Hero (DVD)

...concerning heroism. Nameless is a hero and throughout the whole of the film, I don’t think it is mentioned once and to be honest, it doesn’t have to be, everyone can tell through his actions and decisions. The soundtrack is just as sweeping and beautiful as the film itself, really playing with your thoughts in the unlikeliest of ways. The best example is in the stunning calligraphy house scene where the king’s army rains down arrows, tearing through ...
...panic, it is the old master who doesn’t stand up from his sand box, instead he continues as arrows dangerously hit the way, some only inches away from his head. To show their devotion in such Zen-Buddhist fashion, the students follow suit, some dying in the process. It is the fantastic score (left in the capable hands of Dun Tan) that elevates this to a far more obvious level, making it hard hitting to watch. Those who’ve seen “Crouching Tiger Hidden ...

DarkMark 22.10.2004 · Read full review
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Review of Hero (DVD)

...way that I can review Hero without comparing it to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon? Probably not, so we'll get it out of the way early. I wasn't a fan of that film at all, and was frankly amazed at the success it enjoyed. It deserves recognition on a technical level, and congratulations for pushing itself into the mainstream, but beyond that, it was lacking. It almost felt as if those hailing it were doing so because they hadn't seen any non-English ...
...from being a bad film, Hero still isn't particularly interesting. In ancient China, we witness the meeting between Nameless (Jet Li) and King Qin (Daoming Chen). Qin is attempting to unify all of China under his rule in an attempt to end civil conflict. Nameless is attempting to become a trusted ally of the King after informing him that he has eliminated the three assassins who have been hunting Qin. Nameless recounts to Qin exactly how he went ...

eddie7sf 03.09.2004 · Read full review
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Review of Hero (DVD)

In pre-unified china two thousand years ago, the emperor of the largest of seven kingdoms forbids anyone to come within a hundred paces of him, through fear of assassination. But when a nameless sheriff claims to have killed his three most dangerous enemies, he is allowed within close proximity of the ruler. But the more the king hears of Nameless’ exploits, the stronger his paranoia becomes. Is he right to fear the nameless warrior? Director and ...
...flair and lyrical style. Like many Chinese directors, he makes films that focus on universal themes. “Hero” is a film that is both very Eastern and very Western reflecting the multi-national crew that put it together. It is an epic mystical tale of heroism, loyalty, love and sacrifice. Its subject is intrinsically Asian, based as it is on historical folklore but does not require knowledge of Chinese history to appreciate it. It is a lavish movie ...

afy9mab 28.09.2004 · Read full review
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Review of Hero (DVD)

...period of the 7 kingdoms, Hero or ‘Ying Hung’ (as it is pronounced in Cantonese), is the story of Nameless (played by Jet Li) who after defeating all the potential assassins to the King of the Qin, the 7th Kingdom, finally meets the king himself to tell his triumphant story. Nameless has the honour of sitting and dining 10 paces away from the king and the king is anxious to know how Nameless managed to wipe out the fear which has kept ...
...CTHD, you will either love Hero or loathe it. If the thought of watching people fighting kung fu whilst tip toeing from tree to tree or bouncing off water, basically anything that defies gravity doesn’t bother you then you’re in for a treat. If on the other hand, you don’t buy it, and find it a tad bit OTT, then you will probably think no better of this film. It is very similar in many ways; the great landscape visuals, the martial ...

rayliu 26.03.2003 · Read full review
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Review of Hero (DVD)

...I had wanted to watch Hero for several years; I was enchanted by ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ and knowing it was under the ‘wuxia’ genre in addition to hearing its rave reviews I knew I could be confident in getting it. The story is the tale of pre-united China, and more specifically of an assassin – Nameless (Li) – visiting a paranoid king (Chen) to tell of the other assassins he killed to protect him in order for a reward. As the film progresses ...
...that she is fictional. Hero is the kind of film you can just sit down to and watch from start to finish – everything around you seems to stop and you become addicted to the screen and the events. I’m not surprised that this was the first foreign language film to be No.1 at the US box office, although hopefully it won’t be the last. ...

kaledrina 12.08.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Hero (DVD)

Hero is director Zhang Yimou's first attempt at martial arts after several dramas and other genres of film, and since this he has also made House of Flying Daggers, which is supposed to be even better than this amazing film (I haven't seen it yet but I can't wait). Hero cost $30million to make, which may not seem much, but it is the most expensive Chinese film ever made. It went on to take $173million at the worldwide box office, and it was nominated ...
...romantic side to the story, Hero is worth watching for the genuinely breathtaking fight sequences. Go out and buy it for an experience that will stay with you for a long time! Other stuff __________________________________________ Running time: 96 minutes Classification: 12 Starring: Jet Li, Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung, Zhang Ziyi, Donnie Yen, Chen Daoming Director: Zhang Yimou The DVD is fairly easy to buy from all good online retailers, the ...

l-m-n-o-p 03.07.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Hero (DVD)

...imagery is definitely captivating. Hero will inevitably be compared with Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Personally, I feel that Hero is a better film in terms of the plot(s!), cinematography and arty implications, and cast performance. Whether you are completely new to Far Eastern cinema, or a well-learned fan, Hero is definitely one to watch. Please don't let the martial arts or the subtitles deter you from watching this film. Although the film ...
...scenes are more poetic and 'dance' than your usual blood-and-guts scenes. I'm not a fan of dubbed films, but the subtitles do not take away the experience at all. MY FAVOURITE FIGHT SCENES ============================= = Flying Snow vs Jen Dressed in crimson traditional wear, Flying Snow and Jen muster tornadoes of fallen leaves of yellows and oranges. = Nameless vs Sky Courtyard battle in the rain. You can really feel and smell the raindrops ...

