Some reviewers have suggested that the storyline of this movie is a bit plodding and portentous, and I'd be willing to allow that. But even if this film had absolutely no plot to speak of, I would have considered the money I plunked down yesterday to see "Hero" to be money well-spent, because I have been witness to some of the most achingly beautiful film-making I've ever seen. As in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," the characters here fly through the air and dance across water, but "Crouching Tiger" surely could have benefited from the sublime camera eye of "Hero." One scene of swordplay in particular that takes place in a grove of trees amongst swirling yellow leaves almost stopped my heart in my chest: It was that gorgeous. And yes, there is a plot also, one that involves various assassins with names like Sky, and Broken Sword, and Flying Snow. I have to admit that the tales and counter-tales told were a bit confusing at first, but by the time the film is over, all the pieces have fallen into place, and this chapter of ancient Chinese history has assumed a truly mythical quality. At a time when movie theaters show a lot of utter dreck, we ought to be supporting movies like this.
907 Reviews
No Man is an Island...
Xstal12 October 2022
It's a story of a man who's on a mission, without regret, without remorse, without contrition, has a plan that he'll pursue, resolute to follow through, with attrition and ambitious acquisition.
Comprising, but not limited to outstanding duelling with a variety of razor sharp implements and tongues, a kaleidoscopic background of intense colour and beauty, several tangents to keep you on your toes, an immense scale that befits the telling of such a story with an elegance seldom encountered in Western culture when it comes to films of this time and age, buttressed through outstanding performances by the lead actors all round - outstanding.
Comprising, but not limited to outstanding duelling with a variety of razor sharp implements and tongues, a kaleidoscopic background of intense colour and beauty, several tangents to keep you on your toes, an immense scale that befits the telling of such a story with an elegance seldom encountered in Western culture when it comes to films of this time and age, buttressed through outstanding performances by the lead actors all round - outstanding.
Excellent
mrwiseguy22 January 2003
While i enjoyed this movie very much, i believe Hero will get the kinds of reviews and responses that Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (CTHD) did, and still does, ie. either you liked it very much, or you couldn't see what the fuss was all about. This dichotomy of opinions makes for interesting study because it seems to cut across cultural and intellectual differences. Everywhere the film is shown, there will a segment of the audience that will love and rave about it, and another segment that will be wondering if they had been watching the same movie. I can't explain why this is so, but i suspect it has a lot to do with a viewer's initial expectation of the movie, and then his perception and appreciation of the nuances in the telling of the storyline.
Hero is a film that is beautiful in many aspects. The direction and photography is artsy without being pretentious. Every shot is worthy of being a work of art in itself. The language spoken is traditional mandarin, but oh, so easy to the ear, even though i couldn't understand every word. (I don't think Tony's and Maggie's voices were dubbed, but i could be mistaken). The main characters were very well acted out, especially that of the role of the Qin Emperor. Zhang Ziyi's character was largely insignificant though, so i think she's been put in to add some star power to the production. The fighting scenes are unusual by most standards, employing an interesting combination of CGI and real action. Some of the powers that the characters possess appear too amazing to be true, but remember that some of the fights only took place in the fighters' imagination. The music, though quite similar to that in CTHD, is appropriate, and sticks hauntingly to the back of your mind long after the movie is over.
I went to the cinema having heard some of the hype leading to the movie, but with no real knowledge of the storyline, and not expecting a lot. I think that helped me enjoy the movie more, because the way the story unfolded actually set me thinking and anticipating in a manner that i could not have had i known more about the storyline. The message at the end of the movie is simple, but certainly open for debate. In fairness, i don't think the director attempted to provide an answer, as to whether the decision made by the Nameless One was the correct one or not, but rather to ask questions. I'd better not give out too much here, but it certainly set me thinking about things for a little while after the show had ended. These days, any movie that can get me pondering after the credits go down has got to be pretty good.
Overall an excellent movie. I'm sure some areas could be better, but i can't think of any right now. Highly recommended.
Score: 8.5/10
Hero is a film that is beautiful in many aspects. The direction and photography is artsy without being pretentious. Every shot is worthy of being a work of art in itself. The language spoken is traditional mandarin, but oh, so easy to the ear, even though i couldn't understand every word. (I don't think Tony's and Maggie's voices were dubbed, but i could be mistaken). The main characters were very well acted out, especially that of the role of the Qin Emperor. Zhang Ziyi's character was largely insignificant though, so i think she's been put in to add some star power to the production. The fighting scenes are unusual by most standards, employing an interesting combination of CGI and real action. Some of the powers that the characters possess appear too amazing to be true, but remember that some of the fights only took place in the fighters' imagination. The music, though quite similar to that in CTHD, is appropriate, and sticks hauntingly to the back of your mind long after the movie is over.
I went to the cinema having heard some of the hype leading to the movie, but with no real knowledge of the storyline, and not expecting a lot. I think that helped me enjoy the movie more, because the way the story unfolded actually set me thinking and anticipating in a manner that i could not have had i known more about the storyline. The message at the end of the movie is simple, but certainly open for debate. In fairness, i don't think the director attempted to provide an answer, as to whether the decision made by the Nameless One was the correct one or not, but rather to ask questions. I'd better not give out too much here, but it certainly set me thinking about things for a little while after the show had ended. These days, any movie that can get me pondering after the credits go down has got to be pretty good.
Overall an excellent movie. I'm sure some areas could be better, but i can't think of any right now. Highly recommended.
Score: 8.5/10
Haunting beauty and provocative message
rserrano2 January 2005
Hero is noteworthy on at least two counts.
First, there are scenes of haunting beauty("Duel in the yellow forest" and "Turquoise autumn" to site a couple) that, like the best of impressionist paintings, are so affecting that you will forever see the world in a slightly different way having once beheld them.
Secondly, the overall message of the film is a provocative one. The claim is that a degree of human casualties and suffering may be the optimal path to a better world, especially when the alternative is equally brutal chaos. This is not a popular theme. It has become much more fashionable to be anti-war in all cases. And understandably so, since variations of this logic have often been used in the past to justify atrocities. But the film provides a crisp litmus test for avoiding delusion: action must be taken with a heart void of malice and an unwavering commitment to the broadest possible ultimate outcome of good for all. Can anyone live up to this standard? Several characters in the movie do, each in their own way. If the standard could be met, would the world be a better place? These are questions worth reflecting on that have not been dealt with, to this depth, in any film I'm aware of.
First, there are scenes of haunting beauty("Duel in the yellow forest" and "Turquoise autumn" to site a couple) that, like the best of impressionist paintings, are so affecting that you will forever see the world in a slightly different way having once beheld them.
Secondly, the overall message of the film is a provocative one. The claim is that a degree of human casualties and suffering may be the optimal path to a better world, especially when the alternative is equally brutal chaos. This is not a popular theme. It has become much more fashionable to be anti-war in all cases. And understandably so, since variations of this logic have often been used in the past to justify atrocities. But the film provides a crisp litmus test for avoiding delusion: action must be taken with a heart void of malice and an unwavering commitment to the broadest possible ultimate outcome of good for all. Can anyone live up to this standard? Several characters in the movie do, each in their own way. If the standard could be met, would the world be a better place? These are questions worth reflecting on that have not been dealt with, to this depth, in any film I'm aware of.
An Academic Perspective
Thalia11529 August 2004
A few things about this film struck me. My background coming into it is as an East Asian Studies major - I studied the language, culture, literature, film, history, religion, and politics of China. This was all done in undergrad so I am by no means the last word on the subject.
First of all, I noticed heavy use of Daoist symbols. The five elements were used - one per fight - fire, wind, water, wood, and metal. A message in the film seemed to show the Daoist idea that the harder you try, the worse you do, as Moon did in her fights. On the other hand, if you can go with the Dao (think: Use the force, Luke), you will succeed.
Second, I did not know before watching the film that it was Zhang Yimou's. His films are often critical of the Chinese Communist Party and sometimes have deep allegorical meaning. Some of his films are banned in China. Hero, on the other hand, seemed to be intensely nationalistic. Lately in China, the communist government has promoted nationalism (instead of populist Communist values as they did pre-1976) with a great degree of success. The use of the word "Tianxia" (literally "all under heaven," translated in the movie was "Our Land") seems Confucian and nationalistic at the same time. Although I would have not guessed this film was by Zhang Yimou from the plot or message, the cinematography was unmistakable. Hero eerily reminded me of another film, Yellow Earth (Huang Tudi), which Zhang Yimou did not direct but for which he did the cinematography.
Third, historically, Hero lacked in a few very obvious places. The Qin Emperor, Qin Shi Huang, was legendary for his fear of death and his Machiavellian rule. When his character states that he no longer fears death because of Broken Sword's words and invites Nameless to kill him, he is entirely breaking with the true historical figure of the emperor. Remember, this is the emperor who built an entire terracotta army to protect him from his enemies in death and spent a lot of money and effort looking for the secret to reach immortality. He was known for a Confucian philosophy spin-off known as Legalism, which is very similar to Western Machiavellianism. While his quick mind (or his advisor's) might have figured out Nameless's plot, he would never have hesitated in executing him.
Overall, this seems like a break from the usual genre one would expect from Zhang Yimou. I am not sure exactly what message he is trying to convey with this film, other than an endorsement of Chinese nationalism and perhaps Daoism as well.
