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Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
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Critic Consensus: No consensus yet.
All Critics (32) | Top Critics (3) | Fresh (6) | Rotten (26)
This martial-arts mediocrity has airborne warriors aplenty but remains a dispiritingly leaden affair with its mechanical storytelling, purely functional action sequences and clunky English-language performances.
With all of the first film's startling beauty and emotional subtlety lost, even Sword of Destiny's established stars look uninspired in their roles.
While Sword of Destiny looks tremendous and the fight scenes are giddy fun, you can't help but get the sensation that something is missing.
Nostalgia is nice, but Netflix should just focus on making better content.
The Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon sequel Sword of Destiny isn't as thoughtful as its predecessor, but its fight sequences will hold your attention.
The sequel is directed by Yuen Woo-Ping, who choreographed the fight scenes in the original... he's not as prestigious as Lee, and has fewer awards, but the man knows his kung fu.
It's not offensively bad. It's a kid's meal -- safe, but grown-ups will tire of it quickly.
It's true that not many were pleading for a Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon sequel, especially one that arrived about 15 years too late, but they made one anyway, bless them.
With the original's wondrous, naturalist cinematography so clearly burned into the memory, it's difficult not to make an unfavorable comparison.
While it's also adapted from Wang Dulu's five-part Crane-Iron novel series, the new film ... feels like a slapdash piece of fan fiction.
The story just isn't as captivating as it needs to be.
By the climax, the action has been reduced to interminable sequences of people banging their swords together and occasionally being ejaculated into the air like digital snowflakes.
Lackluster retread, yes. But I think I would watch a whole film of Michelle Yeoh simply thinking. Or changing her socks. Her scenes with Donnie hint at what this could've been.
Super Reviewer
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.
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.
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.
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