fuddam

wow. waaaaaaaaay excellent. beautiful, understated, and extremely rewarding, esp if you haven't read the book.

unlike most films out of HK, constantly keeps one on one's toes. Never can tell which way the film is going to twist, as warps each and every cliche as they rear their heads.

well recommended and then some.

just finished watching it. There has to be a film out there that qualifies as the MOST beautiful of all time, highly subjective an assessment though that might be, and HERO, IMHO, qualifies for first place. Unbelievable. Every frame is worthy on its own, every frame could be hung on the wall, every frame. Wow.... Gushing? Sure, but only because it's worth it.

Story / plotline, pacing, acting, direction etc? Well, will have to give them more of a think. Not top in all those categories, but then those spots are filled by other films.

In terms of pure cinema, of spellbinding version unfolding, a hard film to match.

FWIW, there IS a director's cut out there, with an extra 20 mins or so of character development.