First of all, I noticed heavy use of Daoist symbols. The five elements were used - one per fight - fire, wind, water, wood, and metal. A message in the film seemed to show the Daoist idea that the harder you try, the worse you do, as Moon did in her fights. On the other hand, if you can go with the Dao (think: Use the force, Luke), you will succeed.
Second, I did not know before watching the film that it was Zhang Yimou's. His films are often critical of the Chinese Communist Party and sometimes have deep allegorical meaning. Some of his films are banned in China. Hero, on the other hand, seemed to be intensely nationalistic. Lately in China, the communist government has promoted nationalism (instead of populist Communist values as they did pre-1976) with a great degree of success. The use of the word "Tianxia" (literally "all under heaven," translated in the movie was "Our Land") seems Confucian and nationalistic at the same time. Although I would have not guessed this film was by Zhang Yimou from the plot or message, the cinematography was unmistakable. Hero eerily reminded me of another film, Yellow Earth (Huang Tudi), which Zhang Yimou did not direct but for which he did the cinematography.
Third, historically, Hero lacked in a few very obvious places. The Qin Emperor, Qin Shi Huang, was legendary for his fear of death and his Machiavellian rule. When his character states that he no longer fears death because of Broken Sword's words and invites Nameless to kill him, he is entirely breaking with the true historical figure of the emperor. Remember, this is the emperor who built an entire terracotta army to protect him from his enemies in death and spent a lot of money and effort looking for the secret to reach immortality. He was known for a Confucian philosophy spin-off known as Legalism, which is very similar to Western Machiavellianism. While his quick mind (or his advisor's) might have figured out Nameless's plot, he would never have hesitated in executing him.
Overall, this seems like a break from the usual genre one would expect from Zhang Yimou. I am not sure exactly what message he is trying to convey with this film, other than an endorsement of Chinese nationalism and perhaps Daoism as well.
My All-Time Favorite Chinese Film
brandon_veracka23 August 2018
"Hero" is a visually stunning film which tells a wonderful story. It is centered around three men-a swordsman, an emperor, and a calligrapher-who are incredibly passionate and driven. All of the main characters, including the supporting female roles, are easy to relate to. Although the story is slow-paced and projects an air of calm, it has this certain sense of urgency that will never leave you feeling bored. In this way it's unlike-and maybe even the polar opposite of-every kung fu movie I've ever seen.
I was told Hero was the most expensive movie China had ever made (at that time), and in this case, the money went to good use. With its superb direction, cinematography, and soundtrack, this film will certainly stick out among the typically fast-paced, action-heavy films from China.
One thing that will stand out about this film is its use of color, which many of its reviewers rightfully praised. Without spoiling anything, how color is used to tell this story is both visually beautiful and psychologically intriguing. Combined with its incredible soundtrack, it will very likely have artistically-inclined viewers agape and speechless. In the very least, "Hero" is a feast for the senses-like a fireworks show of color and sound. At its best, it is a wonderful story about nationalism, self-examination, and love which is told in an unusually beautiful fashion.
As many will tell you, if you liked "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", you're likely to enjoy this just as much-especially if you liked the quieter, more introspective scenes in that film. Because there is so little to compare it to, "Hero" is a difficult film to review. However, that only gives you another reason to give it a chance. And finally, it must be said that this is Jet Li at his very best.
I was told Hero was the most expensive movie China had ever made (at that time), and in this case, the money went to good use. With its superb direction, cinematography, and soundtrack, this film will certainly stick out among the typically fast-paced, action-heavy films from China.
One thing that will stand out about this film is its use of color, which many of its reviewers rightfully praised. Without spoiling anything, how color is used to tell this story is both visually beautiful and psychologically intriguing. Combined with its incredible soundtrack, it will very likely have artistically-inclined viewers agape and speechless. In the very least, "Hero" is a feast for the senses-like a fireworks show of color and sound. At its best, it is a wonderful story about nationalism, self-examination, and love which is told in an unusually beautiful fashion.
As many will tell you, if you liked "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", you're likely to enjoy this just as much-especially if you liked the quieter, more introspective scenes in that film. Because there is so little to compare it to, "Hero" is a difficult film to review. However, that only gives you another reason to give it a chance. And finally, it must be said that this is Jet Li at his very best.
The best martial arts film ever made
rcropperUK24 February 2004
Rarely have I been so astounded by such a magnificent, awe-inspiring film. If you have not yet placed your eyes on this masterpiece of Chinese cinema then I cannot recommend this film highly enough. 'Hero' is by far the best Chinese film I have ever seen, and already a firm favourite of all time.
The imagery is unparallelled, simply draw-droppingly near perfect scenes, with bold and vibrant use of colour, symbolism and scenery. The fluent flow of the storyline, the delicate direction of the sword slicing action, the Chinese cultural concepts and the emotionally charged scenes between characters combine to produce a simply remarkable achievement.
This film has a few elements from Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, but is far, far superior in every way. The sleek direction from Yimou Zhang is so perfectly done, just imagine two martial arts experts ensuing in battle against each other, defying the laws of physics as we know it, and yet following them in 360 degrees in slow motion as one deflects a droplet of rain from one sword to the other, at the same time spinning and leaping over water... simply beautiful. The attack sequences are also superbly set, with hundreds of thousands of the King's warriors in formation, simultaneously firing enough arrows into the city which literally cover the sky, in addition to the viewer being able to watch the journey of a single arrowhead aimed during this event. The build up to the attack along with the unnerving tune of a Chinese stringed instrument help you, as the audience, to become firmly engrossed in your seat.
The individual martial arts is also second to none, for myself particularly to see the distant shots of the whole battle sequence showing the true skills involved with fighting, such as footwork, perfect timing,aggression, counter attacks and defence. Jet Li shows he is truly the grand daddy of martial arts. I cannot stress enough how much you need this film in your life.
The colourful imagery imposed by the director will take your breath away with luscious, vivid, bright, wind-blown,draped backgrounds as the setting for the important progression of the story. Even the story itself is brought to the audience in such a way which ensures your undivided attention, as there are twists in the tales and hidden plots which do not develop until the end of the film.Even short individual scenes are memorable due to their sheer awesome display of skill and speed.
This film even holds a political message which is relevant to all times, especially in today's American-lead world dominance. This film has absolutely everything - including an extremely sexy young Ziyi Zhang who simply is the biggest hype to come out of china since SARS.
This film was released in 2002, but this is certainly one of my all time favourites and will probably be the best film I see all year. I have never been more enthusiastic to pursue films in this genre in my life. For more action type enthusiasts who like more gore and violence check out 'Ong Bak', but for people who appreciate a fuller, visionary piece of martial arts filming, this will leave you speechless.
The imagery is unparallelled, simply draw-droppingly near perfect scenes, with bold and vibrant use of colour, symbolism and scenery. The fluent flow of the storyline, the delicate direction of the sword slicing action, the Chinese cultural concepts and the emotionally charged scenes between characters combine to produce a simply remarkable achievement.
This film has a few elements from Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, but is far, far superior in every way. The sleek direction from Yimou Zhang is so perfectly done, just imagine two martial arts experts ensuing in battle against each other, defying the laws of physics as we know it, and yet following them in 360 degrees in slow motion as one deflects a droplet of rain from one sword to the other, at the same time spinning and leaping over water... simply beautiful. The attack sequences are also superbly set, with hundreds of thousands of the King's warriors in formation, simultaneously firing enough arrows into the city which literally cover the sky, in addition to the viewer being able to watch the journey of a single arrowhead aimed during this event. The build up to the attack along with the unnerving tune of a Chinese stringed instrument help you, as the audience, to become firmly engrossed in your seat.
The individual martial arts is also second to none, for myself particularly to see the distant shots of the whole battle sequence showing the true skills involved with fighting, such as footwork, perfect timing,aggression, counter attacks and defence. Jet Li shows he is truly the grand daddy of martial arts. I cannot stress enough how much you need this film in your life.
The colourful imagery imposed by the director will take your breath away with luscious, vivid, bright, wind-blown,draped backgrounds as the setting for the important progression of the story. Even the story itself is brought to the audience in such a way which ensures your undivided attention, as there are twists in the tales and hidden plots which do not develop until the end of the film.Even short individual scenes are memorable due to their sheer awesome display of skill and speed.
This film even holds a political message which is relevant to all times, especially in today's American-lead world dominance. This film has absolutely everything - including an extremely sexy young Ziyi Zhang who simply is the biggest hype to come out of china since SARS.
This film was released in 2002, but this is certainly one of my all time favourites and will probably be the best film I see all year. I have never been more enthusiastic to pursue films in this genre in my life. For more action type enthusiasts who like more gore and violence check out 'Ong Bak', but for people who appreciate a fuller, visionary piece of martial arts filming, this will leave you speechless.
Brilliant
DP-428 December 2004
Warning: Spoilers
Before I give my review, let me offer one suggestion that will help you appreciate this film. DO NOT SEE IT JUST ONCE. Watch it twice and then pass judgment. The film is so visually and artistically captivating that the plot can be harder to grasp the first time around. The second time around you'll get a better appreciation for the film.
I viewed this film with high expectations. People were comparing it with Crouching Tiger and I really enjoyed that film. Within the first 10 minutes you understand why the comparisons are made. The cinematography, editing, music and special effects are similar. The stories, however, are quite different, and I found the story to be better than the one in Crouching Tiger.
