A sensation upon release, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon combined the fluid, gravity defying action of Chinese Wuxia films with the drama specialized in by director Ang Lee. This hybrid led to a series of worthwhile Martial Arts epics (Hero, House of Flying Daggers) getting respectable releases in North America. Helped immeasurably by the high flying action choreography of Yuen Woo-Ping, Lee brought together several generations of notable Chinese actors to bring his story – about the search for an ancient sword and the attempted corruption of a young girl – to life. Terrific performances from the leads, including Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Ziyi Zhang and Pei-pei Cheng (Come Drink With Me).