Movie Review Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon Sword of Destiny 2016 Film

Taking a page from the cynical Hollywood book that hoists sequels no one wants (Terminator Salvation, Grown Ups 2) onto moviegoers, The Weinstein Company teams up with China Film Group, China’s biggest producer, for a continuation of the saga started in 2000's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. It’s never a good sign when exhibitor chains and distributors make it difficult to find a movie, or better yet cancel early (paid) preview screenings, and so the harbingers for action director and choreographer-turned-filmmaker Yuen Woo-ping’s sequel to Ang Lee’s Oscar-winner are ominous to say the least. Set for wide release in Hong Kong and China a week before its Netflix premiere and limited theatrical screenings in the U.S. at the end of February, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny seems primed to be greeted with broad indifference. Polished production and a fairly strong curiosity factor should earn the film minor box-office success in its “home” markets, but beyond that its status as a weak sequel to a niche film (regardless of a $200 million haul worldwide) will make for a stronger Netflix draw than a theatrical one.

Text Courtesy - Hollywood Reporter - read the full review on HollywoodReporter

Rating - 2 / 5 - Average

Distributor: Netflix, The Weinstein Company
Production companies: China Film Group, Pegasus Taihe Entertainment, The Weinstein Company, Yucaipa Films
Cast: Donnie Yen, Michelle Yeoh, Harry Shum Jr., Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Jason Scott Lee, Eugenia Yuan, Roger Yuan, Juju Chan, Chris Pang, Woon Young Park, Darryl Quon
Director: Yuen Woo-ping
Screenwriter: John Fusco, based on the book by Wang Dulu
Producers: Charlie Nguyen, Peter Berg
Executive producers: La Peikang, Jay Sun, Morten Tyldum, Ron Burke, Ted Sarandos, Pauline Fischer, Sarah Bowen, Bob Weinstein, Anthony W.F. Wong, David C. Glasser, Sarah Aubrey, Ralph Winter, David Thwaites, Jeff Betancourt
Director of photography: Newton Thomas Sigel
Production designer: Grant Major
Costume designer: Ngila Dickson
Editor: Jeff Betancourt
Music: Shigeru Umebayashi
Casting: Mary Vernieu, Marisol Roncali, Tina Cleary, Miranda Rivers
World sales: The Weinstein Company

Rated PG-13, 102 minutes