The story is about an assassin who concocts a plan to kill a king who had been trying to conquer his home land in pre-unified China. His assassination plan requires him to get close enough to the king to strike him dead. The movie shows the assassin's plan through a series of flashbacks, and culminates with the assassin getting his chance to kill the king.
The beauty of this film is the how the assassin becomes a "Hero". I won't spoil how he achieves this, but that is what made the film great for me. It made the film more than just a visual and musical masterpiece. It also made it more than just a Kung Fu picture. It actually added a decent plot to the film which made it worth while. Honestly, I was just expecting a good Kung Fu picture. Hero is actually a great overall movie which just happens to accent the film with some of the best Kung Fu action in recent years.
Definitely the best movie that I have seen this year. I hope it wins big at the awards ceremonies. It was impressive.
-- DP.
I viewed this film with high expectations. People were comparing it with Crouching Tiger and I really enjoyed that film. Within the first 10 minutes you understand why the comparisons are made. The cinematography, editing, music and special effects are similar. The stories, however, are quite different, and I found the story to be better than the one in Crouching Tiger.
The story is about an assassin who concocts a plan to kill a king who had been trying to conquer his home land in pre-unified China. His assassination plan requires him to get close enough to the king to strike him dead. The movie shows the assassin's plan through a series of flashbacks, and culminates with the assassin getting his chance to kill the king.
The beauty of this film is the how the assassin becomes a "Hero". I won't spoil how he achieves this, but that is what made the film great for me. It made the film more than just a visual and musical masterpiece. It also made it more than just a Kung Fu picture. It actually added a decent plot to the film which made it worth while. Honestly, I was just expecting a good Kung Fu picture. Hero is actually a great overall movie which just happens to accent the film with some of the best Kung Fu action in recent years.
Definitely the best movie that I have seen this year. I hope it wins big at the awards ceremonies. It was impressive.
-- DP.
A most beautifully questionable film
the_usual_suspect24 December 2004
After two years of hearing about the myth of the most expensive Chinese film ever made, Hero has finally floated on to British cinema screens. As it flies, it trails a coloured cloth that carries the film's numerous morals and messages which descend upon you like a soft layer of fabric. This is a film that can lift your spirits and have you laughing out in sheer joy as you gaze in wonder at the perfection of the mise-en-scene and cinematography. That is, if you let the film take you on a journey, without pondering the films questionable plot points.
Hero is two sides of a tale as presented by Nameless (Jet Li), a mere Prefect who defeated three deadly assassins, and the King of Qin (Daoming Chen), the man the assassins wished to kill. Nameless weaves his heroic though modest story of how he killed the assassins, but the King remains unconvinced, spinning his own version of how he believed events unfolded.
Director Yimou Zhang takes us through Nameless' story first, spreading the battle sequences thick, allowing them to take their own time. In the King's version, certain battles are then revised, which is remarkably brave considering that some battles are utter fabrications. In one such fictitious fight, in a faultlessly designed set, Nameless and Sky (Donnie Yen) close their eyes and fight out the battle within their minds. Screen time is being spent lavishly on showing how two characters contemplated a fight, whilst fighting each other in a battle that never occurred. It is confusing certainly, but perhaps Zhang wished for his audience to get lost in the plot's design so that they would not question the warrantability of half of the battle sequences, which make up most of the film.
Yet, it is difficult to ponder these details when they are made so utterly insignificant when viewing such a spectacle. The sheer beauty of the battles, the gentle floating of the assassins as they fly around their arenas (which range from a forest full of orange leafed trees, crisp leaves falling down to the ground like rain, to the crystal clear and calm of a mountain lake), the costumes of characters at varying stages in the story line (red for passion, green for youth, white for truth, blue for love), the amazing army scenes which feature thousands of arrows being fired into the sky to create a black cloud that descends right on top of the camera, all these elements combine to produce a faultlessly perfect image on the screen, each frame a worthy photograph that gently reminds you why cinema is the greatest art form of the twentieth century.
And characterisation is not lost in this beauty as one may have feared. Despite the irritating two dimensional performance of Zhang Ziyi as Moon, the other actors carry off fine performances, especially Tony Leung Chiu Wai as Broken Sword and Daoming Chen as the King. Their performances are especially credible as they are often drowning in the memories of the King and Nameless - they need to change slight mannerisms in order to reflect whose mind they are now in.
The script too is of an impressively high standard. The moments of clarity that the warriors feel are experienced by the audience also, and there are some very informed outlooks of the emptiness of warfare, communicating that to achieve peace, sometimes war is the only option. These messages of course seem fitting in our current times, underlining how ancient some of the methods of our governing body truly are.
Hero is undoubtedly a most beautiful and awe inspiring film. What it lacks in plot substance, it makes up for with structure and script. It elaborates on the ground work created by 'Crouching Tiger' and is an experience that I would encourage you to seek out, as long as you are willing to submit to the film and let it guide you through its world on its own terms.
Rating: 4/5
Hero is two sides of a tale as presented by Nameless (Jet Li), a mere Prefect who defeated three deadly assassins, and the King of Qin (Daoming Chen), the man the assassins wished to kill. Nameless weaves his heroic though modest story of how he killed the assassins, but the King remains unconvinced, spinning his own version of how he believed events unfolded.
Director Yimou Zhang takes us through Nameless' story first, spreading the battle sequences thick, allowing them to take their own time. In the King's version, certain battles are then revised, which is remarkably brave considering that some battles are utter fabrications. In one such fictitious fight, in a faultlessly designed set, Nameless and Sky (Donnie Yen) close their eyes and fight out the battle within their minds. Screen time is being spent lavishly on showing how two characters contemplated a fight, whilst fighting each other in a battle that never occurred. It is confusing certainly, but perhaps Zhang wished for his audience to get lost in the plot's design so that they would not question the warrantability of half of the battle sequences, which make up most of the film.
Yet, it is difficult to ponder these details when they are made so utterly insignificant when viewing such a spectacle. The sheer beauty of the battles, the gentle floating of the assassins as they fly around their arenas (which range from a forest full of orange leafed trees, crisp leaves falling down to the ground like rain, to the crystal clear and calm of a mountain lake), the costumes of characters at varying stages in the story line (red for passion, green for youth, white for truth, blue for love), the amazing army scenes which feature thousands of arrows being fired into the sky to create a black cloud that descends right on top of the camera, all these elements combine to produce a faultlessly perfect image on the screen, each frame a worthy photograph that gently reminds you why cinema is the greatest art form of the twentieth century.
And characterisation is not lost in this beauty as one may have feared. Despite the irritating two dimensional performance of Zhang Ziyi as Moon, the other actors carry off fine performances, especially Tony Leung Chiu Wai as Broken Sword and Daoming Chen as the King. Their performances are especially credible as they are often drowning in the memories of the King and Nameless - they need to change slight mannerisms in order to reflect whose mind they are now in.
The script too is of an impressively high standard. The moments of clarity that the warriors feel are experienced by the audience also, and there are some very informed outlooks of the emptiness of warfare, communicating that to achieve peace, sometimes war is the only option. These messages of course seem fitting in our current times, underlining how ancient some of the methods of our governing body truly are.
Hero is undoubtedly a most beautiful and awe inspiring film. What it lacks in plot substance, it makes up for with structure and script. It elaborates on the ground work created by 'Crouching Tiger' and is an experience that I would encourage you to seek out, as long as you are willing to submit to the film and let it guide you through its world on its own terms.
Rating: 4/5
martial arts masterpiece
ciarandino9 October 2012
Warning: Spoilers
This truly is one of the greatest films I have ever seen in my life. It is very much a masterpiece. It is a highly evocative and deep film. Everything is top-notch. The acting, the lighting, the visuals, the musical score, the choreography, everything is just so wonderful.
The movie is about China before it became a single united land and was a series of warring nations. A nameless warrior comes before the king of the nation Qin having slain his three greatest foes, the assassins known as Sky, Broken Sword and Snow. As he tells his story, however, the king works out that Nameless is lying to get closer to him, and the truth begins to unravel.
This is a film that makes you sympathize with all of the characters. The king of Qin, though at first he may appear to be little more than a tyrant, is eventually revealed as a man who longs for peace, peace that he wishes to achieve through uniting all the nations. You sympathize with the assassins because what they have gone through is harsh. It is understandable that they wish to kill the king of Qin because their nation has suffered because of him.
The score heightens the emotions of the film, and it is a very beautiful and touching score. The visuals are just stunning, and the movie uses locations, set pieces, choreography and colour spectacularly, and the results are a treat for the eyes.
This film is without a doubt a work of art and a masterpiece. Any-who, that's my review, so I must bid you adieu.
The movie is about China before it became a single united land and was a series of warring nations. A nameless warrior comes before the king of the nation Qin having slain his three greatest foes, the assassins known as Sky, Broken Sword and Snow. As he tells his story, however, the king works out that Nameless is lying to get closer to him, and the truth begins to unravel.
This is a film that makes you sympathize with all of the characters. The king of Qin, though at first he may appear to be little more than a tyrant, is eventually revealed as a man who longs for peace, peace that he wishes to achieve through uniting all the nations. You sympathize with the assassins because what they have gone through is harsh. It is understandable that they wish to kill the king of Qin because their nation has suffered because of him.
The score heightens the emotions of the film, and it is a very beautiful and touching score. The visuals are just stunning, and the movie uses locations, set pieces, choreography and colour spectacularly, and the results are a treat for the eyes.
