Hero
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Movie Reviews of Hero
Movie Review: Well worth the wait, "Hero" finally plays in our land
Summary: 5 Stars
I feel like I have been waiting a long time to see this movie and that the trailer for "Hero" ("Ying xiong") has been teasing us for at least a year. I have to admit that I fully expected to see an epic full of battle scenes and massed armies of men. My mistake. This film from China is a pointed fable, distilled from legend that may well be myth, and with a point that may well be lost on Western audiences. This is clear from those viewers who are unwilling to accept the conventions of wire work in Chinese martial art pictures and whose standard of realism refuses to allow for the poetic ballet of combat.
The prologue makes it clear that this story takes place in China before it was China, when the land was made up of seven warring provinces and the King of Qin (Chen Dao Ming) dreamt of conquering the other six provinces and uniting the land. For years the king has been unable to have a peaceful night of sleep because there are three assassins who are out to kill him. Now comes a nameless warrior (Jet Li), who has come to the imperial court to be rewarded for killing the three unbeatable assassins. He is warned that he may not approach within 100 paces of the king or he will be killed. But because he has bested the assassin Sky (Donnie Yen) in combat, he is allowed with 20 paces to tell his story.
Most of the story of "Hero" is told in flashback as Nameless tells his stories and the king questions him. We also learn of the fates of Broken Sword (Tony Leung) and Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung), two assassins who were also a pair of lovers. But there is more than one truth and more than one tale to be told in this film. Director Zhang Yimou, improving on the artistry we first enjoyed in "Raise the Red Lantern," color codes the stories that we see. First the story is told in lush shades of red, then in cool blue, again in white, and finally in green. Drops of water and swirling yellow leaves all become parts of the dances of death during the fight sequences, captured by cinematographer Christopher Doyle. "Hero" is a gorgeous film that uses its saturated colors better than any film of recent memory. There is a code to the colors, but that is something you need to come to terms with on your own.
Another strength of this film is that the fighting (choreographed by Wei Tung) and special effects do not overwhelm the actors who are required to play what is on some level the same scene as slightly different characters. I know there are computer generated effects in this film, especially since there are more arrows shot in "Hero" than any film in history, but for once I did not get the feel that what I was seeing was not real. That is become this film keeps coming back to questions of aesthetics, from the breathtaking use of color to the eloquent idea that swordsmanship and calligraphy are intrinsically awaited.
Special mention has to be made of the music, composed by Dun Tan and featuring violin solos and fiddling by Itzhak Perlman along with drumming by the Japanese group Kodo. I have never really seen one of those Hong Kong kung fu movies where everyone screams while they fight and I might never get around to it given the silent eloquence of the fights in movies like "Hero" (not to mention "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"), where the moments are underscored by the sound of clashing swords, pounding drums, and a violin. "Hero" is an art film, albeit one made on a larger and more colorful canvas.
"Hero" may be sold as being a big film but it is really about something relatively plain and simple. I disagree with the idea that either the style or substance of the film is beyond our Western sensibilities. Apparently the reason the film has the "Quentin Tarantino Presents" tag at the start was so that Miramax would not cut 20 minutes of the film out on the pretext that it too Asian/confusing for Western audiences. Indeed, I have seen some critics who professes to be confused about the complex plot and I can only wonder if they were equally confused by "Rashomon," an obvious reference point to this one (in many ways Yimou owes more to Akira Kurosawa's classic film than to Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"). Certainly after a century of cinema we are capable to looking at the same thing from multiple perspectives and enjoying this gem of a film that has finally made its way to our shores.
Movie Review: A beautiful, lyrical and classically epic film
Summary: 5 Stars
I have seen this film on dvd and have enjoyed it ever since, but now --- thanks to Quentin Tarantino --- I've been given the chance to see Zhang Yimou's film where it should be seen: on a big-screen theater.
Hero is one of those rare films that transcends its genre roots. In simplest terms, Yimou's epic is nothing but a kung fu film. Where Yimou's film excels and exceeds its predecessors is in its use of the color palette. Hero's use of vibrant solid colors to represent a certain sequence of events and point of view is surpassed only by Akira Kurosawa's classic Shakesperean samurai epic Ran. As in Kurosawa's classic, Yimou infuses the screen with vibrant colors to tell a story of love, vengeance and in the end, the true meaning of heroism. Hero's scenes burst with color. From the solid crimson that dominates the Calligraphy School sequence to the solid colors of red, turquoise, yellow, etc.. on the characters costumes. Just the use of color alone makes Hero a must-see film for students of film and cinematography.
