The consensus is strongly positive, with praise centred on how Ang Lee brings romantic feeling into the martial arts action. Most critics admire the grace and invention of the fight choreography, treating the combat as part of the characters’ emotional lives rather than a break from them. The landscape photography and visual craft also draw praise, while Zhang Ziyi receives particular attention among a cast admired for both restraint and physical energy.
The reviews differ more in emphasis than in judgement, and the supplied summaries contain no substantial objections. The New York Times stresses the comedy of manners, intrigue and playful silliness; Variety finds intelligence and humour within the melodrama. Elsewhere, the emphasis falls on frustrated love, the handling of genre conventions and the connection between action and character. Enthusiasm varies in degree, but there is no clear dissent from the film’s combination of romance and combat.