This film is without a doubt a work of art and a masterpiece. Any-who, that's my review, so I must bid you adieu.
Beautiful.
Rex_Stephens13 December 2004
In all honesty, Hero required a bit more patience than I thought. Tarantino wanted to present this movie to North American audiences so I thought there would have been more action, but surprise! There is much drama in Hero and the movie begins with one intention and unfolds, in a deceptively beautiful fashion, into a legend that is much larger than the characters themselves are involved! Why did it have to take so long to prove such a point?
Anyway, a man who shall remain Nameless has dispatched the kingdom's three top assassins, thus easing the King's mind that he could sleep at night. But the King is curious and we see the true story and how the tale unfolds.
The fights are beautiful. The battle between Snow and Moon, though lopsided, was a joy. It was art in itself. But overall, be patient. With the many changes in the story, I lost my concentration adjusting to it. But any fan of martial arts and drama must see this movie. It is that elegant.
Anyway, a man who shall remain Nameless has dispatched the kingdom's three top assassins, thus easing the King's mind that he could sleep at night. But the King is curious and we see the true story and how the tale unfolds.
The fights are beautiful. The battle between Snow and Moon, though lopsided, was a joy. It was art in itself. But overall, be patient. With the many changes in the story, I lost my concentration adjusting to it. But any fan of martial arts and drama must see this movie. It is that elegant.
One of the best of its kind
TheLittleSongbird20 June 2011
There have been comparisons to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, these comparisons are perhaps inevitable, some say Crouching Tiger is superior, some say this is superior. I am not going to say which I prefer, both are masterpieces in their own way. The story is very gripping and diverting. While there are the underlying themes of love, betrayal and loyalty, there is one big theme that is explored very well even if a tad surprising, the defence of totalitarianism against the chaos and insecurities of freedom. As good as Jet Li is, as thoughtful the script is, as haunting the music is, as intriguing the characters are and as fine the direction is, it is the visuals and choreographed sequences that make the film. The cinematography is ravishingly gorgeous and the scenery is stunning with each scene more beautiful and inventive than the one before it, and in terms of effective scenes the highlights in my view are the battles in the rain-drenched chess arena and autumnal forest and the midair sword fight above a crystal lake. In conclusion, a beautiful and memorable film and one of the best of its kine. 10/10 Bethany Cox
Visually stunning, but overall disappointing
Bergmaniac11 May 2004
Warning: Spoilers
Yes, it's very beautiful, possibly the most visually stunning movie I've ever seen. But does this make it a great movie? NO, because it's really flawed in most of the other departments. The story is really boring, totally unrealistic and simplistic. The whole structure of the movie and the way in which the story is told is a complete ripoff of Kurosawa's "Rashomon". The fight scenes are way too long and so unrealistic they've got boring after 5 minutes. I mean, it's fun at first watching the fighters fly around with no explanation for it, but it gets old way too quickly.
And the message of the story is completely flawed. SPOILERS:
So it's OK to kill millions of people just to establish an empire?And the emperor supposedly does it only to make the people happier. Talk about being naive... END SPOILERS:
In conclusion, the only reason to see that is the amazing cinematography and music. But be prepared for a stupid and even ridiculous plot.
And the message of the story is completely flawed. SPOILERS:
So it's OK to kill millions of people just to establish an empire?And the emperor supposedly does it only to make the people happier. Talk about being naive... END SPOILERS:
In conclusion, the only reason to see that is the amazing cinematography and music. But be prepared for a stupid and even ridiculous plot.
the new China's "hero"
chinhinleung1 September 2004
The movie Hero has all the elements to appeal to two types of audience--some of the new Chinese middle class who are actually proud to be Chinese because of their nationalistic education and new wealth, and the sinophilles in the western world that surged in numbers post-crouching tiger hidden dragon, who either seeks thrill in Kungfu movies or in the exoticism of oriental culture/girls/customs or all of the above. As a poor student from Hongkong I do not qualify to be part of the target audience, and am quite disappointed by the filmmaker's misuse of a kickass cast, a large budget, and many interesting aspects of Chinese culture/history.
There are many cool concepts that were put into the movie, but are almost always mishandled: For example, the crossbowmen scene--the interesting posture the archers use to tighten their crossbow string was actually depicted in ancient military illustrations. Yet it was immediately marred by the horrible special effects showing the arrows flying into the city--which was too much exaggerated and definitely not nicely done. The use of different monotonal color schemes for different sections of the movie is also a very cool idea, but some of the monotonous building interior are simply ugly. The custom design is extravagant but have neither originality nor historic accuracy. The Qin soldiers rather looks like they are borrowing customs from the roman infantry in the "Gladiator".
Extolling the "hero" (Jet Li), who gave up the chance to kill the tyrant of Qin as he was convinced that Qin Dynasty would unite the whole China (which it did, if only for a few decades) and give the people peace (which it did not, nor was it likely the emperor's intention), director Zhang Yimou unnecessarily sings along with the political agenda of the Chinese government--to unite Taiwan with the People's Republic. The movie lauds the role of the Qin dynasty in uniting China, while ignoring the fact that Emperor Yinzheng was without doubt a tyrant--he enslaves people for his vast building projects, burnt books and buried intellectuals who disagree. Such things are of course encouraged to be forgotten in the new China, because analogous crimes are still being committed by the current government.
Hero's strong nationalistic sentiment and lack of taste might not be felt by the average western film-goer seeking a good kungfu fight scene or some artsy cinematography in an oriental setting. For everybody else
the earlier film "the Emperor and the Assassin" offers far superior treatment of the same story and is in every aspect (plot, customs, acting, cinematography, customs, sets--and the characters are actually human beings with emotions, not robots talking about building empires or fighting for humanity) a far better movie.
Were "hero" mainland China's answer to Ang Lee's "Crouching tiger", it is a very pathetic one. Sadly, though the film hardly gets any enthusiastic response from Chinese communities inside/outside mainland china, it is still a reflection of a force in contemporary Chinese culture that is rather twisted: a tendency to de-emphasize human conditions while glorifying national greatness and material wealth.
There are many cool concepts that were put into the movie, but are almost always mishandled: For example, the crossbowmen scene--the interesting posture the archers use to tighten their crossbow string was actually depicted in ancient military illustrations. Yet it was immediately marred by the horrible special effects showing the arrows flying into the city--which was too much exaggerated and definitely not nicely done. The use of different monotonal color schemes for different sections of the movie is also a very cool idea, but some of the monotonous building interior are simply ugly. The custom design is extravagant but have neither originality nor historic accuracy. The Qin soldiers rather looks like they are borrowing customs from the roman infantry in the "Gladiator".
Extolling the "hero" (Jet Li), who gave up the chance to kill the tyrant of Qin as he was convinced that Qin Dynasty would unite the whole China (which it did, if only for a few decades) and give the people peace (which it did not, nor was it likely the emperor's intention), director Zhang Yimou unnecessarily sings along with the political agenda of the Chinese government--to unite Taiwan with the People's Republic. The movie lauds the role of the Qin dynasty in uniting China, while ignoring the fact that Emperor Yinzheng was without doubt a tyrant--he enslaves people for his vast building projects, burnt books and buried intellectuals who disagree. Such things are of course encouraged to be forgotten in the new China, because analogous crimes are still being committed by the current government.
Hero's strong nationalistic sentiment and lack of taste might not be felt by the average western film-goer seeking a good kungfu fight scene or some artsy cinematography in an oriental setting. For everybody else
the earlier film "the Emperor and the Assassin" offers far superior treatment of the same story and is in every aspect (plot, customs, acting, cinematography, customs, sets--and the characters are actually human beings with emotions, not robots talking about building empires or fighting for humanity) a far better movie.
Were "hero" mainland China's answer to Ang Lee's "Crouching tiger", it is a very pathetic one. Sadly, though the film hardly gets any enthusiastic response from Chinese communities inside/outside mainland china, it is still a reflection of a force in contemporary Chinese culture that is rather twisted: a tendency to de-emphasize human conditions while glorifying national greatness and material wealth.
Impressive
simon_booth10 May 2003
It sounded like a HK Cinema fan's ultimate wet dream... Zhang Yimou to direct a martial arts epic with Jet Li, Maggie Cheung, Leung Chiu Wai, Zhang Ziyi and Donnie Yen in the cast, Ching Siu-Tung doing the action, Christopher Doyle the cinematography and Emil Wada the costumes. What more could you ask for? (Well, Brigitte Lin coming out of retirement and Yuen Wo Ping and Sammo Hung sharing the action director credits, perhaps).
I guess we have CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON to thank for making the wu xia world bankable again, and generating the interest and investment required to bring a project of this stature together. There's no doubt that the US Market was a major target, and US$ went into the funding. Given this it's a tragedy that Yimou let Miramax get their paws on it and effectively ruin any chances it had of major US success
Apart from Zhang Ziyi and the Tan Dun soundtrack (a terrible choice no doubt enforced by US investors), CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON is not a good reference point by which to evaluate HERO. Much more appropriate is Wong Kar Wai's ASHES OF TIME, with which it shares two lead actors and a cinematographer. HERO is definitely more commercially oriented, but shares a beauty and philosophical richness with AOT, and a certain melancholy mood.
The story of HERO starts off quite simply, as Jet Li begins to recount his martial triumphs to the Emperor of Qin. The tale is told in flashbacks which revisit and re-evaluate the same events, elaborating on and changing the story as we learn more. It's reminiscent of Akira Kurosawa's RASHOMON, and is a great way of developing a mystery thriller. Zhang Yimou handles the building of the tale expertly, as one would expect from such a master film maker.
