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And like last time a thief in the night comes to yank it away. There sits the sword, Green McGuffin – I mean, Green Destiny – just as before. Our returning hero Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh) is en route to Beijing after the death of the governor. It’s been 18 years since Jen Yu leapt into the clouds at Mount Wudang, and various malevolent forces have been waiting to strike. This does not explain, however, why it is so terrible. Indeed, it was a bigger deal in the west than in China, which may explain why its follow-up, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny, is shot in English. The film advanced to suburban multiplexes, shattering (and still holding) box office records for a foreign language film in the United States. With its nuanced characters, epic mythology, gorgeous cinematography, breathless action, iconic score (I can go on! It’s terrific!) word of mouth was unstoppable.

But at the 15-minute mark it cut loose with dreamlike martial arts action to rouse even the most jaded of kung fu VHS traders.

From the director of Sense and Sensibility, this international co-production seemed like a film for the so-called prestige audience, in the vein of Ju Dou or Raise the Red Lantern. Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was, at its release in late 2000, one of those rare moments in moviegoing when everyone seemed to agree.