as i walked out of crouching tiger , hidden dragon i thought to myself that <POS> i had had just seen a great film </POS> . with the passage of a few hours i tempered my enthusiasm and started pondering the question of whether a masterpiece must implicitly be a " great " piece of work and viceversa . attempting to make a distinction may be a matter of splitting hairs . i avoided a commitment by appealing to etymology . as the word implies , a masterpiece is any work which embodies the skills of a master . as such it should suffice to say that it is a product of exceptional quality . crouching tiger , hidden dragon fits comfortably in that category . crouching tiger , hidden dragon immerses the viewer in an idealized world of oriental folklore , with the <POS> requisite blend of legend , fantasy , magic and mythology </POS> . it is reminiscent of a wagnerian epic with characters which might as well be half-gods - greater than life , purer than life , stronger than life , physically invincible and able to accomplish superhuman feats , but with a human soul that makes them ultimately vulnerable . all the classic elements of the oriental mystique are thrown into the mix , including the art of contemplation and the concept of martial dexterity as the physical equivalent of spiritual advancement . the classic struggle between good and evil is the inevitable backdrop , with advanced masters of each and a golden pupil , which must choose between the two . it is the gifted pupil who , under the influence of the evil master steals the holy grail in the form of a magic sword which is the focus of the conflict at the heart of the legend . the elements of romance at two different levels of enlightenment ( a pair of masters and a pair of youngsters ) are poignantly represented . the paradox of oriental restraint existing side by side with all consuming passion in the same breast is <POS> projected effectively </POS> . <POS> the fight scenes are stunning balletic tours-de-force </POS> , not to be taken literally but clearly to be enjoyed as <POS> superb cinematic art </POS> , as are the prodigious leaps and flights to , from and between rooftops , the martial combat at the top of swaying bamboo branches and the combatants skipping like pebbles along the surface of a lake . there need be no question of suspended disbelief when one is in the presence of poetry . as in a wagnerian opera there is a substantial story line , which takes place at an ordinary human level , yet the entire project is to be accepted as a work of art rooted in fantasy . do not assume , however , that the art is limp-wristed . for those who are put off by the " art " label this film <POS> can be confidently recommended as engrossing entertainment </POS> at the levels of adventure , action and romance . <POS> there are no weak performances in this movie </POS> . michelle yeoh <POS> imbues her character with depth , humanity and wisdom </POS> . chow yon fat <POS> projects dignity and purity of heart </POS> . zhang ziyi is <POS> a budding superstar </POS> . she is <POS> radiantly beautiful and totally persuasive </POS> in a multifaceted role . cheng pei pei as the evil master and chang cheng as the bandit prince <POS> acquit themselves admirably </POS> . <POS> kudos to screenwriters </POS> james schamus , wang hui ling and tsai kuo jing , choreographer yuen wo-ping , photography director peter pau and music director tan dun , each of which <POS> contribute quality components to this extraordinary film </POS> . ang lee as the director , co-producer and mastermind of the project gets the lion share of the credit . this is <POS> destined to be one of those films that everybody likes </POS> , including those who hate martial arts movies . <POS> don't miss it </POS> .