Zhang Yimou himself is such an accomplished cinematographer he hardly needed to hire somebody else for the job - but if there's anybody better than Yimou it's Christopher Doyle. I wonder how much conflict there was on set though, as I am sure each had very strong visions of how they wanted scenes to look. The result doesn't show any signs of it if such a conflict occured though, as the visual style seems exceptionally strong and focussed throughout. A large part of this is Yimou's use of bold colours to delineate the different sections of the story (The green, the red, the yellow, the blue, the white). With Emil Wada's stunning costumes and the great choice of locations, HERO is almost as rich in stunning imagery as ASHES OF TIME. It's a true work of art, harking back to Yimou's older films like SHANGHAI TRIAD and RAISE THE RED LANTERN - I'm really pleased to see him making such visual films again. The visuals are sometimes let down by some unconvincing CGI effects, unfortunately.
Zhang Yimou has never directed an action movie before, so people were clearly worried he wouldn't know what to do with the fight scenes that a wu xia movie needs more than anything else. It's been quite a few years since Ching Siu Tung has produced any really impressive work too, so I was rather worried - especially when I heard (from good authority) that Yimou had Ching had clashed on set. Apparently Zhang wanted more grounded, realistic kung fu, which really isn't Ching Siu Tung's thing (should have got Sammo or Yuen Wo Ping!). I guess Ching got the upper hand in the end, as the fight scenes are certainly not grounded or realistic - they're very much about the twirling and whirling and the graceful flying that Ching Siu Tung virtually defined. They're not as manic as he usually makes the action when he directs himself, though - a fact that sometimes makes the wirework look a bit awkward.
A real surprise is that the weakest fight scene of the film is that one that pits the two best martial artists together. Jet Li vs. Donnie Yen opens the film with some sword vs. spear action. There's some beautiful moments, but I felt the scene lacked impact and featured some awkward moves too. Oddly enough, the fight I enjoyed the most featured no real martial artistry at all - Maggie Cheung vs (well, you'll see) in a beautiful autumnal scene of falling leaves. I guess that's because Ching Siu Tung is really not working to his strengths when he tries to do "real" martial arts.
I had held off watching HERO for months, because as soon as I got the first released DVD (the DVD-5 from Guang Dong Face Ah) it was announced that the extended version of the film would be released in a few weeks. It's generally well known now that Zhang Yimou was persuaded to cut about 20 minutes from the film by the hatchet men at MiramAXE, who really must die first when the revolution comes. I figured the first time I see it I should see the best possible version, for maximum impact, so I was willing to wait. Well it's been 2 months now and the extended version is now indefinitely delayed due to legal issues, so I finally gave in and watched the DVD I'd had lying around for so long. Now that I've seen it I have to say I don't really see what another 20 minutes would add to the film - it seems quite complete and well paced at about 95 minutes. A little more development of Donnie Yen's character would be nice, but other than that it's hard to imagine what is missing. Longer action scenes maybe? Or perhaps just 20 minutes of Christopher Doyle's beautifully composed landscape shots, or close ups of Maggie Cheung dying.
I'm glad I waited to see the film anyway though, as it allowed all the hype and anticipation to die down. Unfortunately, when a film is as highly anticipated as this it's inevitable that there will be "backlash syndrome" as people feel let down that it wasn't the ultimate movie of all time they heard/hoped it would be (it was amusing to watch the reviews on CROUCHING TIGER swing between "incredible" and "awful" as hype waves ruined the experience for many, and I'm sure the same will happen with HERO).
Zhang Yimou is an extremely talented director in many respects, but perhaps the greatest is his ability to get incredible performances out of his cast. With such an illustrious cast on board he perhaps felt he didn't need to try as much though (or they weren't willing to listen), as the acting isn't as powerful as I had expected. It's still of a very high quality, but doesn't evoke the same strong emotions as some of the performances in ASHES OF TIME. Leung Chiu-Wai gets the top award for acting though, which will surprise few people. Zhang Ziyi only has a small part, but shows a lot of talent too - nice to see such skill in somebody that still has most of her career ahead of her. Of course, it was Zhang Yimou that discovered and nurtured her talent in THE ROAD HOME.
There are only two disappointments in HERO, for me. One is the special effects, which aren't up to the very latest standards. A little less use of CGI would have made it go a lot further (like in CTHD). The other is the soundtrack, which is really just much too similar to the Crouching Tiger soundtrack. It doesn't fit HERO as well, but it is still pretty evocative and effective - just too similar to CTHD.
I still intend to pick up the extended version of HERO when it's released, to see what Zhang Yimou's ideal vision for the film was. Even running shorter than he really wanted it's a mighty fine film though, and one I have no hesitation in recommending if anybody hasn't seen it yet. If MiramAXE ever do get round to releasing it in the US, I hope it does well.
I guess we have CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON to thank for making the wu xia world bankable again, and generating the interest and investment required to bring a project of this stature together. There's no doubt that the US Market was a major target, and US$ went into the funding. Given this it's a tragedy that Yimou let Miramax get their paws on it and effectively ruin any chances it had of major US success
Apart from Zhang Ziyi and the Tan Dun soundtrack (a terrible choice no doubt enforced by US investors), CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON is not a good reference point by which to evaluate HERO. Much more appropriate is Wong Kar Wai's ASHES OF TIME, with which it shares two lead actors and a cinematographer. HERO is definitely more commercially oriented, but shares a beauty and philosophical richness with AOT, and a certain melancholy mood.
The story of HERO starts off quite simply, as Jet Li begins to recount his martial triumphs to the Emperor of Qin. The tale is told in flashbacks which revisit and re-evaluate the same events, elaborating on and changing the story as we learn more. It's reminiscent of Akira Kurosawa's RASHOMON, and is a great way of developing a mystery thriller. Zhang Yimou handles the building of the tale expertly, as one would expect from such a master film maker.
Zhang Yimou himself is such an accomplished cinematographer he hardly needed to hire somebody else for the job - but if there's anybody better than Yimou it's Christopher Doyle. I wonder how much conflict there was on set though, as I am sure each had very strong visions of how they wanted scenes to look. The result doesn't show any signs of it if such a conflict occured though, as the visual style seems exceptionally strong and focussed throughout. A large part of this is Yimou's use of bold colours to delineate the different sections of the story (The green, the red, the yellow, the blue, the white). With Emil Wada's stunning costumes and the great choice of locations, HERO is almost as rich in stunning imagery as ASHES OF TIME. It's a true work of art, harking back to Yimou's older films like SHANGHAI TRIAD and RAISE THE RED LANTERN - I'm really pleased to see him making such visual films again. The visuals are sometimes let down by some unconvincing CGI effects, unfortunately.
Zhang Yimou has never directed an action movie before, so people were clearly worried he wouldn't know what to do with the fight scenes that a wu xia movie needs more than anything else. It's been quite a few years since Ching Siu Tung has produced any really impressive work too, so I was rather worried - especially when I heard (from good authority) that Yimou had Ching had clashed on set. Apparently Zhang wanted more grounded, realistic kung fu, which really isn't Ching Siu Tung's thing (should have got Sammo or Yuen Wo Ping!). I guess Ching got the upper hand in the end, as the fight scenes are certainly not grounded or realistic - they're very much about the twirling and whirling and the graceful flying that Ching Siu Tung virtually defined. They're not as manic as he usually makes the action when he directs himself, though - a fact that sometimes makes the wirework look a bit awkward.
A real surprise is that the weakest fight scene of the film is that one that pits the two best martial artists together. Jet Li vs. Donnie Yen opens the film with some sword vs. spear action. There's some beautiful moments, but I felt the scene lacked impact and featured some awkward moves too. Oddly enough, the fight I enjoyed the most featured no real martial artistry at all - Maggie Cheung vs (well, you'll see) in a beautiful autumnal scene of falling leaves. I guess that's because Ching Siu Tung is really not working to his strengths when he tries to do "real" martial arts.
I had held off watching HERO for months, because as soon as I got the first released DVD (the DVD-5 from Guang Dong Face Ah) it was announced that the extended version of the film would be released in a few weeks. It's generally well known now that Zhang Yimou was persuaded to cut about 20 minutes from the film by the hatchet men at MiramAXE, who really must die first when the revolution comes. I figured the first time I see it I should see the best possible version, for maximum impact, so I was willing to wait. Well it's been 2 months now and the extended version is now indefinitely delayed due to legal issues, so I finally gave in and watched the DVD I'd had lying around for so long. Now that I've seen it I have to say I don't really see what another 20 minutes would add to the film - it seems quite complete and well paced at about 95 minutes. A little more development of Donnie Yen's character would be nice, but other than that it's hard to imagine what is missing. Longer action scenes maybe? Or perhaps just 20 minutes of Christopher Doyle's beautifully composed landscape shots, or close ups of Maggie Cheung dying.
I'm glad I waited to see the film anyway though, as it allowed all the hype and anticipation to die down. Unfortunately, when a film is as highly anticipated as this it's inevitable that there will be "backlash syndrome" as people feel let down that it wasn't the ultimate movie of all time they heard/hoped it would be (it was amusing to watch the reviews on CROUCHING TIGER swing between "incredible" and "awful" as hype waves ruined the experience for many, and I'm sure the same will happen with HERO).
