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Paling in comparison to its predecessor in every conceivable way, Sword of Destiny is a lazy sequel that never justifies its own cynical existence. Read critic reviews

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Movie Info

A martial arts master (Michelle Yeoh) assembles a band of fighters to protect a legendary sword from a warlord (Jason Scott Lee) and his clan.
  • Rating:
    PG-13 (Martial Arts Violence|Brief Partial Nudity)
  • Genre:
    action, sports and fitness, adventure
  • Original Language:
    English
  • Director:
    Yuen Wo-Ping
  • Producer:
    Charlie Nguyen, Peter Berg
  • Writer:
    John Fusco
  • Release Date (Streaming):
  • Runtime:

Cast & Crew

Donnie Yen
Meng Sizhao, Silent Wolf
Michelle Yeoh
Yu Shu Lien
Harry Shum Jr.
Wei Fang
Natasha Liu Bordizzo
Snow Vase
Jason Scott Lee
Hades Dai
Eugenia Yuan
Blind Enchantress
Roger Yuan
Iron Crow
JuJu Chan
Silver Dart Shi
Chris Pang
Flying Blade
Woon Young Park
Thunder Fist
Yuen Wo-Ping
Director
John Fusco
Screenwriter
Charlie Nguyen
Producer
Peter Berg
Producer
Newton Thomas Sigel
Cinematographer
Jeff Betancourt
Film Editor
Shigeru Umebayashi
Original Music
Grant Major
Production Design
Daniel Birt
Set Decoration
Ngila Dickson
Costume Designer
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Critic Reviews for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny

All Critics (35) | Top Critics (8) | Fresh (7) | Rotten (28)

View All Critic Reviews (35)

Audience Reviews for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny

  • Apr 19, 2016
    What made the first Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon movie so spectacular was its innovation, beauty and intricacy. Ang Lee broke into the ranks as a serious threat of movie making with it thanks to his seamless blend of drama, heart, and action. Which is why it's unfortunate a semi-respected martial-arts director like Woo-ping Yuen failed in nearly every one of those categories in the second go-around nobody really asked for or saw as necessary. Though Michelle Yeoh returns to add authenticity to this being a direct sequel, most all the other actors are plucked from obscurity or asked to mail in a performance, like Donnie Yen or Jason Scott Lee, to put some heft into an otherwise bland cast. What disrupts the integrity of the movie more-so than the clunky storytelling is the fact it was all done in English with Chinese dub. The story is as much of a rehash as last time without the pomp or frill of an excellent drama. With Sword of Destiny, the dialogue is cheesy, the rhythm of the film is staccato, and believing in these characters because less enthralling the further along the movie progresses. But the beauty is still there. Sweeping screenshots of the beautiful landscapes with crisp sound effects and spectacular weapon design at least give you the small resemblance of being back in this world from so long ago. The martial arts seem pretty standard when compared to the first movie (some might even say lesser than the first), but I was still glued to the TV during the ice-lake fight. When it really comes down to it, the appeal to make a sequel outweighed the sense to do it. We are left with a pretty hollow story line that fails to make its point ring true. A prequel with all new actors (or even the same) or an entirely different take on this "Iron Way" would have at least allowed the filmmakers to stand apart from the first instead of cowering under its immense shadow.
    Lane Z Super Reviewer
  • Mar 05, 2016
    The solid script doesn't try to be a mere copy of Ang Lee's masterpiece (despite a few similar moments here and there), while the visuals are dazzling and the fighting scenes spectacular, although the excess of CGI kills some of the fun and the film ends in a lame last scene.
    Carlos M Super Reviewer
  • Feb 27, 2016
    This movie did not feel Chinese at all. From the very obviously non-Asian forest scenes, to the fact that the actors were all speaking English, to an American-sitcom-feeling fight scene where precious Ming vases teeter precariously around the the two young leads, to Donnie Yen looking like a friggin' COWBOY in his leather hat and bandanna getup... My favourite part about the movie was seeing Harry Shum Jr. in an unexpectedly legit-looking Chinese role -- good on you man! And the young female lead was really pretty and took her role seriously (even if I found it hard to take her seriously with her Australian accent) and I look forward to seeing her in other roles. More complaints: It felt like bits were being taken from generic fantasy tropes (annoyingly, Western generic fantasy tropes) like the creepy priestess in Game of Thrones, and a motley crew of good guy sidekicks who excel more in witty banter than actual fighting. There's also a forgettable main villain and forgettable people who want vengeance against him. Most people in this movie needed to learn how to pronounce Chinese words properly -- much of it was cringeworthy. Bleah. I'm bored with writing this review already.
    Letitia L Super Reviewer
  • Feb 26, 2016
    Big shoes to fill and missing the brilliant Ang Lee behind the scenes. The first was a beautiful film with a very strong story, this one lacks a story and a strong visual force. I expected a strong sequel but felt the Weinsteins didn't invest in the story. Donnie Yen sounded great as the replacement lead character but we don't uncover much from his character. The fight scenes are impressive, as is the last confrontation. I would like another sequel to follow this one, exploring characters and focusing on the strengths of the first film. Being a belated sequel you can't help but feel slightly disappointed.
    Brendan N Super Reviewer
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