Interests: Arts and Martial-arts, alternative health, travel.
Bores: the 9 to 5, ultra-techie mobi...
Interests: Arts and Martial-arts, alternative health, travel.
Bores: the 9 to 5, ultra-techie mobile phones, celebrities.
Member since:03.11.2004
Reviews:13
Members who trust:3
Hero's director Zhang Yimou is one of the most highly regarded Chinese directors of recent years. Known for his moving and heart-felt films about the state of Modern China, it seems strange that he chose to turn his hand to a martial arts film. But lucky for us he did....
Hero features a cast of excellent martial arts stars lead by Jet Li, for whom this is a return to form after some disappointing roles recently in Hollywood. He's capably backed up by Tony Leung (Infernal Affairs, Hard Boiled), Maggie Cheung (Police Story) and Zhang Ziyi (The Road Home, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon). With a cast like this, and Zhang Yimou at the helm, Hero was destined to be a winner.
It tells the story of emperor Qin, renowned throughout China for being the first to unite the country as a whole, and a swordsman (Li) who is honoured by the emperor for killing 2 ruthless assassins who had previously tried to take the emperors life.
As the story unfolds, we see 3 different versions of events, each of which is visually marked in a striking way by use of a particular colour. As each story unfolds a new layer of deception is peeled away until eventually the truth is revealed.
Like all of Yimou's films, this is a slow burner. The kung fu is fast and excellently choreographed but the plot develops slowly, which allows plenty of time for the eyes to linger on the beautiful scenery.
Li is an outstanding martial artist and the fight scenes are rewarding whether you're a kung-fu fan or not. The only down side is that some viewers might find them a little long. Chueng and Leung are wonderful as the 2 assassins, their expressions conveying a wealth of emotion that comes across despite the language barrier (Hero is in Mandarin, with English subtitles). The young Ziyi plays a lesser role, but really shines - she is surely destined for big things.
Some have been saying that this is the best matrial arts film ever made. Are they right? Well, in my opinion they just could be. This is an essential watch for any martial arts or Jet Li fan, but will also appeal to a wider audience. Fans of Zhang Yimou's work should also give it a watch.
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Martial Arts - Director: Prachya Pinkaew - Original Language: English\Vietnamese\Thai\Mandarin - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Tony Jaa, Bongkoj Khongmalai, Petchtai Wongkamlao
Production Year: 1981 - Martial Arts - Director: Kenji Misumi, Robert Houston - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Kayo Matsuo, Minoru Ohki, Akiji Kobayashi, Shin Kishida, Masahiro Tomikawa, Tomisaburo Wakayama
Director Zhang Yimou brings the sumptuous visual style of his previous films (Raise the ... more
Red Lantern,Shanghai Triad) to the high-kicking kung fu genre. A nameless warrior (Jet Li,Romeo Must Die,Once Upon a Time in China) arrives at an emperor's palace w...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Director Zhang Yimou brings the sumptuous visual style of his previous films (Raise the ... more
Red Lantern,Shanghai Triad) to the high-kicking kung fu genre. A nameless warrior (Jet Li,Romeo Must Die,Once Upon a Time in China) arrives at an emperor's palace w...
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
One man will challenge an empire... In pre-Imperial China feared warrior Nameless (Jet ... more
Li) is granted an audience with the ruler of the most powerful of the seven warring kingdoms (Chen Daoming). Posing as a minor official Nameless sets about his mi...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Quentin Tarantino presents HERO - starring Jet Li (Cradle 2 The Grave, Romeo Must Die) in ... more
a visually stunning martial arts epic where a fearless warrior rises up to defy an empire and unite a nation. With supernatural skill and no fear a nameless soldi...
Advantages: spectacular action and cinematography, complex and moving plot, jet li Disadvantages: hard to follow at times, quite similar to crouching tiger
kungfuchaos 13.05.2003 ·
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Review of Hero (DVD)
![Quentin Tarantino Presents: Hero [DVD] [2004]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78515208.jpg "Quentin Tarantino Presents: Hero [DVD] [2004]")
Nov 9th, 2004
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