Zhang Yimou is an extremely talented director in many respects, but perhaps the greatest is his ability to get incredible performances out of his cast. With such an illustrious cast on board he perhaps felt he didn't need to try as much though (or they weren't willing to listen), as the acting isn't as powerful as I had expected. It's still of a very high quality, but doesn't evoke the same strong emotions as some of the performances in ASHES OF TIME. Leung Chiu-Wai gets the top award for acting though, which will surprise few people. Zhang Ziyi only has a small part, but shows a lot of talent too - nice to see such skill in somebody that still has most of her career ahead of her. Of course, it was Zhang Yimou that discovered and nurtured her talent in THE ROAD HOME.
There are only two disappointments in HERO, for me. One is the special effects, which aren't up to the very latest standards. A little less use of CGI would have made it go a lot further (like in CTHD). The other is the soundtrack, which is really just much too similar to the Crouching Tiger soundtrack. It doesn't fit HERO as well, but it is still pretty evocative and effective - just too similar to CTHD.
I still intend to pick up the extended version of HERO when it's released, to see what Zhang Yimou's ideal vision for the film was. Even running shorter than he really wanted it's a mighty fine film though, and one I have no hesitation in recommending if anybody hasn't seen it yet. If MiramAXE ever do get round to releasing it in the US, I hope it does well.
Spectacular, Stunning Visuals; So-So Story
ccthemovieman-131 March 2006
After two viewings, I am still not sure what to make of this film, story-wise. I have no problems exalting praise for the cinematography which, for many people, was the drawing point. It's what got me to watch the movie. I had heard it was the most beautiful film ever made. Well, I wouldn't go that far, but it IS visually spectacular. It's even more appreciated now that I watched one of the documentaries in which I learned to what great lengths director Yimou Zhang the crew went to, to make this look so good. It took a lot of patience, waiting for just the right conditions, such as the smooth, silvery lake which only was calm two hours a day.
Overall, I didn't think the story was that appealing except for the good message at the end, about the good of all being more important than satisfying one's personal vengeance. Well, who could argue with that? As for the rest, perhaps being a Westerner unfamiliar with Eastern culture, it's harder for me to relate to the mind-set. I would be interested to know how Asians viewed this story, as opposed to similar films.
Sometimes I think these wild Crouching Tiger-like action scenes are too long and overdone, but at least in this film they were very original and, once again, more visuals feasts than anything else. On my second viewing, I discarded the subtitles and went with the dubbed version to concentrate more on the stunning look of this film. It paid off. Even if I don't quite follow everything, each scene is such eye-candy that you can't go wrong viewing this.
Overall, I didn't think the story was that appealing except for the good message at the end, about the good of all being more important than satisfying one's personal vengeance. Well, who could argue with that? As for the rest, perhaps being a Westerner unfamiliar with Eastern culture, it's harder for me to relate to the mind-set. I would be interested to know how Asians viewed this story, as opposed to similar films.
Sometimes I think these wild Crouching Tiger-like action scenes are too long and overdone, but at least in this film they were very original and, once again, more visuals feasts than anything else. On my second viewing, I discarded the subtitles and went with the dubbed version to concentrate more on the stunning look of this film. It paid off. Even if I don't quite follow everything, each scene is such eye-candy that you can't go wrong viewing this.
Greatest Cinematic Experience in Years
cnycitylady25 January 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Now I'm not as into foreign films as I should be, and this one really makes me ashamed of not paying more attention to them. The story-telling in this movie is so vivid and poetic that you cannot help but love every single second of every single story that is told. The Character Sky represents strategy and cunning, Broken Sword represents rationale and understanding whereas Flying Snow is hatred and revenge. Nameless (Jet Li) encounters all of these characters and embodies all of their aspects.
The color schemes used are incandescent and only help to propel the viewers into the tales that these warriors are telling the audience and each other. With one story you get white, another red, green, blue. They set the mood and get you the viewer anxious to know what this story will say. The way that each story is presented (although some untrue) builds the characters up in a way that you see that there is more to them than their basic diagnostic. You really see this exampled with Flying Snow, as she is shown as wanton, loving, vengeful and true. In the end you really need all of the stories to understand every character fully.
The director of this movie did an outstanding job. This movie has great editing and direction, it is very clean and precise, never losing the attention of the audience.
If you don't like foreign movies this movie will change your mind to appreciate them, and if you already like them then this will jump to the top of your list of favorites. Brilliantly done 9/10
The color schemes used are incandescent and only help to propel the viewers into the tales that these warriors are telling the audience and each other. With one story you get white, another red, green, blue. They set the mood and get you the viewer anxious to know what this story will say. The way that each story is presented (although some untrue) builds the characters up in a way that you see that there is more to them than their basic diagnostic. You really see this exampled with Flying Snow, as she is shown as wanton, loving, vengeful and true. In the end you really need all of the stories to understand every character fully.
The director of this movie did an outstanding job. This movie has great editing and direction, it is very clean and precise, never losing the attention of the audience.
If you don't like foreign movies this movie will change your mind to appreciate them, and if you already like them then this will jump to the top of your list of favorites. Brilliantly done 9/10
The real "Hero"
brokencode200224 May 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Director Zhang Yimou's Hero is playing around the country to widespread critical acclaim. It is undoubtedly one of the most visually beautiful movies of our time. However, American audiences may not fully appreciate what message comes wrapped in this beautiful package.
Hero rewrites history's judgment on the movie's central figure, the Emperor Qin a ruthless leader who unified China through the most brutal means by depicting him as a tough but benevolent and misunderstood monarch, in the process also changing the story of the failed assassination attempt on him as well.
The historical Emperor Qin was known for his cruelty. The movie does refer to his practice of slaughtering entire villages. It is silent about the tortures he employed, the draconian legal code that involved the cutting off of limbs, his burning of books and suppression of schools of thought, or such incidents as the burying alive of hundreds of scholars who had objected to his rule.
The reason for the differences between the historical Emperor Qin and the movie's retelling may be found in the needs of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Even before unifying China, the then-King of Qin was hated and feared by both rivals and subjects alike. The neighboring state of Yan (replaced with "Zhao" in the movie) knew that the state of Qin aimed eventually to attack. Officials in the Yan kingdom hired an assassin to kill the King of Qin and help them escape imminent defeat. Jing Ke, the man selected for the job, had to find a method to bring himself close to the King to complete his mission. Pan Yuqi was a disgruntled Qin official who had fled to the state of Yan to escape from the King of Qin's tyrannical rule. He so hated the King of Qin that he offered to allow himself to be killed in order that Jing could gain access by bringing his head to the despot. Jing killed him and brought both Pan's head and a map of the state of Yan that the king coveted, hiding in it a dagger with which to assassinate the tyrant.
The King of Qin indeed allowed Jing Ke in his presence, and as the king opened the map offered to him, the assassin deftly procured the knife hidden in the map scroll. Unfortunately, Jing's initial thrust was not strong enough, grazing but not wounding the king. The king was then able to unsheathe his sword and parry any of Jing's successive thrusts. The assassin had no choice but to hurl his weapon at the monarch, but missed. He was later executed.
In Hero, the assassin (played by Jet Li) has the opportunity and the skill to dispatch the King, yet decides against it. After abandoning his decision to kill the king, he is executed, and then buried as a hero.
The Jet Li character is called "Nameless." Nameless chooses loyalty, and his own death, after a long conversation with the King of Qin. The king asserts that Nameless's quest is only negative, he acts out of hatred and revenge. He reveals that he himself is misunderstood, that the king's strength is used for the sake of unifying a great Chinese nation, a nation that will comprise "everything under heaven" (this crucial phrase was translated in English as "our land").
Like the Emperor Qin, Mao Zedong, upon winning the civil war against Chiang Kai Sheik, unified China. Mao was an open admirer of the Qin Emperor. This often-hated emperor came to be seen as a symbol for the Communist Party.
Since the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, the Chinese Communist Party has used China's state controlled media to make the claim that the Communist Party exists for the sake of a great and unified China. Love of China and love of the Party are conflated, and love of China is taught to be of supreme importance.
Zhang's movie fits the CCP script very neatly. It appropriates China's history, its founding moment, the unification by the Emperor Qin, and uses that history to teach the very same lessons that CCP has taught: the need to give up individual claims (what we today call rights) for the sake of a great and powerful China under the rule of a strong leader (the CCP).
The leaders of the CCP wish the viewers of the movie to forget some other parallels with the Emperor of Qin. Similar to the Qin Emperor, the People's Republic of China is one of the most brutal and reviled governments in the world. Just as the Emperor of Qin suppressed Confucianism and persecuted those who objected to his rule, the CCP persecutes and tortures all of those with views and beliefs differing from the Party, including Falun Gong practitioners, house Christians, Uigher Muslims, union organizers, and democracy activists.
Hero rewrites history's judgment on the movie's central figure, the Emperor Qin a ruthless leader who unified China through the most brutal means by depicting him as a tough but benevolent and misunderstood monarch, in the process also changing the story of the failed assassination attempt on him as well.
The historical Emperor Qin was known for his cruelty. The movie does refer to his practice of slaughtering entire villages. It is silent about the tortures he employed, the draconian legal code that involved the cutting off of limbs, his burning of books and suppression of schools of thought, or such incidents as the burying alive of hundreds of scholars who had objected to his rule.