Yimou's film owes alot of its narrative to Kurosawa's other Shakespearean samurai classic Rashomon. His film tells the events detailed by Jet Li's character, Nameless, to the Emperor Qin of China through flashbacks. Each telling is countered by a different version the Emperor has been told in advance. Each Rashomon-like sequence also points out that truth will always be subjective. What is truth for one individual may turn out to be a lie for another. The dialogue between Nameless and the Emperor are as riveting as the martial arts scenes the dominate each flashback sequence. I would give Hero a less than perfect score just for the fact that its story gets lost once in awhile in the visuals and pageantry of Yimou's direction. This might become a problem for audience who can't keep track of what they're watching and reading the subtitles at the same time.
Jet Li has always been a favorite actor of mine. I've seen most of his films from his Hong Kong kung fu films to the mediocre ones he has made since arriving in the United States to try his hand in becoming a Hollywood star.. Hero shows that Jet Li is more than a silent, kick-ass martial artist who is only good in making kung fu flicks. He does more than his share of fighting in Yimou's film, but during his dialogue exchange with the Emperor Qin, Li demonstrates that he is a very good actor. The audience is never really sure what his character's agenda from the beginning and part of this should be laid at Li's acting chops. He keeps Nameless enigmatic, but at the same time charismatic enough for people to root for his character. It is not til the end that we find out what has been motivating Li's character. The other actors in Hero are a who's who of Asian cinema: Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung, Donnie Yen and Zhang Ziyi. The limited time that Zhang Ziyi is given in Hero doesn't diminish her excellent work. I honestly think that her work in this film is much better and more polished than the one she did for Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. She's even more beautiful in this film than she's ever been. She conveys her characters youth, passion and impetousness with equal fervor. Maggie Cheung is the opposite, but no less impressive. Her character is the balance to Ziyi's. She gives a wonderful performance of calm reserve holding back pent-up passion and emotion. Like Lee's martial arts epic, Hero treats its female characters on equal footing with its male players. This is quite a feat since the story itself is based historically during China's Warring States period when females where not given equal treatment barring the few exceptions.
Zhang Yimou has made an extraordinarily beautiful, lyrical and classically epic film. One doesn't have to be a martial arts aficionado to thoroughly enjoy Hero. It should satisfy and entertain both men and women. It is quite a shame that it took Miramax 2 years to release this film in the United States (it was released in 2002 in Asia and has already been nominated for Best Foreign Film during the 2002 Oscars). Region 0 dvd copies are already in the market and people have ended up seeing this film only in that format. I suggest for those who have only seen this film in that way to run out to whichever theater is showing it and buy themselves a ticket to see this film the only way to see it: on the big screen.
Movie Review: Visual Poetry and Martial Arts Perfection for fanboys and filmsnobs, alike. . .
Summary: 5 Stars
First off, it is important to note that this version is the shorter, American version. While some of the changes were subtle, they do take away from what I consider to be a flawless film. For instance, the translation of Huang Di in this version is 'Our Land'. And while that seems nice, the true translation is 'All Under Heaven'. Just has so much more poetry to it. If you enjoyed this film in the US, seek out the original version.
Hero is fantastic because it is not a pure martial arts movie. With Zhang Yimou at the helm, there was something else to be expected of this film- and it delivered.
What Hero represents is martial arts filmmaking as an art form. While watching the movie the thought that kept popping into my head was 'visual poetry'. The amount of nuance and subtlety that Hero contains is hard to even begin to explain. But the more you watch, the more you see the little details that add so much to the film, mostly on a subconcious level.
See the colors change. Notice when all the sound is pulled out in favor of silence, or of just the musical score. The power of a scream where there is no sound is overwhelming. The interplay between regular and slo-motion is used, not just for visual style, but to jar ones senses or to convey an emotion that words cannot evoke. See th focus change as the direcotr leads your eye around the screen. Notice the arrangement of people and objects in the frame. Nothing is an accident. Nothing is left to chance. It is obvious that Yimou has control over even the slightest detail, a gift reserved for a handful of only the most talented like Hitchcock or Scorsese or Wong Kar-Wai.
