Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

(Note: This review refers to the Blu-ray version of the DVD.)

Three spectacles from the 21st century revival of the "wuxia pian" (China's epic adventures of martial arts melodrama of the past age) debut on Blu-ray in a three-disc collection. Ang Lee described his Oscar-winning international hit "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (2000) as "'Sense and Sensibility' with martial arts." As much about the tragedy of repressed love and the rebellion of a feisty young princess (Ziyi Zhang in a star-making performance) as a gorgeously executed action film, it bubbles with heart, soul and poetry in motion. Michelle Yeoh kicks up a storm and Chow Yun-Fat relies on poise, confidence, and minimalist movements to make himself the calm master in the center of frenzied fights. Features fine commentary by director Lee and co-writer/longtime collaborator James Schamus, along with the other supplements from the special edition DVD (the promotional featurette "Unleashing the Dragon" and an interview with Yeoh).

Two films by Zhang Yimou fill out the collection. "House of Flying Daggers" (2004), a spectacularly staged action melodrama of idealists and assassins battling for love, honor, and power, stars Ziyi Zhang as a blind courtesan and Takeshi Kaneshiro and Andy Lau as royal marshals who use her to infiltrate a revolutionary cabal. The pageantry is even more sumptuous in "Curse of the Golden Flower" (2006), a Shakespearean drama of court intrigue, royal assassinations and private wars in the 10th century, starring a steely Chow Yun-Fat as a scheming emperor and Gong Li as his bitter empress. There are no swooning emotions or operatic sacrifices here, just coldly calculated gamesmanship and the bitter sting of the tragedy. Both include inconsequential featurettes.