ReiKo 24.11.2004 · Read full review
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Review of Hero (DVD)

...Zhang ******************************************* ********* Hero has to go down as one of the best films ever made, if just for the Cinematography alone. It is visually spectacular and the use of colour is amazing. I really love these eastern martial art epics but i can assure you even if YOU don't you will still love Hero. It stars Jet Li as a nameless warrior brought before the king to explain how he defeated the 3 most feared assasins in the ...
...Flying Daggers which was made after Hero, but Hero stands head and shoulders above them both. 10/10 Summary: An martial arts epic, that will have even not martail art fans begging for more!! THIS REVIEW IS ALSO POSTED ON DOOYOO BY ME UNDER THE SAME USERNAME ...

pacinofan79 14.10.2008 · Read full review
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Review of Hero (DVD)

...forward to the release of Hero in British cinemas in late 2004. The film is directed by Yimou Zhang (House of Flying Daggers) and stars Jet-Li (The One, Romeo Must Die) and is shown mainly as a series of flashbacks. An appearance is also made by upcoming actress of the moment Zhang Ziyi (Crouching Tiger, House of Flying Daggers), though in a fairly minor role. THE STORY: Set in ancient China when the country was divided into 6 kingdoms, the film ...
...Qin, a powerful leader who was trying to unite the warring factions and lead the country into a new era. It was widely believed that Qin did not have the country's best interests at heart and therefore several attempts on his life were made. As a result of this, Qin lived in his palace surrounded by guards and noone was allowed within 100 paces of him on pain of death. One day Nameless (Jet Li) is presented before the king having defeated 3 of ...

karenes 10.02.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Hero (DVD)

...from this small niggle, Hero does have one more problem… the comparison to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. With the appearance of the gorgeous Zhang Ziyi, this does not help matters. Hero is a completely different film. The fact that it has amazing swordplay, has Zhang Ziyi, and is Chinese does not mean they should be compared. Hero is a story based around war, death and the choices people make told in flashback whereas Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ...

blackman007 30.01.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Hero (DVD)

ANOTHER STRAIGHTFORWARD NO BULLSH*T REVIEW Breathtaking...as corny as that sounds it's the first thing that comes to mind when i think about this film!!! The film is set in ancient China when the country was still split - into six kingdoms - and focuses on the kingdom of Qin, it's king and his many enemies as he looks to take control of everything. I dont want to give to much away about the plot, however it is basically Jet Li's character(unnamed!!!) ...
...assassins to protect the kings empire. What follows are amazing scenes as the story is told to the audience in pictures but that is not all, there are twists and turns in the plot as the king picks apart the story! All the characters in the film are played brilliantly, with the supporting actors giving just as much as Jet Li does throughout the whole film. The script is superb as is the direction and im honestly finding it hard to find faults with ...

kristophers1 14.02.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Hero (DVD)

...events in ancient Chinese history, Hero tells the story of a warrior without a name (Jet-Li) who claims to have killed three assassins: Broken Sword, Flying Snow and Long Sky in order to protect the King of Qin (Daoming Chen), who will become the future Chinese emperor and who will build the Great Wall. Through flashbacks, Nameless tell his tale to the King. I won' tell you the rest of the story but they are plenty of twist to keep you guessing right ...
...you off, Hero is a must see movie..... Five stars for me. +++ Cast: Jet-Li: Nameless Daoming Chen: King of Qin Tony Leung Chiu: Broken Sword Donnie Yen: Long Sky Maggie Cheung: Flying Snow Ziyi Zhang: Moon Director: Yimou Zhang Screenplay: Feng Li, Bin Wang, Yimou Zhang ...

Estelle999 26.09.2004 · Read full review
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Review of Hero (DVD)

...classic kung fu movies. Hero manages to combine the best parts of both American and Oriental influences. Special effects are used in a limited manner and, although impressive, are completely in harmony with the film's roots. Some scenes bear a marked similarity to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but these extraordinary flying and water-fighting episodes are not used gratuitously and are executed more artistically than in Crouching Tiger. The storyline ...
...when watching the subtitled version. The stroy is set in warring China, where the seven kingdoms fight among themselves to maintain their independence. Qin is the most powerful kingdom, and seeks to amalgamate them all into a peaceful whole. Li plays an assassin, presented to the King of Qin - his target - in honour, for killing three other assassins that posed a threat to the King. As the story unfolds, Li's tale breaks down under careful scrutiny, ...

kungfuchaos 13.05.2003 · Read full review
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Review of Hero (DVD)

...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 ...
...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 ...

majick123 09.11.2004 · Read full review
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Review of Hero (DVD)

...So i would say that Hero is the porn of the Matial Arts industry. Great looking sequences, very exciting camera work and actors that are very good with their swords! The only thing that i can think of as negative is that by the 4th time i watched it, i did start to think that maybe the fight scenes were alittle long. Abit like when you watch matrix reloaded again and that Neo vs all the Agent Smiths in the park fight seems to go on forever. However, ...
...it it was pretty amazing. All in all, i thoroughly recommend watching Hero. I have seen posters up in my local UGC cinema so i guess it'll be coming out in the UK very shortly. However i'm abit concerned because on the poster it read : Quentin Tarentino presents: Hero Where did Quentin Tarentino come from? I don't remember seeing his name in the original credits? Maybe they're "hollywoodised" it abit? Or maybe they even have a version with dubbing, ...

kaylasilver 11.09.2004 · Read full review
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Review of Hero (DVD)