The fight scenes in Hero are amazing because they have a life of their own. They weren't designed to "one-up" every other fight scene ever committed to film. The much touted Jet v. Donnie fight is extraordinary. Not because it is the most technically complicated or the most mind-blowing, but because it is designed for these two legends to be in perfect sync with one another. It is flawless. Even more so, it tells a story.
In the fight we see the essence of these two characters. And the fight scenes just get better from there. The scene over the lake still gives me chills when I watch it. That may well be the most poetic choreography I've ever seen.
What else excited me about this film is that Tan Dun returned from doing his excellent Crouching Tiger score to do this one. Except this time, he traded in master cellist Yo-Yo Ma for legend violinst Itzhak Perlman. This score is more accessible than the CTHD one was. And the music is like its own character in this film, sometimes being the only thing one hears. It complements the picture and the story brilliantly and lends much to the viewing experience.
I was disheartened to see negative reviews on the internet where people felt it was a film that was a propaganda piece for China and its rule. I understand that the real Huang Di was not as beneficent as he was portrayed in this film, and that his rule was violent and short. But what I saw wasn't propaganda for a communist/socialist government. What I saw was the beauty of a culture that evolved over hundreds of years of bloodshed and hardship. And regardless of the official party line, I was moved by "All under heaven". At no point was I ready to throw a Che or Chairman Mao poster on my wall. I don't think this is the movie that people need to worry about "sending the wrong message" to the kids.
This film was not meant to be any type of historical record (that's why we have history books and why movies aren't valid sources to cite in research papers). What this movie represents is filmmaking at its greatest height. The film as a true art form, combining on-screen and off-screen talent with visuals and audio that can stand alone, yet when combined, equal more than the sum of their parts. Asian film fans, martial arts fans, the average Joe, and film snobs alike should be able to appreciate this on many, many different levels.
Movie Review: A masterful film of exquisite complexity and beauty
Summary: 5 Stars
Hero is a beautiful work of art, a visual feast for the senses featuring a powerful, complex storyline and some of the most exquisite swordplay I've ever seen. Western filmmakers can never hope to rival the all-encompassing quality of a film like this because, to the West, martial arts are all about action, fighting, and violence. I'm no martial arts expert - not even close - but I do know that the true martial artist is, as the name says, an artist, one who uses his limbs and entire body as unconscious extensions of a mind that has become one with the life inside and around him; it is much more of a mental than a physical endeavor. And, as impressive as any particular fight scene may be, it is only secondary to whatever powerful forces lead up to it.
I see no reason why Western audiences would not be enthused by this movie; the story is built on many intriguing layers, but the basic plot is seemingly easy to understand. Jet Li plays a nameless warrior who comes to the court of the king (Daoming Chen) of the Quin province to present him with the swords of his greatest enemies, the assassins Sky (Donnie Yen), Broken Sword (Tony Leung Chiu Wai), and Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung). Quin is the largest and most powerful of the Six Kingdoms, and the king's dreams of unification have been stymied for years because of the dangers posed by these deadly assassins. The nameless hero is the first person granted the right to come closer than 100 paces from the king in the last three years. It is odd that the knowledgeable king knew nothing of this minor official turned hero before now, so he is most interested in hearing how the nameless warrior dispatched the three most deadly fighters in all the land. We are shown the story in a series of cinematographically gorgeous flashbacks awash in the most absorbing, vibrant of colors. If you're thinking this sounds like a pretty simple story, though, you are quite wrong. The king of Quin is a brilliant thinker who questions the nameless hero's story - and, eventually, the elusively remarkable truths standing at the heart of this epic film are revealed. Hero is sure to play more powerfully to the Chinese who see in the king of Quin the man who united the disparate kingdoms and basically forged the Chinese nation-state, but the revelations imbedded in this intriguingly complex story contain nuggets of understanding for all who will see, hear, and contemplate them.