The reason for the differences between the historical Emperor Qin and the movie's retelling may be found in the needs of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Even before unifying China, the then-King of Qin was hated and feared by both rivals and subjects alike. The neighboring state of Yan (replaced with "Zhao" in the movie) knew that the state of Qin aimed eventually to attack. Officials in the Yan kingdom hired an assassin to kill the King of Qin and help them escape imminent defeat. Jing Ke, the man selected for the job, had to find a method to bring himself close to the King to complete his mission. Pan Yuqi was a disgruntled Qin official who had fled to the state of Yan to escape from the King of Qin's tyrannical rule. He so hated the King of Qin that he offered to allow himself to be killed in order that Jing could gain access by bringing his head to the despot. Jing killed him and brought both Pan's head and a map of the state of Yan that the king coveted, hiding in it a dagger with which to assassinate the tyrant.
The King of Qin indeed allowed Jing Ke in his presence, and as the king opened the map offered to him, the assassin deftly procured the knife hidden in the map scroll. Unfortunately, Jing's initial thrust was not strong enough, grazing but not wounding the king. The king was then able to unsheathe his sword and parry any of Jing's successive thrusts. The assassin had no choice but to hurl his weapon at the monarch, but missed. He was later executed.
In Hero, the assassin (played by Jet Li) has the opportunity and the skill to dispatch the King, yet decides against it. After abandoning his decision to kill the king, he is executed, and then buried as a hero.
The Jet Li character is called "Nameless." Nameless chooses loyalty, and his own death, after a long conversation with the King of Qin. The king asserts that Nameless's quest is only negative, he acts out of hatred and revenge. He reveals that he himself is misunderstood, that the king's strength is used for the sake of unifying a great Chinese nation, a nation that will comprise "everything under heaven" (this crucial phrase was translated in English as "our land").
Like the Emperor Qin, Mao Zedong, upon winning the civil war against Chiang Kai Sheik, unified China. Mao was an open admirer of the Qin Emperor. This often-hated emperor came to be seen as a symbol for the Communist Party.
Since the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, the Chinese Communist Party has used China's state controlled media to make the claim that the Communist Party exists for the sake of a great and unified China. Love of China and love of the Party are conflated, and love of China is taught to be of supreme importance.
Zhang's movie fits the CCP script very neatly. It appropriates China's history, its founding moment, the unification by the Emperor Qin, and uses that history to teach the very same lessons that CCP has taught: the need to give up individual claims (what we today call rights) for the sake of a great and powerful China under the rule of a strong leader (the CCP).
The leaders of the CCP wish the viewers of the movie to forget some other parallels with the Emperor of Qin. Similar to the Qin Emperor, the People's Republic of China is one of the most brutal and reviled governments in the world. Just as the Emperor of Qin suppressed Confucianism and persecuted those who objected to his rule, the CCP persecutes and tortures all of those with views and beliefs differing from the Party, including Falun Gong practitioners, house Christians, Uigher Muslims, union organizers, and democracy activists.
Not a typical martial arts movie
EasternZZ15 August 2018
This is a historical martial arts drama with a lot of talking. This movie has great use of color. The story is the main focus in this story, although there are a lot of cool fight scenes. Very philosophical movie with deep themes. Not a hollywood movie, but a movie for people who have brains.
Don't expects explosions and stuff, although there are a few CGI effects in the movie. Beautiful movie, soundtrack, and story. The final 15 minutes are also amazing.
Don't expects explosions and stuff, although there are a few CGI effects in the movie. Beautiful movie, soundtrack, and story. The final 15 minutes are also amazing.
pretentious beauty
damien-1627 October 2003
I think Zhang Yimou is at all times an excellent cinematographer and often a very good director, but the director stayed at home when making Hero. Oh, the images are stunning, but also totally artificial. They serve no other purpose than to illustrate how brilliantly he can use colour and composition. There is no content. Everything in this film has been done before: the subject (The emperor and the assassin, by Chen Kaige), the plot (starting with Rashomon, evidently), the use of colours (un homme et une femme, for instance), music as counterpoint to a duel (Sergio Leone, most notably in Once upon a time in the West) and of course the idea to make a Chinese Martial Arts film accessible to western audiences (move over, CTHD, or at least, that was the idea). Whereas CTHD had likeable characters whom you could relate to, an interesting plot, emotional development, a very charming performance by Zhang Zi Yi and on top of that beautiful landscapes superbly photographed and rousing fights (especially the one between Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Zi Yi in the courtyard), Hero only has the stunning images. It's like a coffeetable book. Two-dimensional. Zhang Yimou gets out his whole box of tricks, but that's what we see, tricks. We don't get emotionally involved. Always you can see the artifice behind it all, and this idea of: look at me, see what a genius I am. Beauty that's that pretentious leaves a bad aftertaste.
Machiavellian...
showa4817 April 2003
Warning: Spoilers
(Contains some spoilers)
The easiest part of Hero was enjoying the scenery and the use of colors - really well-made and captivating. Hero is definately technically a very superb movie.
The harder part is the messages contained in the movie. The "individual desires vs. the collective good" and "competing loyalties" themes seem to have a strong resonance with east asian storytellers. Hero contains both of those dilemmas in it - and the solutions it poses doesn't go too well with some western viewers (a swedish reviewer called it "beautifully wrapped fascism").
I disagree with this; in the end both "Broken Sword", "Nameless" and King Shihuang (the king of the Qin kingdom, who the four warriors "Nameless", Broken Sword, Flying Snow, and Sky sets out to kill) puts "the collective" (the Qin kingdom, and eventually united China) ahead of "the individual".
However: King Shihuang's lust for power is NOT greater than he is willing to let himself get killed by Nameless after listening to Nameless' story about the sacrifice Broken Sword made (the throne room scene in the end of the movie). Shihuang is as much a "spoke in the wheel" as Nameless, Broken Sword and the two other warriors, hence I cannot interpret the messages as "fascistic" in any way. It's message (as I see it) is that the system sometimes comes ahead of the individual, however excellent those individuals are....AND that in the end it DOESN'T matter whether Shihuang or somebody else unites China, what matters is that it gets done.....
The easiest part of Hero was enjoying the scenery and the use of colors - really well-made and captivating. Hero is definately technically a very superb movie.
The harder part is the messages contained in the movie. The "individual desires vs. the collective good" and "competing loyalties" themes seem to have a strong resonance with east asian storytellers. Hero contains both of those dilemmas in it - and the solutions it poses doesn't go too well with some western viewers (a swedish reviewer called it "beautifully wrapped fascism").
I disagree with this; in the end both "Broken Sword", "Nameless" and King Shihuang (the king of the Qin kingdom, who the four warriors "Nameless", Broken Sword, Flying Snow, and Sky sets out to kill) puts "the collective" (the Qin kingdom, and eventually united China) ahead of "the individual".
However: King Shihuang's lust for power is NOT greater than he is willing to let himself get killed by Nameless after listening to Nameless' story about the sacrifice Broken Sword made (the throne room scene in the end of the movie). Shihuang is as much a "spoke in the wheel" as Nameless, Broken Sword and the two other warriors, hence I cannot interpret the messages as "fascistic" in any way. It's message (as I see it) is that the system sometimes comes ahead of the individual, however excellent those individuals are....AND that in the end it DOESN'T matter whether Shihuang or somebody else unites China, what matters is that it gets done.....
visually stunning piece of art
daisuke6919 January 2005
Warning: Spoilers
This movie, contrary to many Hollywood movies, focuses as much on the visual style as it does on the story behind the beauty, perhaps even too much so.
I was completely impressed and blown away by the changes of color, the amazing backdrops (unlike some current Hollywood movies where everything is left to CGI) and the sets used, the acting of everyone involved is excellent and the action sequences are very well played out with a lot of detail given to minor things in those scenes even when they're likely to pass unseen.
It's irresistible to compare this movie to crouching tiger, hidden dragon, but the fact is that they're pretty much in different genres, crouching tiger is a pure action fantasy that follows a linear plot. Hero resides more in the realm of artistic and independent films, using a less conventional or linear script mixed in with visual cues and metaphors. While I do love the movie and would give it a 7.5 or 8 out of 10, the plot itself plays against it as much as it helps it, I found myself falling asleep while I lay in bed watching it, probably because the movie revisits the same place and story over and over again with different twists to change the tempo. I believe that the plot would have made a better book than it did a film, but then again, and I can't seem to stop mentioning it, the use of such stunning color contrasts and backdrops would be lost to a reader. For the record, I have fallen asleep to other great but slow moving films in the past.
This movie is a must watch, just don't rent or buy it expecting an action movie because that's not what it's about.
I was completely impressed and blown away by the changes of color, the amazing backdrops (unlike some current Hollywood movies where everything is left to CGI) and the sets used, the acting of everyone involved is excellent and the action sequences are very well played out with a lot of detail given to minor things in those scenes even when they're likely to pass unseen.
It's irresistible to compare this movie to crouching tiger, hidden dragon, but the fact is that they're pretty much in different genres, crouching tiger is a pure action fantasy that follows a linear plot. Hero resides more in the realm of artistic and independent films, using a less conventional or linear script mixed in with visual cues and metaphors. While I do love the movie and would give it a 7.5 or 8 out of 10, the plot itself plays against it as much as it helps it, I found myself falling asleep while I lay in bed watching it, probably because the movie revisits the same place and story over and over again with different twists to change the tempo. I believe that the plot would have made a better book than it did a film, but then again, and I can't seem to stop mentioning it, the use of such stunning color contrasts and backdrops would be lost to a reader. For the record, I have fallen asleep to other great but slow moving films in the past.
