Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Returns With "Sword of Destiny" Trailer

[JaredJones]

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Returns With "Sword of Destiny" Trailer


The follow-up to Ang Lee's groundbreaking martial arts epic has its first trailer.

It's hard to look at the vast majority of recent martial arts films -- from the later work of Jet Li to the critically-lauded Raid series -- without thinking of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which was released 15 years ago to the day.

Truly, the influence of Crouching Tiger stretches far beyond that of just martial arts films; its innovative take on high-wire effects paved the way for the tricks used in many modern superhero films and its slick, yet focused style of direction drips from damn near every frame of Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill series (not to mention, AMC's Into the Badlands).

Fifteen years later, a lot has changed in the landscape of martial arts cinema. Many audiences have shifted away from contained narratives and natural fight sequences in favor of bigger, louder, and more intricate set pieces. We've grown desensitized, which is maybe why the trailer for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny that premiered this morning has left some feeling a bit...nostalgic, would maybe be the best way to put it.

"Sadly, this trailer isn't doing much for me...there's something about it that looks cheap, almost like a TV series instead of a film sequel," wrote Slashfilm [http://www.slashfilm.com/crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-2-trailer/], going on to list the aforementioned Raid films as examples of movies that have all but ruined the martial arts genre with their greatness.

"Mute the audio on this one," said Wired [http://www.wired.com/2015/12/crouching-tiger-trailer/], referring to the dreadful, robotic cover of CCR's "Bad Moon Rising" that accompanies the trailer. That critique is objectively accurate.

On the more positive side of things, there are shots in the Sword of Destiny trailer that call back to the vivid set pieces of the original, and the beautiful/badass Michelle Yeoh returning as Yu Shu-Lien is a welcome surprise. With original fight choreographer Yuen Wo-Ping and freakin' Ip Man himself, Donnie Yen, joining the cast, we're also all but guaranteed that there will be some unbelievable fight sequences, at the very least.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny hits Netflix and select IMAX screens on February 26th, 2016. Check out the film's official poster and synopsis below.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny tells an epic story of lost love, young love, a legendary sword and one last opportunity at redemption, set against breathtaking action in an epic martial arts battle between good and evil that will decide the fate of the Martial World.

//cdn.themis-media.com/media/global/images/library/deriv/1015/1015849.jpg

Source: Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdhvxJZDqzU]

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[Scarim Coral]

Wait, they're speaking English???

Yeah I kinda agreed that it does look kinda cheap compared to the original film and even then the music used for the trailer wasn't that great (bad choice). Even then I kinda find that film overrated (Hero was where it was at)!

 

[Casual Shinji]

So no subtitles this time around, huh?

Looks fine, nice over the top "kung-fu" action that doesn't appear too floaty, and yeah, Michelle Yeoh's back, so bonus points for that. Don't know how much a sequel could add though. What I liked about the original was that the end was rather conclussive; Everybody lost.

 

[LysanderNemoinis]

Guess I'm going to be the only person who thought the music was pretty damn cool. Better than the original, actually.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Wait, they're speaking English???

In the original the dub version has the actors lips sync correctly to the English speech.
It could be Ang Lee being Ang Lee again, or it could be that they're just speaking English.

I'm not sure about this, the only question left in the first was whether or not Jen and Lo got their peaceful life together or if she face planted into the base of a mountain at mach 1 and left a red splodge in the mist for Lo to grieve over.

Answering that would be like answering the end of Blade Runner or Inception definitively, it just shouldn't be done.

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

Argh! What's with all the CGI!? The original had beautiful, meticulously crafted cinematography (thanks to Ang Lee). This has average CGI instead.

 

[Draconalis]

It's been a long since since I've watched Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon....
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But didn't everyone in that movie die?

 

[Darth Rosenberg]

So, an allegorical, poetic, profoundly intelligent, character driven intimately epic/epically intimate masterpiece with a classic score gets reduced to being a trump card for a streaming service? In English, with a smaller budget, and some CG?

Yeaaahno...

Michelle Yeoh has always been worth watching, though, so it might - at least - be good to see her character return.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

It's been a long since since I've watched Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon....
....
...

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....


But didn't everyone in that movie die?

Everyone except for Michelle Yeoh and that desert bandit.

 

[Somebloke]

I wonder if the viewer gets handed a game controller for that pagoda scene.

 

[RedRockRun]

I never cared for the original - a bunch of overrated eye candy in my opinion.

 

[SecondPrize]

I love Michelle Yeoh and the first movie but what they did to that song is a crime against humanity.

 

[hermes]

Wait, they're speaking English???

Yeah I kinda agreed that it does look kinda cheap compared to the original film and even then the music used for the trailer wasn't that great (bad choice). Even then I kinda find that film overrated (Hero was where it was at)!

Yeah, I agree.

As someone that has seen a fair amount of Hong Kong movies before Crouching Tiger, I feel that movie wasn't that great. Good, but not great (as you said, Hero was better). I think most critics got their minds blown off because they haven't seen much of the genre before.

 

[maninahat]

Wait, they're speaking English???

Yeah I kinda agreed that it does look kinda cheap compared to the original film and even then the music used for the trailer wasn't that great (bad choice). Even then I kinda find that film overrated (Hero was where it was at)!

Probably for the best. The whole Mandarin dialogue from the first movie was poorly received by anyone who could speak Mandarin, so they might as well let the actors speak English (or dub it).

It looks....eh? I want it to be good, but the special effects on that pagoda fight look shockingly shit. Meanwhile there is a lot of emphasis on the fighting, whereas the original film had surprisingly little (being more interested in using its characters to explore free-will vs propriety and sexism). They've got Michelle Yeoh and the sword in it, which is good, but I don't think they know how to use both.

 

[Fox12]

Was an electronica version of Bad Moon Rising really the best choice for this?

I haven't seen the original, but I suppose I need to go check it out. I've been assured that it's quite a phenomenal film.

 

[happyninja42]

It's been a long since since I've watched Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon....
....
...

...


....


But didn't everyone in that movie die?

Everyone except for Michelle Yeoh and that desert bandit.

I would argue that the young woman didn't die either, as she just jumped off a waterfall. Which you know, considering all the crazy flying stuff they could do in that movie, doesn't mean anything fatal happened. She flew down off of heights all the time in that movie. She just, left, in my opinion. To go "walk the earth" or whatever after learning how much damage she caused.

 

[gphjr14]

Aside from the music I'm looking forward to this.

Just one question is this some sort of prequel because I thought the original was set in the Qing Dynasty? Judging from the lack of shaved foreheads and ponytails this appears to take place during a different era of Chinese history.

 

[happyninja42]

Aside from the music I'm looking forward to this.

Just one question is this some sort of prequel because I thought the original was set in the Qing Dynasty? Judging from the lack of shaved foreheads and ponytails this appears to take place during a different era of Chinese history.

Considering it will be hard to make Michelle Yeoh look like she's what, 20 years younger for the length of an entire movie, I'm guessing it's not going to be a prequel. It's likely going to be following what she's now doing after going off on her own, with the sword.

 

[Kenjitsuka]

Feb 26th?
I had the release in my agenda for months, and that expired like 6 weeks ago...

So, now I know what the flip is going on; rescheduled. Not gonna watch the trailer, just the movie is fine for me (I hope!). :\

 

[LordMonty]

Bar the song i really want this. The first film was beautiful.