The fight scenes that dominate the film are just exquisitely done. You don't see a lot of martial arts films centered on the sword rather than hand-to-hand combat - probably because swordplay is difficult to master and choreograph. The performers make it look as natural as breathing in this movie, however - it's not only incredibly impressive, it's extraordinarily beautiful to watch. Wires schmires - it's pure poetry in motion. Tan Dun's soundtrack only adds to the wondrous effect with its endlessly haunting strains.
What really makes Hero stand out is the complexity of its characters. The nameless hero, Sky, Broken Sword, Flying Snow, the king of Quin - these are not simple warriors; they are intricate creatures with deep, long-standing motivations, connoisseurs of the art they pursue, master strategists, dreamers, and men and women with ideals far more powerful than themselves.
I have to mention the fact that Ziyi Zhang appears in this film as an apprentice to Broken Sword - although hers is not a major part. Many will recognize her from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and House of Flying Daggers. For my money, she's the brightest light in Hong Kong cinema.
This film is truly epic in scope - in terms of the cinematography as well as the incredible performances. The only recent martial arts film I rate higher than Hero is House of Flying Daggers - and I don't expect any movie to top that extraordinary masterpiece any time soon.
Movie Review: "Is the sword the only answer?"
Summary: 5 Stars
In 2002, Yimou Zhang directed the Chinese martial-arts film entitled "Hero", or "Ying Xiong" in transliterated Mandarin Chinese. Released theatrically in the U.S. in 2004, the film's story centers around three assassins, a warrior and a king who are experts with martial arts in pre-unified China. Each of the assassins are from the kingdom of Zhao and want to kill the king (Daoming Chen) of the neighboring kingdom known as Qin. As the film begins, the king of Qin has requested a visit from a nameless warrior (Jet Li) who claims to have defeated the assassins. The nameless warrior enters a great empty hall and is told to sit about 50 paces from the king to tell his story. The king sits on a raised platform. In front of the platform and separating him from the rest of the great hall are a hundred or more flickering oil-filled lamps shaped like small soldiers. As the nameless soldier begins to tell his story about how he defeated the assassins, the film flashes back to a Zhao village with a massive Qin army approaching. Inside the Zhao village is a school of calligraphy in which the assassins have come to live: Broken Sword (Tony Leung Chiu Wai), Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung) and Moon (Ziyi Zhang, who played the pivotal character of Jen Yu in the 2000 film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"). In this first version of the story with all of the Zhao people wearing red, the Qin army opens fire with a massive number of arrows shot from very long bows. The arrows begin to destroy the village and the calligraphy school. The assassins escape the onslaught, but are encountered by the nameless warrior who successfully defeats them. Returning to the king of Qin's great hall, the king is suspicious of the nameless warrior's story and proceeds to tell what he believes really happened. In this second version of the nameless warrior's battle with the three assassins, they all wear blue and a beautiful battle scene unfolds over a lake with floating choreography reminiscent of the 2000 film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". Returning again to the king of Qin's great hall, the king becomes suspicious of the warrior's true intensions as the flickering oil lamps blow in a particular direction to warn the king. It is here the final and more honest telling of the story begins with the three assassins and the nameless warrior all wearing white. Here, Broken Sword explains why several years earlier he did not kill the king of Qin when he and Flying Snow had the opportunity to do so. During this explanation the film flashes back several more years to the king of Qin's great hall, which is filled with green drapes. With Broken Sword and Flying Snow each wearing green and taking on the king's massive army, Broken Sword engages in a personal battle with the king; but makes a surprising choice. Here, at last, the full meaning of the story becomes clear as time shifts back to the present for a highly emotional ending.
With a combination of exquisite uses of color, beautiful cinematography, superb martial arts choreography and a complex story, "Hero" is a wonderful film to watch. If you enjoyed films such as the 2000 "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" or the 2004 "The House of Flying Daggers" (in which Ziyi Zhang also starred), you will probably enjoy "Hero". What is important to remember with "Hero" is the historical context for the film: the first emperor of China was the king of the kingdom of Qin, who successfully and brutally conquered the other former Chinese kingdoms to unify China. Other memorable characters in the film include Sky (Donnie Yen), the scholar (Liu Zhong Yuan), the old servant (Zheng Tia Yong), the general (Chang Xiao Yang) and the commander (Zhang Ya Kun). Overall, I rate the 2002 film "Hero" with a resounding 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it.