Over the years he has tackled a range of themes and worked with a variety of people, and already in his early career he had shown a flexibility and artistry beyond the norm. In 2000, Lee completed a movie set against the backdrop of traditional Chinese wuxia (martial arts-chivalry) stories, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
影片題材多樣、合作對象廣泛，李安在導演生涯初期便展現出他過人的工作彈性與藝術功力。2000 年，李安完成以傳統中國武俠為背景的《臥虎藏龍》。