Hero
A martial arts classic is born.
Starring:
Jet Li ,Zhang Ziyi ,Tony Leung Chiu-Wai ,Donnie Yen ,Maggie Cheung
Director: Zhang Yimou
Screenwriters: Zhang Yimou, Feng Li , Bin Wang
Reviewed
by Larry Stanley
“Swordsmanship's ultimate achievement is the absence of the sword in both hand and heart. The swordsman is at peace with the rest of the world. He vows not to kill and to bring peace to mankind.” - King of Qin
“A warriors ultimate goal is to lay down his sword” - Nameless
It has been almost three years since the film Ying Xiong was released in Asia and won the contest for China's most expensive movie and about that much time since bootleg copies and ‘special edition’ DVD’s have been sneaking around the internet and Comic book conventions around the world.
Only one warrior can win the camp spirit stick! |
Miramax bought the rights to the film in 2002 and cut about 15 minutes out of the film for being too confusing and too “Asian” for American audiences. In spite of that, they still never released it.
It took a deal between Harvey Weinstein and Quentin Tarantino to bring this piece of visual artistry to American screens. Tarentino said he would only allow the words "Quentin Tarantino Presents" to the film if the original cuts were returned to the movie.
Thank you Messrs.Weinstein and Tarantino.
Beyond a doubt, there will be comparisons between Hero and the last truly artistic Martial Arts film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and while they are in many cases obvious, the sheer magnitude of both films demonstrate the ability of filmmakers to actually create worlds inside worlds and return cinema magic to an almost bludgeoned to death with summer block-buster audiences.
Yes, there is a lot of wire work, and a lot of illusion in both films. But each one is a separate work, and both need to be looked at for their own values. It is like comparing Maltese Falcon to Casablanca; both are classics of cinema, both have magnificent stars and both are head and shoulders above so many of the films released in the years around them.
But, they are both excellent films by themselves.
The story is pretty straight forward, in a lot of ways is reminds one of some of the more classic westerns of the Golden Age. It is set during the third century B.C. just before the start of the reign of the first Emperor, and at the time China was split into seven different kingdoms. The king of Qin (Chen Dao Ming) is determined to expand his kingdom to include all seven kingdoms and to unite the nation into one vast power under his control.
But there are three legendary assassins who have sworn to stop him, Sky (Donnie Yen), Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung) and Broken Sword (Tony Leung).
Each one is beaten by a very skilled but unknown warrior who is only known by the title “Nameless” (Jet Li).
As the story opens, Nameless is telling about his past and how he was orphaned at a young age. He is traveling to the Kings Royal Court for a special celebration in honor of his killing the three assassins.
He is searched, and told to not move closer then 100 paces to the king or he would be instantly killed.
Using styles reminiscent of “Rashomon”, Nameless tells the king of his battles with the killers. The King is so impressed, he invites Nameless to move to within 10 paces of him.
As Nameless and the King talk, the audience is allowed to see this story from several differing points of view.
First as Nameless tells the story, then as the King gives his version and finally the viewer is treated to the actual truth of what happens.
The conflicting flashbacks reveal various truths and lies each moving around the idea that one must often forsake personal goals for the good or all around them. Not a popular idea in Western Culture, especially in the 21st Century.
Vastly imaginative cinematography that is nothing short of amazing moves through the film, and each time I thought I was seeing something so beautiful it could not be beat, something else hit the screen.
Christopher Doyle did a beautiful job setting up the shots and bringing them to the screen.
The musical score included Itzhak Perlman’s soft violin and Japan’s Kodo drum work, both mixing together to give the viewer a soft feeling of relaxation just before they are hit with a bucket of ice water as the music and the physical action combine to create a ballet of violence across the screen.
Many of the scenes moved from various color settings, such as one with Flying Snow and Broken Swords faithful servant, Moon (Zhang Ziyi) in battle surrounded by falling leaves tinted both red and gold, and the two warrior women are each clad in red clothes, moving between the swirling leaves. At another time, the fighters are wearing White, or Blue.
Each color worked to capture the movements and the characters during each point of the story
Hero is an innovative and creative piece of work. Watching the film on the big screen, you get an idea of just how vast China was 2,000 years ago and still is today. Waiting for this gem to hit the DVD section is cheating yourself out of half the joy of the movie.
It is wonderful to watch the differing views of the story, each from various perspectives. Seeing the Kings face as he moves from being impressed by Nameless to the point where he makes his own decisions about the story is great. Sheer talent and ability demonstrated without any overt camera work or makeup.
I hate to break this too anyone but this film is about patriotism and the love of ones country. Hero tries to show that too often a person will seek their own riches over what might be best for a nation. It is not hard to find comparisons in today’s society and even the newspaper headlines.
Hero is the kind of film that is not made that much anymore. It is filled with characters who are willing to fight for the things they believe in and are willing to die for them as well.
This is not going to be an easy thing for a lot of folks to see or understand. In some ways, it is sheer propaganda directed against the selfish, controlling people who demand that everything from the government to the local laws fit their ideals. They are the type who don’t understand that when a cops tells them to “Freeze” that does not mean reach into a pocket for a comb.
They are the type who demand that terrorists be arrested and stopped before they are able to do anything, but complain the loudest about their own ‘rights’ being abused.
This film is for them. It says that once in a while a person has to put their own desires for safety, security, wealth or even love aside for the rest of their nation and humanity.
There is a line from a Star Trek film I have always loved. Near the end of Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, Spock is saying to his best friend Jim Kirk, “The needs of the many outweigh...” and Kirk responds with “...the needs of the few.”
“Hero” says that as well. Just with a lot prettier fighting.
Oh. One more thing, which was one of the best things about the film in my opinion. About 5 minutes or so into it, about a half dozen people just stood up, grabbed their soda’s and popcorn and walked out of the theater.
Two of them were right in front of me, and I did hear one of them mutter to the guy he was with “I didn’t pay to read this $%@#.”
Yes folks. It is subtitled.
| Rating: |
 (4 out of 4 stars) |
Larry Stanley is the editor and publisher of Penguin Comics and Movies, located at http://www.penguincomics.net and has done over 500 movie reviews in his career. He is also a contributing reviewer to Cultcuts magazine (http://www.cultcuts.net) and Columbia360 (http://www.columbia360.com/) as well the magazine Devine Exploitation.
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