Hero

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.

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.

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.

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 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.