This movie is a must watch, just don't rent or buy it expecting an action movie because that's not what it's about.
Most audiences are missing the main points of the movie
wijaya_adi12 May 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Many audiences, especially the western audiences have misunderstood the messages of this movie. This is not a movie about choosing tyranny for a greater cause such as peace. It is about choosing peace over revenge.
In the movie, the king of Qin was close to unify the whole country and thus end the continuous wars. The assassins all have grudge against the king. But they realized that if they kill the king, the whole nations will plunge into another endless wars. Killing the king won't give them back what they have lost. But it will surely cause more suffering to the people. So they choose to let go their revenge and even their lives for a greater cause, the peace. It is like what the nameless said in the movie, the ideal warrior will know when to lay down the sword.
In the movie, the king of Qin was close to unify the whole country and thus end the continuous wars. The assassins all have grudge against the king. But they realized that if they kill the king, the whole nations will plunge into another endless wars. Killing the king won't give them back what they have lost. But it will surely cause more suffering to the people. So they choose to let go their revenge and even their lives for a greater cause, the peace. It is like what the nameless said in the movie, the ideal warrior will know when to lay down the sword.
I am somewhat confused...
mentalcritic14 May 2005
Confused, mainly because when I saw Ying Xiong on DVD-Video recently, I did not see the masterpiece promised by many others. What I saw was very entertaining, granted, but perhaps the inclusion of Quentin Tarantino's name as a "presenter" on the cover art put me off. This man needs to get his head out and realise he is not the messiah of cinema that he so often tries to project. Having said that, however, those who are fully involved with the film give it their all, and the results are frequently awesome. Forget all the stereotypes you know about poorly-synced Kung Fu flicks. This is a film with a serious story to tell, and that the story allows for many a fleeting display of martial arts skill is mere coincidence. All the elements for a brilliant epic are here, but something feels like it is missing. If I had to take a rough guess, Ying Xiong tries to be China's (or Japan's) answer to Il Buono, Il Brutto, Il Cattivo, but doesn't quite get there for a number of reasons.
Perhaps it is because of the comparatively short screen time. I am always the first to complain if a film goes on for longer than it should, but the ninety-nine minutes I saw here did not seem adequate to the storytelling task. The story, for what it is worth, revolves around an assassin who is known as Nameless. In the years before China was a unified country, he faces down three assassins who plot the murder of the feudal Lord who would unite the provinces into one nation. The film is told in a flashback style, detailing how Nameless fights down each of the assassins, and to be honest, this is where part of the problem begins. Until I read the IMDb summary, I had no idea that the film was about a warrior preventing the assassination of a King. With the flashbacks, flash-forwards, flashbacks within flashbacks, and everything in between, I was lost and confused. I have enjoyed other films where flashbacks occur within flashbacks, Ghosts Of Mars being a good example, but this risky cinematic technique was done well, as well as sparingly, in those films.
In spite of the confusing edit and screenplay, Jet Li proves that he is currently the most famous lead in straight-faced Kung Fu films for a reason. His acting, especially the physical mannerisms, help to sell the character where the dialogue often will not. Some of his most striking scenes involve his complete silence. Unfortunately, the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon style of choreography is used here, with actors moving about on wires and going through impossible motions that really do not suit the story. Yes, the style worked well in CTHD, but I really felt, given the tone and serious context of the story, that a more down-to-Earth style would have helped. It is not a good sign when an even more outlandish Jet Li film, The One, features a more believable style of fighting than this one. Especially given that The One was basically a load of the proverbial, albeit one with a very sound background explanation. The fact that it had Carla Gugino, a far more likable lead actress than I have seen to date in any Asian film, didn't hurt.
I admit, once the confusion over the nature of the plot is settled, it does make the film somewhat more entertaining. Unfortunately, it also raises a lot of questions that the film fails to satisfactorily answer. The question of why one would want to protect this King, who is seemingly responsible for the annihilation of a village as depicted in the early stage of the film, is high among them. Also taking a high place among the unanswered questions is why there is all the need for this study of calligraphy to defeat one of the three assassins. Yes, I realise that it is meant to improve fighting techniques, but the amount of time devoted to calligraphy in the film makes this easy to forget. I also found the derivation of swordsmanship secrets from calligraphy a bit hard to swallow. Maybe someone can figure something out about me from the way I always write in heavy block, but I doubt it will hold true once they take the time to make further observations. Still, the rolling out of the armies in each scene of this kind were impressive enough to justify the viewing time. Even if the repeated calls for Nameless' head towards the end of the film got on the nerves a bit. I am somewhat curious as to how the arrows were shot, too. If they are CGI, then they are the most impressive CGI I have seen for a while.
In all, I gave Ying Xiong, or Hero as it is known here, a seven out of ten. It is not the best Kung Fu feature you will ever see, nor is it an indispensable classic of human drama. What it does have going for it is a very solid lead actor who should appear in more films, and some absolutely stunning cinematography. Fans of martial arts-based cinema need look no further, while those of us who prefer solid story or characters will also do well with a singular viewing.
Perhaps it is because of the comparatively short screen time. I am always the first to complain if a film goes on for longer than it should, but the ninety-nine minutes I saw here did not seem adequate to the storytelling task. The story, for what it is worth, revolves around an assassin who is known as Nameless. In the years before China was a unified country, he faces down three assassins who plot the murder of the feudal Lord who would unite the provinces into one nation. The film is told in a flashback style, detailing how Nameless fights down each of the assassins, and to be honest, this is where part of the problem begins. Until I read the IMDb summary, I had no idea that the film was about a warrior preventing the assassination of a King. With the flashbacks, flash-forwards, flashbacks within flashbacks, and everything in between, I was lost and confused. I have enjoyed other films where flashbacks occur within flashbacks, Ghosts Of Mars being a good example, but this risky cinematic technique was done well, as well as sparingly, in those films.
In spite of the confusing edit and screenplay, Jet Li proves that he is currently the most famous lead in straight-faced Kung Fu films for a reason. His acting, especially the physical mannerisms, help to sell the character where the dialogue often will not. Some of his most striking scenes involve his complete silence. Unfortunately, the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon style of choreography is used here, with actors moving about on wires and going through impossible motions that really do not suit the story. Yes, the style worked well in CTHD, but I really felt, given the tone and serious context of the story, that a more down-to-Earth style would have helped. It is not a good sign when an even more outlandish Jet Li film, The One, features a more believable style of fighting than this one. Especially given that The One was basically a load of the proverbial, albeit one with a very sound background explanation. The fact that it had Carla Gugino, a far more likable lead actress than I have seen to date in any Asian film, didn't hurt.
I admit, once the confusion over the nature of the plot is settled, it does make the film somewhat more entertaining. Unfortunately, it also raises a lot of questions that the film fails to satisfactorily answer. The question of why one would want to protect this King, who is seemingly responsible for the annihilation of a village as depicted in the early stage of the film, is high among them. Also taking a high place among the unanswered questions is why there is all the need for this study of calligraphy to defeat one of the three assassins. Yes, I realise that it is meant to improve fighting techniques, but the amount of time devoted to calligraphy in the film makes this easy to forget. I also found the derivation of swordsmanship secrets from calligraphy a bit hard to swallow. Maybe someone can figure something out about me from the way I always write in heavy block, but I doubt it will hold true once they take the time to make further observations. Still, the rolling out of the armies in each scene of this kind were impressive enough to justify the viewing time. Even if the repeated calls for Nameless' head towards the end of the film got on the nerves a bit. I am somewhat curious as to how the arrows were shot, too. If they are CGI, then they are the most impressive CGI I have seen for a while.
In all, I gave Ying Xiong, or Hero as it is known here, a seven out of ten. It is not the best Kung Fu feature you will ever see, nor is it an indispensable classic of human drama. What it does have going for it is a very solid lead actor who should appear in more films, and some absolutely stunning cinematography. Fans of martial arts-based cinema need look no further, while those of us who prefer solid story or characters will also do well with a singular viewing.
What kind of hero Zhang Yimou believe in?
Roger_Guo22 May 2006
As a native Chinese, I can not accept this kind of idea that some people must die for a 'better world'. I said 'better world' because it is a lie that Chinese people have been indoctrinated for thousand years!
I guess most western audience may don't know Qin Shihuang(means the first emperor), the king in this film is the most notorious tyrant in ancient China. The Tianxia(Chinese word was spoken by the king, means 'the land and the people') spoken from his mouth is totally lie. From then on, one after another, all the king in ancient china spoke the same thing but very few of them did as what they said.
Another fact is, Qin Shihuang's empire only lasted about twenty years before it was destroyed by people.
Well, I do like the beautiful scenes of this movie, but it can not make me accept the idea that people should die for a tyrant.
I guess most western audience may don't know Qin Shihuang(means the first emperor), the king in this film is the most notorious tyrant in ancient China. The Tianxia(Chinese word was spoken by the king, means 'the land and the people') spoken from his mouth is totally lie. From then on, one after another, all the king in ancient china spoke the same thing but very few of them did as what they said.
Another fact is, Qin Shihuang's empire only lasted about twenty years before it was destroyed by people.
Well, I do like the beautiful scenes of this movie, but it can not make me accept the idea that people should die for a tyrant.
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