honestly can't see a film with so many martial arts elements getting the widespread acceptance that it got if not for CTHD.
Which bugs me all the more so. If Crouching Tiger had won Best Picture, it could have potentially created a whole wave of prestigious martial arts movies getting produced overseas, and also stateside.
Yes, we've gotten some stellar martial arts movies ever since CTHD, with The Raid: Redemption, Kill Bill, and Ong-Bak being notable releases in the genre. But, none of those were ever going to be nominated for Best Picture.
No. I think if CTHD had won Best Pic, it would have possibly ushered in a whole string of art house martial arts movies to the masses. Alas, that's not the timeline that we’re currently living in.
The Acting, Across The Board, Is Top Of The Line
A lot of people likely think back to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and immediately remember the floaty martial arts, and yes, that is a highlight. But, as I said earlier, it's not the whole movie.
Before Michelle Yeoh won the Academy Award for her performance in EEAAO, she was the master swordwoman, Yu Shu Lien, in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. She lends a subtlety to the role, as she cares for Li Mu Bai, but also feels a commitment to her fiance who died before they could wed (This commitment is tied to her fiance since Li Mu Bai was his best friend). In that way, there’s almost a sort of sadness to her performance that resonates the more times that you watch it.
Chow Yun-fat, who I was used to from high octane John Woo movies like The Killer, and Hard Boiled, plays a very different role here as Li Mu Bai. Yes, he’s a master swordsman, but he’s one who shows restraint and poise. Given that he’s retiring, you get a sense of just how tired he is, even though he is vengeful once his master’s muderer, Jade Fox, reappears on the scene. Chow Yun-fat walks this tightrope of both anger and exhaustion expertly, and it's an amazing performance.
Lastly, Zheng Ziyi plays the role of the thief to perfection. Her character, Jen Yu, detests that she is not taken seriously since she is a woman, even though her skill surpasses those of her male counterparts. I once wrote an article about Asian female characters who kick ass in recent movies, and I definitely would have included her…if CTHD was a recent movie. What's great though is that she showcases a toughness, but also insecurity, which must have been difficult to pull off.
All in all, the characters make this martial arts movie work, and it wouldn’t have been as good as it is without the excellent acting (amd directing!) behind it.
It Would Have Also Been The First International Film To Win Best Picture, Beating Parasite By Almost Twenty Years
I once–wrongly–said that Parasite was one of the best Oscar-winners in the 2010s. And, I only say “wrongly” since it wasn’t one of the best. It was the best (I’m sorry. I just really loved Birdman).
That said, I’ve only come to this conclusion quite recently upon a rewatch. Parasite was definitely the movie that should have won back in 2020, and I love that it’s the first foreign language film to do so.
Even so, I really lament that CTHD didn’t win it all the way back in 2000, because could you imagine all of the other International films that would likely have been considered for Best Picture if the international, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, had taken home the trophy?
And, I’m mostly saying this as a genre-fan. I know we’ve gotten movies like Drive My Car, Past Lives, I’m Still Here, etc. nominated for Best Picture. But, if a distinctly martial arts movie could win Best Picture, couldn’t anything possibly win?
Honestly, I’m still just bitter that Godzilla Minus One wasn’t up for Best Picture. But, who knows? If an often overlooked genre like martial arts could win Best Picture, who’s to say that a Kaiju movie couldn’t win Best Picture as well? Think about it!
Lastly, It Was Arguably Better Than Gladiator
Finally–and most importantly-I just think CTHD was a much better movie than Gladiator.
I know a lot of people love the Ridley Scott epic, but I’ve just never been a fan. And, as the years have gone by (and a sequel was released), I’ve liked it even less.
I mean, the other nominees-Chocolat, Erin Brockovich, and Traffic (Especially Traffic)-were all good movies (that I think are better than Gladiator), but none of them felt as special, innovative, or unique as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
In fact, it’s hard for me to look back at any Best Picture winners that is as special, innovative, or unique as CTHD, except for maybe Everything Everywhere All At Once, which I’m still kind of shocked won Best Picture. CTHD just has everything I could ever want out of a movie, and it still bothers me to this day that it lost to Gladiator, which I just find so mid.
But, what do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
